Corry BanksSo Uncle Moog is at it again. It’s that time of year that all the most techiest, most synth geekiest, most electronically inclined cool cats come together to compete in the annual Moog Circuit Bending Challenge. This is the 3rd annual Moog Circuit Bending Challenge. It takes place at the Moog Fest in Asheville, NC.
So what is “Circuit Bending” anyway, you might ask? According to CircuitBenders.co.uk;
“The term ‘circuitbending’ refers to the technique of rewiring the electronics of just about anything that makes a noise to create a machine capable of sounds the original designers would have never thought possible. Anything from dirty twisted percussion and 8 bit computer glitching, to droning alien soundscapes and crushing walls of noise can be coaxed from the most unlikely of sources with nothing but a soldering iron and a lot of patience.”
Now that we are all on the same circuit of understanding, Im certain you’ll be looting a toy chest near you for the perfect toy or electronic device to circuit bend. But before you do lets get back to the event at hand. The Moog Circuit Bending Challenge.
Moog Music’s 3rd Annual Moog Circuit Bending Challenge was inspired by the hugely popular and successful Google tribute to Bob Moog with Google Doodle. Hence this years challenge to create a circuit bent sampler capable of sampling sounds from the google doodle.
Moog Music is asking that contestants film their bend process and a musical performance with their final creation. The device does not need to have originally been a sampler, it just needs to be able to sample external sounds after the bends and mods have been put in place & it must be able to take samples on the fly with no computer interface needed. Also, the sampler must be solely populated with sounds from Google’s amazing Moog Doodle. Get the Doodle here.
Here’s how to enter:
1. Pick the device you want to bend. It can be a sampler, or you can modify it to become one. At the end of the day, it needs to be able to take samples on the fly.
2. Bend it. If you don’t know what that means, Google it.
3. Video document the evolution of your bend, the sampling process and the outcome. Strive for good quality audio in your video. The better you document, the better we can judge. All videos must be uploaded by MIDNIGHT EST on September 24th.
4. Upload the video to YouTube and title it “Moog Circuit Bending Challenge 2012.”
5. Send an email with the subject Moog Circuit Bending Challenge 2012 to info@moogmusic.com with the YouTube links to your entry.
Finals:
The top 3 entries (Finalists) as chosen by the esteemed panel of judges on September 28, 2012 will receive (2) passes to Moogfest 2012, as well as a Moog merch package. At Moogfest the finalists will showcase their creations inside the Moog Factory, where they will have access to the entire Moog catalog of instruments to use with their bent sampler.
The finalists’ entries will be on display at the Moog Factory throughout Moogfest 2012, for attendees to play. Attendees will have an opportunity to vote for their favorite entry, and feedback from the public will be a factor in the judges final decision on the winner.
The Grand Prize winner will be chosen by Joey Hurst (Google Engineer), Ryan Germick (Head Google Doodler) and Andy Hughes (Moog Custom Mod Specialist). Winner will be chosen on the basis of reliable functionality, creativity, craftmanship, artistic appearance, overall sound, unique interface, and the popularity of the device with the public. The winner will be chosen on the final day of Moogfest 2012.
Grand Prize: Minimoog Voyager Performer Ed.
2nd Place: Little Phatty
3rd Place: Minitaur