Time Scape

Photo of Time Scape

Time Scape by Arius Blaze.

Release date: 11-20-2008

The Time Scape is an "on the fly" remix machine, huge and fat analog style delay and also a work with thousands of different effect possibilities when just seeking to process external sound. It has a 27 point patchbay to determine timing change ups, modulations, and odd granular effects of either a sampled sound (from extremely tight to up to about 5 seconds) or a direct incoming signal altered with either minimal delay or phenomenol analog style.

Time is selectable between 3 ranges to allow for more range on the timing knob. This is a digital piece with a very warm sound and very analog characteristics. A sample can be slowed to grumbles or sped up a great deal. Patches can be made directly point to point. When the Time Scape is being used specifically for making rhythmic parts via the sampler, it's as simple as pressing a button, sampling and adding bits and pieces - then further altering those parts with timing patches, granulation and modulation. When certain patches are set, they'll provide a time-based glitch effect which will displace segments of the incoming signal in different time formats depending on how it's patched, slicing one snippet and placing it before the next etc. When sampling in a time based patch, the incoming part will automatically be placed within the timing of the Time Scape, making a coherent loop.

In addition, there are patchable automated controls built in which toggle between two selectable patches, allowing for any variation of mod style effect. This can be used to bounce back and fourth between two ring mod effect, for example, or tap into the timing and cipher through parts of a sample. By adding the Scape Sequencer to the mix and patching into the patchbay, thousands of possibilities are present for automated manipulation. This results in time based alterations of a sample, an incoming signal, or for use with the folktek Touchboard.

When resampling or adding parts to a sample, the bits and pieces of the incoming signal are displaced into new order, in turn creating an instant remix of whatever you send in. Straight rhythmic, textured loops or seemingly chaotic polyrhythms - however you like. The excess feedback potential allows for the possibility of using this work as a standalone piece - without any incoming signal. There are three touch points on the Time Scape which allow for excess low pass or high pass feedback - dub style.

Add the folktek Touchboard addition and it IS entirely standalone if desired. Each of the points on the board control different oscillators, noise or excessive feedback - which acts as your ASDR (attack, sustain, decay and release). In conjunction with the sequencer, you now how strange arpegiated sequences to control. The Time Scape has all custom lamps, buttons and switches and all necessary standard controls - mix, feedback, level controls, sample on, delay on, add sample, auto patching, 1/4" input, 1/4" output, trigger jack. Includes 9v ac adapter , manual and patch cable.

All of the following Future upgrade options breathe entirely new life into this piece, making it more playable and allowing for thousands more possibilities. Each will be housed in a custom hardwood box. Since these upgrades are optional, the buyer will have to let me know if he/she would like the ports added on the side to fascilitate these upgrades. The additional ports are free but I was reluctant to add them, not knowing whether the buyer would want any future upgrades - Lest I be wasting my time and energy. :::::::::::::::::

= The all touch-based playable keyboard - polyphonic and feeding through the circuitry of the time machine to turn this piece into a samplable synthesizer.

= The 8 part sequencer (like that on the time scape sequencer) allows the the effects to be played in time - each part is patchable to the main patchbay generating some of the instant craziest hardware shit you've ever heard. There is no other piece of hardware that does anything like this when the sequencer is added. an amazing thing. __________

There are a broad array of sound samples still covering just a bit of the possibility of the time scape. Making an attempt to express something with such a wide range of potential is impossible without just making albums about it. Still, these samples attempt to portray a number of the various methods in which the Time Scape can be used - as a sampling remix tool, as a real time processor, as an analog delay and as a standalone sound source. Below you'll find the samples (medium quality mp3) as well as some explanation of what's happening. Please excuse any clipping or peaked levels in the recording - I was experimenting with new recording software. None of this is edited except where it says otherwise and no external processing is ever used.

There are four alternate samples - taken from a 38 minute recording of me playing the Wave Front Inverter (created in 2002). You can find the inverter on the main Time family page. While these two pieces are based on similar circuitry, the two are still quite different. The Time Scape is designed in a much different way - with the intention of expansion possibilities. Also having built multiple models since this original work, the design has advanced and the improvements have been integrated. That said, the Time Scape is capable of all of the sounds and processing recorded with the wavefront as well.

 



 

Audio Samples

internal feedback used with modulate section

internal feedback used with modulate section 2

internal feedback used with modulate section 3

modulate section controlling auto-add patch sampling satie

internal feedback used with modulate section sampling some ambient track

compilation of captured loops from random mp3's being altered with seq

examples of the dub delay using john zorn

mississsippi john hurt = candy man (meets time scape + sequencer)

john zorn = masada (meets time scape + sequencer)

accoustic drum and bass (meets time scape+ sequencer)

captured beat loop (meets time scape + sequencer)

Video

video by Arius Blaze

video 1 by Big Pauper

video 2 by Big Pauper