Mister Grassi Olde Micro-Cottage at Oberlin

Here is our table in the TIMARA department where we are making paper circuits of Mister Grassi, plus others:



Will be making about 9, for which the poplar kiosk cases are skeletoned out:


Hope to take these little animals into the park and tweet the squirrels with them.

Max/MSP Particle Wave Duality

This article begins as a proposal submitted to B.B. of Cycling 74, a proposal to make Max objects rotate to non horizontal angles. This comes from my experience designing analog circuits on a physical surface, wherein I am able to rotate my objects- chips, transistors, resistors- in any direction thus allowing woven circular feedback routes.



Said circular modulation can be modeled in max, but it doesn't look as cool:


Here's how I would do it, this is a hand drawing:

Now, the fun part, is that you see the two different kinds of patch cords: braided and plain line? Well, braided means it is a MSP signal, i.e. a waveform. Plain lines conduct Max events, i.e. particles. So we are talking about Particle Wave Duality, one of the keystones of quantum physics. Note how this max patch looks a little bit like a Feynmann diagram, especially in the middle with the speaker symbols. This loop converts ("measures" the waveform) into particles, and then back again, leveraging the simulacron difference tone of the computer program itself.

Cheerio, PB

Ye Conservatory Aesthetic

Today's lesson is on the Aesthetic of the Conservatory, and how it spills out into the "towne" vernacular.


Beethoven's Bagels, caters explicitly to those seeking music degrees. Go, go, go


Their menu includes "moonlight sonata", and "fur elise bagel w/ lox". ha ha ha.


A shrine to Jazz, in the new "Kohl" Jazz Building, Oberlin Conservatory.


Now we jump to the warm setting of Brewsters, where 'bonists get tipsy and eventually, upside-down.


Flute and Oberlin Poster


I like this photo, how the Violin is in reverse on the poster.


Back up, a warm booth with paper streamers, suggesting festivity.


Some can sit in the "brass booth" for a more jazzy experience.


Anyway, here is m'student Ben Bacon in m'chambre, playing "Wavy Gravy Pear Shaped Lute". He dreamt, of a brand of home goods, by the Conservatory of Music, called "CON".

Two Music Theory Notes

First, about the Beatles' "All U Need is Love". Written in the time signature of "7". Why is this? Because you leave out the "aight", i.e. in a Liverpool accent you leave out the "hate", all you need is love.

Second, the Imperial March of Star Wars, the theme of Dark Lord Vader. In a minor (sad) key, modulating down to a minor 6, also in a minor key. Can be said to be "hyper-minor", for it is always sad. But embedded within the modulation back to fundamental is a picardy third, a majoring of the minor, it is hidden, because the modulation is so "brickwall". But it is there, and it represents the Dark Lord's sudden and rushing turn back to the good side of the force from years of chaos.