perkXsoundlabs Blog

perkXsoundlabs is the solo electronica project of Paul Rolan Perkes based out of Phoenix, AZ.

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Stenography

I recently renewed my interest in ciphers and cryptography. It all started when I viewed the ancillary content on the Blu-rays of the “National Treasure” movies that I recently purchased. In my exploration, I learned the Masonic pigpen cipher and downloaded a really cool simulation of the Enigma cryptography machine used by the Germans in WWII. The Enigma was cracked by one of my heroes in computing, Alan Turing. I also downloaded some stenography software. Stenography, in this sense, is the practice of concealing a file, message, image, or video within another file, message, image, or video.

One of the applications of stenography that particularly interested me is audio watermarking, or audio fingerprinting. This is the process of inaudibly embedding information in an audio file. I discovered TrustedAudio.com. This service allows you to embed information in audio files essentially for free. When you open an account, you receive 300,000 credits, which was more than enough for me to watermark all 22 of my albums that I have released with public copyright data. Their complete service allows you to distribute audio files to recipients, embedding both the copyright data and the recipient’s data in the file. This would allow you to trace a pirated copy of your music back to its source. I wasn’t interested in this level of watermarking, but I was very interested in embedding my copyright data into my music. This watermarking process is, to my ear, completely inaudible. In my tests I was able to watermark my 24-bit, 48 kHz WAV masters WAV, then resample them down to 16-bit, 44.1 KHz and MP3 encode them (both to VBR-0 and 128kbps) still preserving the watermarking.

The service is web-based, but they also publish an API (application programming interface). The API examples use PHP but I was able, with the support of Alexander, a most excellent support person in Russia, to write a Perl script (my favorite programming language) that uses the curl and wget command-line tools to automatically upload my WAV files to TrustedAudio, watermark them with my copyright data and download the watermarked files.

I wish I had discovered TrustedAuido before I had published all my albums. Those albums are already published and there is no way to replace my existing songs with fingerprinted versions. This applies to my songs published on Itunes, CD Baby and Amazon. I am, however, going to replace all my songs on Soundcloud and Bandcamp with fingerprinted versions. I know that my music has been pirated (mostly in Russia) and there isn’t much I can do about it, but moving forward I am going to fingerprint everything that I publish. In the end, I am just happy that people are enjoying my music, even if it is pirated.

 ^

[perkxsoundlabs]

construKtion kiTs by perkXsoundlabs

Make that great perkXsoundlabs sound your own with perkXsoundlabs construKtion kiTs. Now available at introductory prices until the end of October. Get professional-quality 24-bit, 48 kHz FLAC and REX loops that you can import into your DAW and make your own musical creations—royalty-free!

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"Spinning Cog" by perkXsoundlabs

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Hear is my song “Steampunk” formerly Opus 661. I knew that something was off about the version of Opus 661 that I had posted a couple of days ago, specifically with the hi hats. I discovered that my Grids module was expecting 24 ppq (pulses per quarter note) and I was feeding it 16 ppq. Once I fixed that it sounded a lot better. This is my best take from yesterday. I’m still not completely satisfied with it, and I am still searching for that “perfect” take before I pull all the patch cables and move on to a new composition.

[perkxsoundlabs]

This is my first successful try with my new Eurorack modular synthesis system. It was recorded in one take, with no overdubs and some live effects processing from a MIDIVerb 4.

Modular synthesis is an entirely new way of working for me. Previously my compositions have be extensively sequenced and worked on and crafted for hours. For me, modular synthesis is much more organic. Patches cannot be easily saved or recreated. Although some sequencing is possible, it is limited to one or two parts and to note gate, note value and one control change parameters. Every performance is unique and I have found that it is best to always be recording in case that particular performance turns out to be brilliant. Although it is technically possible to do overdubs, I think getting everything to sync up exactly will be quite a challenge.

I still have lots to learn and technique to perfect but I am already having quite a blast.

More to come…

[perkxsoundlabs]

Here is my Elite Modular 416 Studio Eurorack Case: 4th and final row populated! I can now get on with learning how to use my modules and making some music.

From the left you can see: Make Noise Maths (function generator), Pittsburgh Modular Toolbox, Make Noise Rene (Cartesian sequencer), Make Noise Brains (to control the two pressure points) and two Make Noise Pressure Points (touch performance modules). This last row is called a skiff row, is nearly horizontal and is designed for live performance modules like the Pressure Points and the Rene.

I feel like I have really made an accomplishment. Assembling all of this wasn't  easy because of my MS. It is hard for me to hold my hands steady, manipulate the tiny M2.5 screws and hold and aim the screwdriver; but I got it all done.

You can check out my rack in detail on modulargrid.net

https://www.modulargrid.net/e/racks/view/231859

[perkxsoundlabs]

Here are two pictures (with and without flash) of my rack with the    3rd row populated.     On the right half you can see my Mutable Instruments Grids module.    Mutable Instruments is essentially one guy, Olivier Gillet, from    France. Oliver has masters in engineering, a M. Sc. in artificial    intelligence from University Pierre et Marie Curie and a Ph. D in    signal processing. Grids is a topographic drum sequencer which    generates three sets of gates and accents for three parts (usually    bass drum, snare and hi hat). The sequences can be varied on an x/y grid and have individual controls for complexity with an overall    chaos control. Mutable Instruments has some really cool stuff. I    have three of their modules and plan to get some more in the second    rack that I am planning. To the right of Grids are drum modules from    Tiptop Audio that are improved recreations of the classic Rolan    TR-808 bass drum, snare and hi hat and TR-909 clap and cymbal.    

On the left half of the row the large module is the Intellijel    Metropolis. Intellijel, based in Vancouver, makes some really cool    stuff. The Metropolis is at its heart an 8-step sequencer. But it so    much more than that. Each step can be repeated up to eight times and    has modes for each step to hold the note for the count, repeat the    note, play the first repeat and skip the rest and skip the step. It    has tons of performance features and can generate sequences of up to 16 steps. I have watched a lot of YouTube videos demonstrating    really cool ways of using this module.

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Elite Modular Eurorack Case: 2nd row populated!

[perkxsoundlabs]

Elite Modular Eurorack Case: 1st row populated.

After I had installed a few moduals in the case I decided to test the power: I turned the system on and none of the moduals came on. Bummer... Long story short: after some diagnostics I discovered that Elite Modular hooked up the power bus boards ass-backwards. They had +12V on the white wires and ground on the black wires! I had to do some disassembly and remove the bus boards; but I finally got everything hooked up correctly and put back together.

Despite all the problems I love the Elite 416 case. It will fit into my setup very nicely. Can't wait to actually make some music with it.

[perkxsoundlabs]

My new Elite Modular 416 Studio Eurorack Case: empty and ready for module installation!

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Have you heard ‘Seer Of Visions [Preview]’ by perkXsoundlabs on #SoundCloud? #downtempo in D unusual key for me (perkXsoundlabs)

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(via https://soundcloud.com/perkxsoundlabs/the-miracle-preview-working-title?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=tumblr)

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Check our new music from perkXsoundlabs: ‘Neurogenesis’ (via https://soundcloud.com/perkxsoundlabs/neurogenesis?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=tumblr)

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NCIS Phoenix

Before I fell asleep last night I had been binge-watching NCIS on Netflix. This bled over into my dreams. In my dream I was a special agent assigned to NCIS Phoenix. There was a bay in Phoenix that extended up from the Gulf of Mexico where Navy ships were anchored, on one of which we had credible bomb threats.

I was in charge of IT surveillance. I was analyzing the Internet traffic from the ship looking for traffic from China and North Korea. I was also looking for any communications that were encrypted or used Chinese or Korean character sets.

Next I was assigned to go shipboard. There were two smaller Coast Guard boats assigned to protect the ship; but I became concerned about threats to the ship below the water which the boats could not examine. I requisitioned a small remote submersible vehicle and had the technicians examine the ship’s hull for anything unusual, specifically bombs attached to the hull below the water line.

I was somewhat sad that I Abby Sciuto wasn’t in my dream. I have a huge crush on Pauley Perrette and would have really liked to have interacted with Abby in my dream.

[perkxsoundlabs]

Soft Spot

In my dream last night I went over to my neighbor’s house. I had noticed from the service truck that had visited his house earlier that he had installed fiber Internet service. Previously I had let him use my dial-up service and wanted to cancel it if he was now all up-and-running with fiber. While I was there I noticed that a room in his house seemed to occupy the same space as a room in my house (our units abutted each other). This didn’t make any sense. I went back to my house to check it out.

When I got back to my house I found on one of my walls my neighbor’s fiber connection, which should have been installed on the outside wall of his house. The fiber optic cable was cut at an oblique angle in a couple of places. While standing there I saw a strange visual disturbance and had a weird queasy feeling—it felt as if something had literally passed right through my body. I got the feeling that it had been my neighbor’s daughter on their side of the house and she had literally walked right through me.

Right next to the fiber connection was a door in the wall that I didn’t remember and which shouldn’t have had anything behind it. I opened the door and it opened into my neighbor’s house. I called for him—we were both amazed by the existence of this door which neither of us knew about. I noticed that once the door was opened, the carpet on my side of the door changed to match the carpet in my neighbor’s house. Deciding to perform some experimentation I had my neighbor open his front door. Once this happened, half of my kitchen changed to match my neighbor’s kitchen.

I got really exited, surmising that we must live over a soft spot in the fabric of the universe, a wormhole of sorts. I was dazzled by the implications for physics, space travel, teleportation and science in general. We opened another door in his house and one of my walls changed, but to how it had looked several years in the past. This seemed to indicate to me that time travel was possible.

I suddenly got concerned that we should be somewhat concerned. That if we weren’t careful, something bad could happen. I remembered the cut fiber optic cable. I was worried that if one of us was standing in the wrong place and opened the wrong door we could get sliced in half.

Next, I thought of what steps we should take next. I attempted to call my good friend, Julie, my only other friend well educated in science. I wanted to share this discovery with her and get her input on what we should do next. Who to inform? The physics department ar the university? A national lab? What would happen to our homes? Surely we would have to move out. Could we get the government to buy them from us?

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(via https://soundcloud.com/perkxsoundlabs/opus-624-preview?utm_source=soundcloud&utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=tumblr)

[perkxsoundlabs]

North vs. South

In last night’s dream I was involved in a “North vs. South” battle reenactment. I was about ten years old. We battled in little hang gliders. For some odd reason the “North” forces were based on South Mountain and the “South” forces were based on the mountains to the North. On the first day of our practice skirmish the weather was nice: mostly sunny with little fluffy white clouds. I piloted my hang glider nearly three quarters of the distance to the North. I enjoyed the trip and was proud of myself.

The next day I transported one of our prisoners, a spy from the “South”, to their base to exchange for some of their prisoners, some of our spies. This exchange went without any hiccoughs.

On the day of the main battle, however, the weather was bad: there was rain, gusting winds and thunderstorms. The forces from the “South” got a jump on us and arrived just as we were launching. Most of our combatants were about ten, but the forces from the “South” were in their early teens—stronger, more experienced and more confident. They also had much better gliders. Many of our forces didn’t even get to launch before they were shot. I was able to launch but was severely hampered by the rain and the gusting winds. I narrowly escaped getting shot down several times. Eventually there was a huge lightening strike and thunderclap near me. I became very frightened and was forced to land. Needless to say, we lost the battle.

After the battle I found out there was a newer model glider out that had an electric motor, a propeller and fixed wings. I got me one and went adventuring with it. On my first trip I got distracted, overshot my destination and ran the battery down. I had to land and search for a place to recharge. I found a picnic area in a park that had electrical outlets and recharged my glider.

By the time I was able to recharge my glider it was getting dark. I had to fly back home in the dark. It was much more difficult to recognize landmarks and navigate in the dark. I eventually recognized a little shopping center near my house and was able to set down there.

My dream ended here.