Ableton, touched for the very first time

Now, it's high time that I connected my gadget to the computer! I'm using Ableton Live 7. I have inserted drum and acoustic in this screenshot which sounded sweet.

I love this tutor's accent.

Good to bend

Mini organ sound check from The Inbetweener on Vimeo.

2 toys, 2 tone generators and a couple of sleepless nights later, I finally managed to assemble an installment. Although this is not the most beautiful configuration, I am good to bend!

Future Kit, that's a great name

Instead of toys, I decided to assemble some tone generators. The one I'm working on in the picture is a mini organ with 13 tones which I have already destroyed after a few hours of struggle. I must have played around with it too much.

How I wreck

My first toy tomb

Initially, this disassembling and assembling part seemed quite self-explanatory, yet, of course there's always a catch. I have already wrecked 2 toys in the first class. Farewell Draemon and Power Ranger. I'm going for a quick run to a near-by toy store.

A circuit bender

This lady provides great step-by-step tutorial videos for dummies.

In short, here is the instruction that I need to follow to start circuit-bending;

1. Buy a battery-powered children's toys (I repeat, IT MUST BATTERY-POWERED. Otherwise you might get electrocuted and die.)

2. Disassemble the toy and take out the circuit part which is usually greenish board with some metal bumps.

3. Lick your index finger and rub the back of the circuit where the numerous metal bumps are, then try to locate where you can get the sweetest beat.

4. Once you decide on 2 spots, connect a generator of your choice. (10K, 50K, 100K, 500K, etc)

5. Connect it to a software (Ableton) in your computer.

A wondrous world of circuit benders

I hear circuit bending is one of the most undemanding ways to make creative sound and music. Basically, by short-circuiting electronic devices such as children's toys, even a music dummy like myself can be a quasi music composer or DJ.

Why I was excused from my piano lessons

At the age of 8, I had received an ultimatum from my parents which roughly stipulated that they were no longer responsible for my piano school tuition. Why? In addition to my hands coordination problems, I had an incurable music sheet dyslexia and was also a perfect pitch deaf. Dealing with my piano teacher was another pure torture as a young child. Why do piano teachers always have to be so sadistic? This lady used to hit my hands severely with wooden sticks whenever I made mistakes. What is more, her Ma Fratelli (The mean lady from The Goonies) look-a-like old mother who always wanted to play hide-and-seek with me frightened me to death. As such, I was more than happy to accept my parents' statement.

Traumatized by a piano teacher, I never tried to learn music ever again. In fact, I was determined to focus on my career as a professional music listener until I was introduced to a solution for my music illiteracy. Circuit bending might be it.