11 thoughts on “Gael Navard’s Rock Drum Circuit Bending”

1. I usually get a bit snippy on the topic of circuit bending, but this was genuinely fascinating. I’d love to know the mechanics of what’s going on here–some sort of pressure sensitive patch matrix controlling playback devices? It sounds great, and the musician/technician himself is excellent too. Hard to say anything negative about such an impassioned performance.

   1. 100% agreed. That was marvelous. Surprisingly deep– and for the duration of the performance, though frenetic, there were always new ideas and “a direction”. Cool polyrhythms. This guy has legit skills.

2. lovely ! Gaël Navard should speak with Skinny Puppy.

3. Stravinsky would be drooling over this!

4. amazing and passionate
   i love to see a artist get ” into ” his performance
   this is why i love experimental music/ noise

   @welp “some sort of pressure sensitive patch matrix controlling playback devices? ”

   i think it is a haken continuum fingerboard

   1. That’s what I thought at first, but look closely and it looks like there are switch and knob controls on each side of it, unlike a continuum. It looks like it may be some sort of custom box. Anybody know more?

      1. Thank you for all your comments. It’s a little bit less expensive than a Continuum 😉 This is just a circuit bent “rock drum” toy with a photocell sensor and knobs for tuning the pads. There’s also some small toys swimming in watercooling fluid. Really fun to play ^^ You can see more pictures here : https://www.flickr.com/photos/127661967@N06/ (in this perf, the other synths wasn’t used)

         1. Wow.. 30 Monotrons..

            1. Video of the “monotron army” is planned soon.

5. Not a continuum, just red and black.
   It looks like a custom board with only 6 large red pads and a few knobs and switches on the sides. Also, it looks like he is just triggering samples, his rack, or the strange bit-blob looking things in glass jars behind him. No actual bending of circuits occurring during the video. As far as I can tell: it’s a playing of pre-bent circuits.

   I can’t get into this type of thing at all. To me: it’s more performance art, than anything resembling music, even “noise music”.

   Also, they guy plays like a “spaz”.

6. Give that pad to a 2 year old and he´ll do the same sounds.
   What a crap.
   This is not art or music or anything nice.
   My laundry machine has better rhythm.