Events

Patchable 0017

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RE:DRUM MACHINE

Drum machines are technological paragons of rhythmic production and exploration.  While it is easy to credit the beautiful design behind the beat boxes we adore, the real genius lies in the application by artists.  Abstracting the idea of the drum machine further and placing focus on the artist is what this Patchable is all about.

THE CHALLENGE

For this Patchable we challenge you to create your own drum machine using modular components.  Create each drum voice using any modules that are not drum modules. Using this drum machine make a song that is percussion based. You are free to use any modules except the following:

  • No drum modules
  • No samplers
  • No voice modules which require a trig input to emit sound – VCOs with a trig in are permitted, so long as the trig is not used

Other things to note:

  • no sampled drum loops or sounds
  • Using a delay, looper or sampler to effect your drum voices in real time, is allowed.
  • Using a single cycle waveform to create a VCO from a sample is allowed.

HOW TO PLAY

THIS PATCHABLE RUNS FOR THE MONTH OF AUGUST – DEADLINE AUGUST 31

  1. Create an original piece of music. It does not have to be a complete track. Ideas are welcome.
  2. Include the suffix PATCHABLE-0017 in the track title.  A completed track title would look like this: Spiral Vortex PATCHABLE-0017
  3. Upload your track to soundcloud by end of day, August 31st.
  4. Include a link to your track and patch notes in the comments below.

Patchable Performers

This month’s Patchable Performers, on Aug 27th, is based on this Patchable. The live show will incorporate a twist on the concept. If you wish to perform this Patchable, live, on the show, please message @saddleuptherobots, or @VCLoki on discord for information. 

PLEASE NOTE: If you’re interested in performing the patchable live, do NOT post a recording to the site, until after the show. We want the performances to be a surprise.

Patchable 0017 – RE:DRUM MACHINE by DYSONANT, video by Photonbath

PATCHABLE PERFORMERS

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Encouraging new performance behaviors via utilization of arbitrary constraints

PATCHABLE PERFORMERS is a curated electronic music live streaming show run by New York Modular Society.  

For almost a year now the New York Modular Society has been pushing it’s member-base to think outside the box via a patching challenge we call Patchable. On a regular basis our members are challenged to compose a piece of music using some sort of constraint, or common perspective.

These often fall into 5 common themes: 

  • Theory
  • Patching Technique
  • Environmental
  • Sound Design
  • Setup 

We want to use these themes to challenge NYMS members to think differently about performance art, as well as music composition in it’s own right. Patchable Performers exists to offer NYMS members a new way to think about performing live, and showcase their new techniques to an impassioned audience.

Philosophy 

Challenge yourself.

Format 

A monthly show which runs on the 4th Wednesday of every month. Each month will feature a variety of performers all taking on the same patchable challenge for that month. The Patchable for the performance show will possibly be different than the Patchable in the #patchables channel on the NYMS discord server. Set length, Show length, and Artist count will depend on community interest in each monthly challenge. Artists will likely be required to use a modular, or semi-modular synthesizer for each challenge (again, unless the scenario dictates otherwise). 

Curators

  • Saddleuptherobots
  • VCLoki
  • Mr William

Booking

Artists interested in playing live should first join us on the NYMS discord server.

Artists must also read and understand the following:

The information contained within How To Stream MUSIC TO Twitch From your Computer is extremely important, as Artists will not be allowed to stream if they are not following the instructions contained within. Should an Artist need assistance in setting their streaming settings as dictated above, please reach out in the #streaming channel on the NYMS discord server.

Feel free to reach out to a curator with any questions.  

Other Reading

Arbitrary Constraints

Past Performances

OFF THE GRID

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OFF THE GRID is a curated experimental music live streaming show run by New York Modular Society.  

Experimental music as a genre is difficult to define due to its highly subjective nature. Rather than imposing limits or strictly defining a genre, we simply desire to encourage experimentation. We welcome everybody, including those who do not define themselves as experimental artists but would like to explore the more experimental side of their creativity. 

This is a crazy counterpart to the main NYMS show. Open to well known and less established or experienced artists, people who love to push the limits of their instruments and boundaries of musical expression.  This is a show where abstract sonic exploration can be appreciated by a welcoming audience.

Philosophy 

Friendship, respect and equality. Freedom of musical expression. Spirit of free will and experimentation. 

Format 

A monthly show that runs for 90-120 minutes. We will have 3-4 artists perform at each show. There is no minimum or maximum length set, but we encourage 30 minute slots. Artists are free to use any musical tools at their disposal, though part of the setup must include a form of modular synthesizer.  

Booking

Artists interested in playing live should first join us on discord Feel free to reach out to a curator with any questions.  

You must also read and understand these articles This information is essential to be able to stream.

If you have any questions at all about these articles or need assistance, please reach out to us on discord.

Curators

  • Black Dingus
  • Makamqore
  • Dysonant

Past Performances

ARTIST STREAMING KIT

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We are excited you want to stream with us.  Our goal is to provide everyone with an easy to use process to get you up and running. Here are a few things you need to know to ensure a smooth and fun show.

Requirements

First please read and make sure you can meet the requirements and configuration for streaming here https://nyms.love/2020/04/26/how-to-stream-to-twitch-from-your-computer/

Scheduling & Sign Up

Red = NYMS Monthly Showcase. This is curated by NYMS founders. Sign up is not open, but we encourage you to contact a Discord admin and ask to play. 

Blue = Satellite Shows.  These are curated by various NYMS members. Sign up is not open, but we encourage you contact the show producers to ask to play.

Yellow = Open sign up, streaming directly to twitch.  You’ll need to ask for a key from an admin.  You should be a trusted member of the community. Like any community we would expect to know a new neighbor before we hand out keys to our home. The same goes for streaming keys.

RED & BLUE SHOWS

Streaming key and ingest URL will be issued when your show is confirmed and listed on the site.

PROMOTION

We will create graphic assets for the stream. We will deliver social graphics to you to promote on your social channels before the show. Feel free to create your own promotions as well.

Testing

We will ask you to test your stream with us 1-5 days before the event.  We ask that you setup for the test be exactly the same as it will for your performance.  Same camera, same audio inputs, same network etc.

Performance Process

On the night of the performance you need to have access to Discord.  You will be invited to the channel #green-room.  This is where we will communicate with you about when to start streaming and start performing.  The process is this:

  • You will be asked to start streaming roughly 10-15 minutes before your set begins and wait on standby.
  • We will confirm we are receiving your stream. 
    • If you are experiencing streaming issues that cannot be resolved quickly, we may have to move to the next artist. 
  • While the previous artist wraps up, remain on standby.
  • We will display your UP NEXT CARD and let you know in Discord you will be going live shortly.
  • We will then send a message that you are live and should begin your set

YELLOW SHOWS

Testing 

We want you to test your stream on your personal twitch channel before your event.  You should ensure there are no audio drops.  Test for at least 10 minutes to be sure.  Ask anyone on Discord to help if you need someone to watch the streaming test.

Performance Process

This process is pretty loose and open.  Start your stream on time.  If someone else is booked after you, be respectful of their start time and make sure you end on time.

You are responsible for your own opening screens.  If you would like a lower third NYMS name badge, please ask @dysonant.

We will need the email you used to sign up with twitch to issue you a streaming key.  The key should remain valid indefinitely.  However, sometimes we need to issue new keys.  So yours may stop working.  Contact us with any issues.

You need to visit the website to list your event.  Visit https://nyms.love/register/ and register an account.  Then visit https://nyms.love/events-directory/ to list you event.  Look for the “List Your Stream” button and follow the  form instructions.

How to stream music to twitch from your computer

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We want you to stream and for viewers to see the amazing art you are creating. Of course, we do expect you to be a part of our community and get to know you a little. Make sure you join us on Discord and participate. Please read through this guide to get set up and ready to go.

Tech Requirements

  • You must stream using a computer running OBS. No mobile devices allowed.
  • You need a camera that can connect to OBS.
  • You must be hardwired via ethernet cable. No WiFi allowed.

Streaming Specs

  • 720p (1280×720 pixels) 30fps
  • video: H.264 1500kb/s to 4000kb/s
  • audio: AAC 160kb/s, Sample Rate: 44.1kHz, Stereo

Basic Performance tips

  • Set your camera to 720p (higher settings will not improve quality, it will only make the encoder work harder)
  • Set your audio interface to 44.1kHz (again, higher settings will not improve final output quality and only make your computer work harder)
  • Quit and close applications or services you are not using. Like Anti-virus, back-up services or anything that uses CPU and network.

Initial Set Up

  1. Join us on Discord and introduce yourself. This is a community and like any community we would expect to know a new neighbor before we hand out keys to our home. The same goes for streaming keys.
  2. Register an account on twitch.
  3. Follow https://www.twitch.tv/newyorkmodularsociety
  4. Download OBS – Open Broadcaster Software https://obsproject.com

Configure OBS

  1. Skip the Auto Configuration
  2. Open Settings
OBS Settings
  1. Streaming service setup
    1. Select “Stream” from the sidebar.
    2. Select “Custom” from the “Service” drop down
    3. Input the ingest server URL — rtmp://ingest.golightstream.com/inbound/
    4. Copy and paste your stream key (be careful to select the whole thing)
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  1. Test you upload speed at https://www.speedtest.net
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  1. OBS Output Settings (see below image)
    1. Select “Output” in the settings sidebar
    2. Select “Advanced” from the Output Mode dropdown
    3. Select “x264” from the Encoder drop down.  (If you have a modern Nvidia or ATI GPU in your computer, selecting “Hardware Encoder” will improve encoding, CPU usage and speed.)
    4. Do not check this box. Your video settings everywhere should be 1280×720 so you should not need to downscale the output.
    5. Select “CBR” from the Rate Control drop down
    6. Depending on your upload speed, this should be set to 1500-4500Kbps.  Ensure you are only using 50% of your upload speed.  For example, if you upload speed is 4.5Mbps (4500Kbps) then you should set this to “2250 Kbps”.  If you set it higher then you may get frame drops and cause audio skipping.
    7. Set Keyframe Interval to “2”.  If this is blank or 0 your stream may not display.
    8. Start by selecting “Very Fast” for CPU Usage Preset.  Setting this higher sends lower quality but improves performance.  It should be somewhere between medium – very fast.
    9. Leave this alone, but sometimes setting it to animation can help with quality.

Hardware encoder settings in below image:

10. Select the Audio tab and make sure all tracks Audio Bitrate are set to 160

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  1. OBS Video settings
    1. Select the “Video” tab in the settings sidebar
    2. Select 1280×720 from the Base Resolution dropdown
    3. Select 1280×720 from the Output Resolution dropdown
    4. If steps 2 & 3 are followed, this becomes less necessary, since you will not be doing any video downscaling.  Selecting “Bicubic” should be fine.
    5. Select “30” form the Common FPS Values dropdown
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  1. OBS Audio settings
    1. Select “Audio” in the settings sidebar
    2. Select “44.1kHz” from the Sample  Rate dropdown
    3. Select “Stereo” from the Channels dropdown
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  1. Click “OK”

Set up your Stream Scene

  1. Right click on “Scene” in the lower left of the OBS screen and select “Rename”
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  1. Click “+” in the lower left “Sources” section.
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  1. Select “Video Capture Device”
  1. Rename the device in the “Create New” input field. Then click “OK”
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  1. Select your camera source.
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  1. You should see video.  If you do, Click “OK”. If not, check you camera connection.
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Setting Up an Audio Source

This is where things get complicated and specific to your system.  If you are sending a stereo signal to your audio interface you may be able to just select it from the “Audio Input Capture” source “Device” drop down in OBS.  If you are running more channels or sending audio through your DAW then you will need to create a virtual Input on your Operating System.  You can do that with these utilities:

Mac OS

Windows

  1. Click the “+” in the “Sources” section of OBS and select “Audio Input Capture”
select audio source
  1. Select your interface or virtual audio device from the “Device” drop down. Then click OK. I this case I have a virtual device named “Modular Audio”
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  1. Set your gain structure.  Turn up the audio from your Modular pretty loud but ensure it is not clipping and you have some headroom. Then using the OBS Audio Mixer make sure your loudest noises are hitting the RED but never go more than 1/2 into RED.  OBS audio meter is a little weird in that it is not clipping if in RED.  The bottom of RED is about -9dB.
  1. Ensure you are not double monitoring the audio. Click on the gear icon “⚙“ and select “Advanced Audio Properties”
do not get echos
  1. From the “Audio Monitoring” column, make sure you select “Monitor Off” for all of your audio sources.
turn monitoring off

Test your stream

You need to ensure you are not dropping any frames to ensure audio quality.  Audio is more important than video for the experience.  Test by streaming to your own twitch channel.  You will need to change the streaming service and key to do this.

  1. Click “Start Streaming”
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  1. In your Menu Bar  select “View > Stats”
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  1. Review your stats
    1. This should always say 0/### (0.0%) 
    2. This should always say 0/### (0.0%) 
    3. This should always say 0/### (0.0%) 
    4. This is an indicator of your network capacity and what you are trying to send.

BAD EXAMPLE

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GOOD EXAMPLE

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Ready to Stream

By now you should be ready to stream.  A few last steps will help ensure a smooth show.

  1. Make sure you join us on Discord. 
    1. Admins will let you know when it is good to start streaming.
  2. Make sure you have a browser window open to the NYMS Twitch channel during your stream. MAKE SURE YOU MUTE THIS VIDEO ON TWITCH. Issues can arise during a stream and people in the chat will usually mention these.
    1. You can view and engage with chat.  
    2. You can see if your stream is working as expected.
  3. Be respectful of time slots.  If someone is coming up after you, try to finish a few minutes early.
  4. In OBS, click “Start Streaming”
start streaming
  1. After your performance let the stream continue for about 2 minutes.
  2. Join the twitch chat and bask in the glory of the accolades you will receive.

Helpful Resources

Recommended Gear

There are many options out there, these suggestions are simply to get you started.

Updated July 18th, 2020

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