Workshops and Drop-In Hours
—With Synth Library Portland feat. Crystal Quartez (Cortez), Francisco Botello, Helen Spencer-Wallace, Matthew Rempes, Thomas Fang, Aaron Guice, and Yaw Evans.
Description
As an organization in residence during Remembering to Remember, Synth Library Portland will host multiple workshops open to everyone, offering both introductory hands-on teaching for beginners and instruction on how to create multi-channel sound compositions. In addition to workshops, Synth Library Portland will also provide informal open hours during which all are welcome to play with modular synthesizers and other electronic music equipment, and meet our facilitators. Below is the full list of Synth Library Portland programming in chronological order. For pricing and registration for all of the following events, please visit synthlibraryportland.com or click on the "Get Tickets" button to rediect you to that page.
AFRORACK Weekend takeover! — Aaron Guice and Yaw Evans
PICA, 15 NE Hancock Street, Portland, OR, 97212
Click the "Get Tickets" button for the registration links.
The Future is Modular*
Saturday, February 18, 2023 / 8:00-9:00 pm
*Limited to eight (8) participants.
** All ages are welcome - children under the age of 13 must be accompanied by an adult
Are you ready to explore the boundless universe of sound and unlock your inner STEM genius? Step into AFRORACK: Season Seven - a place where curiosity is ignited through exciting hands-on activities, sparking fresh ideas and limitless creativity. Your adventure awaits!
This workshop is designed for grades K-5, but everyone can enjoy it! All genders and backgrounds are represented in this class. No musical training required: we have people with hearing impairments or who don’t hear at all taking part successfully. Workshop attendees are asked to follow two simple rules: “bring your imagination and curiosity.” Participants will take part in hands-on experiments.
Led by AFRORACK founder Aaron Guice with special guest Yaw Evans
Build A Simple Oscillator by AFRORACK - Beginners DIY building workshops*
Sunday, February 19, 2023 / 11:00 am-12:00 pm
Sunday, February 19, 2023 / 4:00-5:00 pm
Price: $30 (per workshop)
*These are two (2) separate, identical workshops.
**Both Workshops limited to six (6) people per workshop
***All ages are welcome - people under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian
Are you curious about Synth DIY but don't know how to begin? Maybe you’ve soldered something simple, perhaps not even sound related, but don’t know what all the components are/do or how it relates to making sound? Then this is the workshop for you!
Let us show you the ropes. From soldering basics to understanding components and their roles in making music - this workshop will provide everything needed for building beautiful audible creations from scratch!
When complete, you’ll have a simple, standalone battery-operated synthesizer with a single knob for changing the pitch of the sound that you can plug headphones into, or other music gear. No prior soldering experience is necessary.
Workshop: Modular Synthesis for Total Beginners — Helen Spencer-Wallace and Matthew Rempes
Wednesday, February 22, 2023 / 6:30-9:30 pm
Price: Free
PICA, 15 NE Hancock Street, Portland, OR, 97212
Click the "Get Tickets" button for the registration link.
*90-minute lecture followed by a 90-minute small-group experimentation
This workshop is an introduction to modular synthesis for total beginners. We will spend 90 minutes in lecture, with time for questions, and 90 minutes in small groups working with the equipment, with support from a second instructor. We will start with an embodied and intellectual introduction to voltage, move through basic synthesis terminology and signal flow, and finish with suggestions as to how to continue learning and playing. My intent is for you to find a sense of wonder and confidence as a synthesist. This workshop is designed to be accessible to people with no experience in electronic music or sound art, but regardless of your level of experience, you are welcome and encouraged to attend!
Open Library Hours — Matthew Rempes and Thomas Fang
Thursday, February 23, 2023 / 6:00-9:00 pm
Sunday, February 26, 2023 / 4:00-7:00 pm
Thursday, March 2, 2023 / 6:00-9:00 pm
Saturday, March 11, 2023 / 4:00 pm–7:00 pm
Friday, March 17, 2023 / 6:00 pm–9:00 pm (NEW!)
Saturday, March 25, 2023 / 4:00 pm–7:00 pm (NEW!)
Price: Free
PICA, 15 NE Hancock Street, Portland, OR, 97212
Click the "Get Tickets" button for the registration link.
Synth Library Portland will host informal open hours during which all are welcome to play with modular synthesizers and other electronic music equipment, and meet our facilitators.
Workshop: Spatial Audio — Crystal Cortez and Francisco Botello
Thursday, March 9, 2023 / 6:00-8:00 pm
Price: Free
PICA, 15 NE Hancock Street, Portland, OR, 97212
Click the "Get Tickets" button for the registration link.
A two-hour workshop introducing 3D spatial audio setup technologies, spatialization techniques, and composition strategies. Crystal Cortez and Francisco Botello will provide hands-on instruction on how artists can create compositions for 4, 6, 8 or more speakers and strategies for moving sound between them to create immersive audio environments.
COVID-19
Masks are currently required in the gallery and for all live performances and workshops at PICA.
WORKSHOPS*
Saturday, February 18, 2023 / 5:00-7:00 pm: Listening to Nonhumans (Heard and Unheard) / Kite & Robbie Wing
Monday, March 6, 2023 / 6:00-7:00 pm: MAJLES / Sholeh Asgary
February & March / Various Dates and Times: Synth Library Portland Workshops and Drop-In Hours
*All listed programs are a part of Remembering to Remember: Experiments in Sound.