Synergy News Archive

RETIRED SYNERGY NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS SAVED FOR FUTURE REFERENCE:

APPEARANCE AT THE AES CONVENTION, NEW YORK CITY, SEPTEMBER 1999

I appeared (non-musically) at an historic side trip during the 107th Audio Engineering Society convention in New York on Saturday, September 25, 1999. This was a bus trip for convention attendees to the Columbia University Computer Music Center. The CUCMC used to be known as the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center. Since the 1950s the center has been one of the premier locations for the development of electronic music in the United States. Many well-known pioneers of the electronic music arts either studied or taught there including Milton Babbitt, Vladimir Ussachevsky, Alice Shields, Wendy Carlos, Pril Smiley, Robert Moog and many, many others. (No, I didn't study there, but the place has exerted an influence on me).

The centerpiece from my perspective as a technical historian (my other life) is the huge, room-size, vacuum tube RCA Sound Synthesizer Mark II. The sound generating and manipulating functions of this machine anticipated many of the facilities taken for granted years later on analog synthesizers. During AES, the present day staff at CUCMC gave tours of the facility showing off the RCA and some of the other archeological gems of electronic music technology that they still have.

In front of a section of the RCA Mark II Sound Synthesizer, August 1999.

STUDIO UPGRADE (SUMMER 1999)

The SYNERGY STUDIO is undergoing an upgrade for the first time in about three years. We're installing a new 450 MHz Blue and White G3 Macintosh and Mark Of The Unicorn digital audio system to complement the older Digidesign ProTools / Opcode StudioVision Pro system we've been upgrading in one form or another since about 1989. Now we can run some of the new cool software synthesis packages like the BitHeadz Retro AS-1 and get those analog sounds without fighting with all of the old modular equipment as much. Since a lot of people have been asking for it, we've put up a small equipment section in the Productions & Studio page.

APPEARANCE AT NEARFEST (JUNE 1999)

The NEARfest, the northeast progressive rock festival in Bethlehem, PA on June 26, 1999 went beautifully. It was a sold out conference and concert. The promoters are already planning NEARFest 2000 in a bigger location. You can visit the NEARfest site at http://ghostland.com/nearfest/ to find out more.

Just clear up any confusion, I didn't play or perform a music set. What I did was a talk with audio examples about my experiences with, and thoughts regarding, creating progressive music. There were slides and studio reference (work) mixes from mid-production showing the evolution of several songs including those from my own Synergy works, Peter Gabriel, and some historic background about my earliest technical work with Rick Wakeman. And we did takes some questions from the audience.

My talk and many of the other performances are to be webcast by Studio M. I'm not sure if this will be in real time or broadcast at some time in the future. When we know more we'll let you know.

LATEST REISSUE RELEASES (Q4 1998)

This finishes it up, they're all out. PolyGram/Chronicles has put out the digitally remastered versions of the atmospheric "Computer Experiments, Volume One", my first feature film score to 1982's sci-fi docudrama "The Jupiter Menace", and the last of the first chapter of Synergy recordings, the electronic-orchestral "Metropolitan Suite".

All nine SYNERGY albums are available now on the PolyGram/Chronicles label. Visit the HOW TO GET CDs page if you want to get your copies.

If you're new to the SYNERGY recordings, you might want to try the compilation album, the two CD set "Semi-Conductor, release 2". This is an expanded and remastered version of the double LP from 1984 including additional tracks, a revised chronological running order, and a new cleaner and more vibrant digital remastering of the original mixes. Until now, this collection has never been available on CD. There's something from each of the eight other SYNERGY albums, plus two tracks only available on this set.

SYNERGY MOVES TO POLYGRAM

If you haven't heard, there are some big changes at Third Contact/Synergy. The Synergy catalog of recordings is now manufactured and distributed in North America (the US and Canada) by the PolyGram/Chronicles label. This includes the three titles that had been independently distributed on the Third Contact Media label. These titles moved over to Chronicles in April, 1998. These three, and all of the rest of the Synergy albums are out now. All nine of the Synergy albums are available from our favorite internet online retailers (like The Artist Shop), and from a bunch of new places including your local record store.

Out Now (as of December 1, 1998):

"Electronic Realizations for Rock Orchestra" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-042-2)
"Sequencer" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-043-2)
"Cords" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-044-2)
"Games" (PolyGram/Chronicles" 314-558-045-2)
"Audion" (PolyGram/Chronicles" 314-558-046-2)
"Semi-Conductor, release 2" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-048-2)
"The Jupiter Menace" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-047-2)
"Metropolitan Suite" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-049-2)
"Computer Experiments, Volume One" (PolyGram/Chronicles 314-558-050-2)

There are still a few copies of the first three CDs on the Third Contact label which might become collectors items now that all of the new copies are from PolyGram/Chronicles. They're available at The Artist Shop.

For you eagle-eye fans, there's a typo on the first reissue copies of The Jupiter Menace that made it into circulation. It might become a collectors item someday.

Watch for further announcements about the releases and distribution on this news page and other locations here at the Synergy site. (If there is anything important about the acquisition of PolyGram by Universal we'll let you know about it.)

RECENT INTERVIEWS AND ARTICLES (updated August 1999)

A couple of items have run recently. They're worth checking out:

There was a feature article in the May issue of Stereo Review's Sound and Vision. The article is called "Upstairs/Downstairs" and shows a bit of my studio at home. The article is posted at the Sound & Vision site for a while, though it's unclear how long the publisher will leave it on the server.

There's a long interview by Barry Cleveland that ran in the March 1999 issue of Electronic Musician. You can read a copy of it posted here at the Synergy site.

There was a cover story in Issue 28 (summer/fall 1998) of Progression magazine, page 20.

There's an interview and some sound clips posted at Cosmik Debris http://www.cosmik.com/aa-january99/synergy.html

Check out Synergy reviews in Babysue: http://www.babysue.com/LMNOP-Reviews-Jan-99.html#anchor2191963

There are reviews posted at Pitchfork: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/record-reviews/s/ . Find Synergy under the S heading.

Album reviews have been printed in Expose magazine. Their web site is at http://www.geocities.com/Hollywood/1831/expo-nl.html

USA Today had a half-page feature in the Living section on August 31, 1998. The article was posted at http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/lmds335.htm for a while, though it's unclear how long USA Today leaves old news on the server.

There have been a bunch of reviews at Spinme:

Wind & Wire's July/August, 1998 issue ran an interview with Larry Fast by Judy Markworth which is posted with permission here on this site.

electronicmusic.com ran an interview in 1997.

so did MIX MAGAZINE May,1997 page 84

more to come . . .

SYNERGY CDs ARE THE FIRST DISTRIBUTED WITH AUDIO WATERMARKING

The SYNERGY recordings are the first publicly available recordings in the world to employ ARIS Technologies MusiCode^TM audio watermarking technology for the identification and tracking of musical performances.

ARIS Technologies, Inc. is an industry leader in proprietary audio watermarking systems and solutions that identify, authenticate and protect content in physical carrier, broadcast, online and other transmission environments. ARIS watermarks have a distinctive "layering" feature that enables multiple layers of information to be encoded in an audio stream at different points of the distribution chain. For example, ARIS' flagship MusiCode^TM system encodes Content ID, recipient/transaction, and copy management information.

MusiCode^TM is the only watermarking technology I examined that met my standards for absolute inaudibility within the music while being robust enough to survive all media formats from DVD and CD, through existing broadcast media, all the way to streamed internet audio. The technology of music distribution is evolving so rapidly that if music publishers and recording companies are to survive, tremendously improved tracking of music ownership is an absolute necessity. MusiCode makes it possible for my music to move seamlessly from traditional CDs and broadcasting to the internet and beyond.

Right now, if you listen to the Synergy CDs you won't hear anything different, which is how it's supposed to be; the coding is audibly transparent. But in the future, especially as music and audio move into cyberspace and away from being tied to a piece of physical plastic, MusiCode^TM will provide a way to track who's got the music up on their servers and how it's being used. Watermarking will also be a big help to present-day analog broadcasting and the coming digital TV and radio standards.

If this seems a little arcane, don't worry. Just understand that this technology is the wave of the future; it's here now; and the Synergy records are THE first ones that you can go out and buy at a record store that have it. Visit ARIS Technologies' MusiCode^TM site at www.musicode.com to find out more.

IRC ONLINE CHATS

The Artist Shop sponsored an online chat with Larry Fast to help celebrate the SYNERGY re-releases of "Games" and "Audion". This IRC Chat was held on Wednesday, July 29 at 9pm eastern time.

During the chat we gave away autographed copies of the Games and Audion CD's. You'll find all the details and a transcript this chat at http://www.artist-shop.com/irc.

The Artist Shop sponsored an earlier online chat with Larry Fast on Monday, November 25, 1996 at 9:00 PM EST. You can read the posted transcript here case you missed it. There was also an IRC session on Wednesday, September 3rd, 1997 . A transcript this chat should be available at http://www.artist-shop.com/irc. Visit the The Artist Shop site for information on how to participate in their future chats.

SYNERGY WEBSITE'S NEW URL and EMAIL ADDRESSES

We've got a new domain name for the Synergy site. Now you can reach us at synergy-emusic.com. You can continue to use www.eclipse.net/~synergy which will remain active. And it seems that www.synergy-emusic.com works too, but you don't actually need that "www" for this URL. Email is still synergy@eclipse.net though we're moving that to synergy@synergy-emusic.com. For now you can use either one.

IN CONCERT WITH WENDY CARLOS

Larry Fast played as a member of Wendy Carlos' Switched On Bach Live All-Synthesizer Ensemble. The premier performance of the ensemble was at the BACH AT THE BEACON Festival at The Beacon Theater, New York City on Saturday April 5, 1997. It was an historic moment in electronic music history.

Click below for more information which can be found at Wendy's site:
Wendy Carlos - Bach At The Beacon Information Page

NEKTAR RUMORS

There's been a lot of buzz about a Nektar reunion. The buzz is largely true. There's movement toward getting the Nektar catalog reissued, and getting back together to do a new album. I'll probably be involved. There are many logistical problems to be worked out so it won't happen quickly. You can keep up on the latest developments by checking out the Nektar site at www.nektar.com. As of March, 1999 it looks like this is going to take a long time to get together, but the guys want it to happen so hopefully it will.

NEWS ABOUT WEB INTERTAINMENT

It looks like Web Intertainment, Inc., our first direct CD sales outlet on the web, won't be returning to CD sales after all. Their homepage doesn't give much information and they're still listed on several search engines if you do a search for SYNERGY. They were real pioneers in internet sales back in 1994. We salute them for taking the chances they did. In the meantime, please visit our other distributors on the HOW TO GET CDs page.

THE ALBUMS:

ELECTRONIC REALIZATIONS
SEQUENCER
CORDS
GAMES
AUDION
COMPUTER EXPERIMENTS VOL 1
THE JUPITER MENACE
SEMI-CONDUCTOR
METROPOLITAN SUITE

SYNERGY DISCOGRAPHY

SYNERGY NEWS
SYNERGY FAQs
BIOGRAPHY
PROJECT DISCOGRAPHY
PETER GABRIEL
NEKTAR
LINKS
HOW TO BUY CDs
THIRD CONTACT
PRODUCTIONS & STUDIO
ODDS & ENDS
TRADEMARK
SOUND CHOICE ASSISTIVE LISTENING