Music
They built the world's largest sequencer... and some other cool stuff
The Red Bull Music Academy recently took place in Berlin. It was not just a chance for young producers to evolve, it was also a place for some fascinating tech innovations to see the light of day.
This year, RBMA returned back to where it all started 20 years ago – Berlin. During the last weeks the city has filled up with events, live gigs and 60 participants from all over the world who've come to RBMA to meet other creators, learn from lectures by legends such as Pusha T and Nina Kraviz and of course – create new music in studios furnished with state of the art gear. We had a look at three of the most interesting tributes to the machines behind electronic music that took place during the Academy.
1. The Granular Convolver – made by Korg's former chief engineer Tatsuya Takahashi
Granular Convolver
© Carys Huws
This neat pocket sized synth was delivered to all the participants before the academy, each one with a unique engraving along with the instructions to fill it with the sounds of their liking. The Granular Convolver is the world's first granular synthesizer and it's made by Tatsuya Takahashi, the man behind the playful and immensely popular Korg Volca series, that have played an important role in making good synths affordable.
Watch the lecture from the Academy about the Granular Convolver with engineers Tatsuya Takahashi, Chris Hohnerlein and Max Rest:
2. The world's largest sequencer
RBMA Sequencer
© Studio Amos Fricke
The legendary techno club Tresor had a very large and very loud visitor during the academy. Designed and built by the Berlin-based creative studio Neulant van Exel, the sequencer the largest one ever built. Read more here. And yes, it has been submitted to the Guinness book of world records.
Sequencer RBMA
© Kasia Zacharko / Red Bull Content Pool
3. A ride inside a drum machine
RBMA Tram Machine
© Jesper Palermo
During the academy, citizens of Berlin were able to step inside the machines that have defined electronic music; from the Roland TR-808, TR-909 and TB-303 to the Korg MS-20, Native Instruments Maschine and Ableton Push.
Tram Machine in Berlin #RBMA20
© Fabian Brennecke
Tram Machine in Berlin #RBMA20
© Lukas Korschan
Gute Fahrt, geliebte Tram Machines!
© Jesper Palermo
Tram Machine in Berlin #RBMA20
© Fabian Brennecke
Do you want to apply to the next RBMA? Learn more here.
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