squarepusher Did Squarepusher 'build' his LED rig?

[markedone]

I just saw Squarepusher's Ufabulum show in Berlin (30.9.12). It was great. Being an architecture student, I was also quite impressed with the LED rig. Im wondering if you folk know of any interviews where he mentions if he put it together himself, or the process behind getting it done.

 

I have read that he developed the visuals alongside the music, so he probably knew the specs and limitations of the rig. But besides the programming, the physical construction of the thing was top notch, with each LED panel fitted into a clean array, all the spacings even. Has he mentioned working with anyone to make it? The scale of the rig makes me think he could design and build it himself. If he did though Im quite impressed with the workmanship (I know a whole team of visual artists/architect types had to design and build Amon Tobin's isam rig)

 

I met and congratulated Tom after the show but was a bit too starstruck to ask him this question, and remembered only afterwards.

 

[Guest teetime]

I just saw Squarepusher's Ufabulum show in Berlin (30.9.12). It was great. Being an architecture student, I was also quite impressed with the LED rig. Im wondering if you folk know of any interviews where he mentions if he put it together himself, or the process behind getting it done.

 

I have read that he developed the visuals alongside the music, so he probably knew the specs and limitations of the rig. But besides the programming, the physical construction of the thing was top notch, with each LED panel fitted into a clean array, all the spacings even. Has he mentioned working with anyone to make it? The scale of the rig makes me think he could design and build it himself. If he did though Im quite impressed with the workmanship (I know a whole team of visual artists/architect types had to design and build Amon Tobin's isam rig)

 

I met and congratulated Tom after the show but was a bit too starstruck to ask him this question, and remembered only afterwards.

 

 

They are made by gilbert roper who is specialized in building rigs like this. He also build one for the foo fighters.

 

The software for the live visuals is max/msp/jitter patch tom programmed himself. Unfortunately the ufabulum tour visuals ( with the exception of the bass solo part) are not really dynamically created to the music. Unlike the just a souvenir visuals, that were dynamically created but fixed in one video synthesis representation per song. That is because they have several visual progressions ( as you all know) ,like a dedicated video clip (Planet Gear Video, the first one in this fashion, he also reused part of it in stadium ice 2.0). He was not able to intigrate the progression itself in the live visual representation. Thus he is dependent on the overall timecode of a track. Which means no timestretching granualar synthesis experiments like on the ultravistor tour (which ended up as actual recordings on the final album) Just the occasional beat stutter / flanger / reverb alternation of the tracks.

[markedone]

Wow! Thank you, that answered all my questions and then some. You are a hero and gentleman.

 

Your description of the programming makes a lot of sense.. as Tom's live bits were heavy on the filters and beat stuttering. Then the encore, his bass solo, was entirely different, being responsive to what he was playing.

[Joyrex]

Great info, thanks for sharing!

[qnio]