I made a quick video showing the block controller being used with our Cell DNA video software. DNA was designed for the Ohm64, but many of the features can be accessed with the block. The integration is pretty straightforward as their interfaces are very similar. Cell DNA also automatically recognizes the controller and maps the functions on startup. I could go on and on about it, but the video explains it all…

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news by Jay

Meiosis of Cell into DNA.

We’ve been working on dividing Cell into two products, with each meeting different needs of the live video community. Cell remains mostly the same, with its simple video triggering capability and basic image adjustments. We also added captions to Cell, so people can add names, lyrics, jokes, or messages on the fly to the video mix.

But a lot of people want more and better effects in Cell! Well, we could just point them to Union, which has more and better effects. However, we saw that VJ software seems to have 2 extremes – either VERY simple, or VERY complex, and nothing in between.  DNA fills that gap, and take Cell to a whole new level, with a variety of OpenGL effects and FreeFrame compatibility, but stays true to the simplicity of Cell.

As I wrap up this division of Cell, I have to reflect on what has been a pretty intense development period.  On the surface, this new version isn’t very different. It adds knobs where there were once buttons, and also adds a crossfader.  Doesn’t seem like a big deal, does it? But the knobs not only provide new avenues of expression, they make Cell a much better pairing with the Ohm.

But to get those knobs, I had to change how Cell mixes video, and I had to design a whole slew of effects that do great things with just one knob. I had to keep it simple to use and understand, and I also wanted as many of the the effects as possible to run on the integrated graphics cards that so many laptops are shipped with these days.

To satisfy the last parameter was the hardest restriction.  I had to dig deep into OpenGL, and figure out some creative ways to manipulate shapes, colors, and textures, without the freedom of altering bitmaps (with the exception of FreeFrame effects!) or the freedom to manipulate “fragments” with a programmable shader. And I had to get most of them done in a couple of weeks.

I’m really pleased with my work, and I hope that VJ’s and video designers will be too. It will also be incredibly easy to add more effects and customize existing effects (by anyone who uses Max/MSP), so what is there now is really just a starting point.

We really wanted to balance the simplicity of Cell with the creative potential of Union, but always err on the side of simplicity. The goal of Cell has always been that you can figure it out completely in less than a half hour, trying to fill a niche in the video world for theaters, lighting designers, and a “second source” for VJ’s who do a lot of realtime mixing. With DNA, the mixing potential becomes incredibly potent, but always under easily under control.

We hope you like it!

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news by Peter

With his start in music as songwriter in rock bands, Jerome Paressant has explored the field of electronic music in confrontation with jazz improvisation since 1998. The outcome of this musical research was the creation of Abraxas Projekt. Jerome Paressant also collaborates on several projects that combine music, video, theatre and dance, and has collaborated with many artists including Dominique A., Mathias Delplanque (LENA), Charles-Eric Charrier (OLDMAN), HOPEN, LYS, la S.T.P.O, Catherine Letinturier, Christophe Héridel, Vadim Vernay, de Denis Frajerman.

How did you go from making rock music to using software and creating electronic music?
Since my childhood, I have been fascinated by modal music and instruments like Sitar, Bagpipes…I’m fascinated by the power and the beauty of loops in music…so, after some hesitation I bought my first hardware sampler in 1999 and then put a lot into electronic music.

Who are some of the artists that have inspired you?
So many, in music, books, movies ! Some of them are, in music : John Colltrane, Tom waits, Nick Cave, David Shea, Amon Tobin, especially record labels like NINJA TUNE, JAZZLAND…Contemporary jazz musicians like Louis Sclavis, Marc Ribot, Tim berne… In movie world, I really love Jim Jarmush, Guv Van Sant, David Lynch, Terrence Mallick…

How important is it to have software control in your performance?
Things have to be simple, to be efficient… I tried many softwares before my first video performance on stage…Cell was the winner !

What do you look for in hardware devices for performance?
Easy to use and reliable.

What is the most difficult thing about being a non-traditional digital performer and how do you overcome it?
I think technology is only a tool…With software and electronic gear I can get great sounds with few manipulations. In jazz improvisation you have to surpass yourself and work hard on your instrument. I try to follow my own way, my own aesthetic. In my video work I try to have at the same time a cinematographic and experimental approach.

How do you work with Ableton Live and Cell at the same time?
Ableton Live and Cell work at the same time but without any synchronization.

Ableton Live is on my laptop with two midi controllers. Cell is on a PC computer (with a nVidia Geforce video card) with only a mouse and a keyboard. I appreciate thereal time effects with Cell. It’s a good way for breathing dynamics during the show.

What parallels do you find between being an electronic musician and jazz improvisation?
Modal music is the bridge between these two idioms. John Coltrane on "Olé" meets Massive Attack or Amon Tobin in my dreams. On another hand playing electronic music for me is like being in holiday, I only have to be focus on sound, not technical abilities.

How important is it that the audience know you are playing both the audio and the video Live?
Electronic music has changed audience’s perception. You don’t need to jump like a devil with your red guitar and dozens of amps. Electronic music and visuals are more connected to visions, a cinematic experience.

Do you use any traditional musical instruments in your performance or recordings?
Yes because first I am a multi instrumentalist (like many others electronic musicians). I like to play, record, and manipulate acoustic sounds and turn them into electronic soundscapes.

We noticed that you use a lot of dance in your performances, can you tell us how you choreograph the audio, video, and movement to work together?
I work for DoWnTaO with the great dancer Catherine Letinturier. When we work together it’s a matter of spirit, we don’t work on synchronization… For DoWnTao, the dancer is an incarnation of the music. For Catherine each tune has his own history on which she creates her choreography and we have a common vocabulary : natural world, spiritual energy…a senstive approach for art.

What do you use to create your video content?
For my own video I use a little DV Camera. On stage, I prefer to play with long video loops, more than two minutes.

Does being a songwriter help you create video content?
I wrote several scenarios few years ago… So like songwriting, it helps me to have a sense of dramaturgy, a sense of telling stories and a cimenatographic approach.

How important is the video context to your musical content?
It’s the other side ! Music is a pure abstraction ! Video creates images.

Where do you see the future of Audio/Video performance headed?
New forms and better integration of video in musical environments and vice versa.

Where can we see you perform?
In France, for the moment. But I’m looking for gigs all around the world…and for a booking agency !

Liens / Links
www.jparessant.com
www.myspace.com/abraxasprojekt
www.myspace.com/downtao

Videos
www.dailymotion.com/JeromeParessant

LE Label
www.oceanikcreations.com

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interviews by Jay