Thank you to everyone who participated and took the time to create, upload and share your work. Keep your eyes and ears open for the 4th contest coming soon!
We would also like to thank all of our judges and sponsors.
over the following weeks vjvault will be covering milestones in the videosynthesizer history like the Rutt-Etra, Chromascope, Fairlight CVI and Edirol CG-8. This week we’re starting off with a lovely eyecatcher by Ed Emshwiller, accompanied by a short introduction to videosynthesizer basics.
The idea of live visual performance is nowadays tied to a portable computer system, usually running a popular vj-software and an amazing amount of videoclips to beat.
But even back in the day, when computers were far from portable and affordable the dream of performing visuals live was already alive, although the approach was slighty different than today.
When the big synthesizer systems like Moog and Arp left the mad modular scientists labs in the early seventies and entered the stages of the world in cut down size and price, they delivered a blueprint for a different kind of synthesizer range – not only for audio but also for videosignals. The age of the videosynthesizer had begun.
Like the new breed of audio synthesizers, a videosynthesizer was supposed to be a realtime performance instrument, played live on a stage or set up in a studio, generating a variety of visual material through purely electronic manipulations. Internal video pattern generators would produce produce static or moving or evolving imagery, similar to the wavefrom generators of the analog audiosynthesizers
Other features of the videosynthesizers would include processing of external video material from a camera or a playback vcr while recording the results on a second vcr. During this process the imagery would be altered in color or geometrically scaled, tilted, wrapped around objects, or otherwise manipulated.
The History of Video synthesizers overlaps with video special effects equipment used in real time network television broadcastand post-production situations. Many innovations in television broadcast equipment as well as computer graphics displays evolved from synthesizers developed in the video artists’ community and the television industries often supported”electronic art projects” in this area to show appreciation of this history.
Many principles used in the construction of early video synthesizers reflected a healthy and dynamic interplay between electronic requirements and traditional interpretations of artistic forms. For example, Rutt & Etra and Sandin carried forward as an essential principle ideas of Robert Moog that standardized signal ranges so that any module’s output could be connected to “voltage control” any other module’s input. The consequence of this in a machine like the Rutt-Etra was that position, brightness, and color were completely interchangeable and could be used to modulate each other during the processing that led to the final image. Videotapes by Louise and Bill Etra and Steina and Woody Vasulka dramatized this new class of effects.
VJ Fader’s VJ demo using faderTouch controlling custom OpenGL Processing sketches at his BeiJing studio.
Music playing is “Slip” by Deadmau5.
Our good friend James Cui under the handle VJ Fader known for his work with Neuromixer VJ Software has been using his custom DIY touchscreen appropriately named “faderTouch”. Mere words don’t give it justice and there’s rumor that it will go into production for easy set up and breakdown for travelling visual artists. Inside the Vault is looking forward to future developments let’s hope Fader keeps us in the loop!
Photo from the early stages of development and testing.
VJ Vault & VJ Loops Contest Part III, Win CA$H and Prizes for your original work!!!
VJVault.com and VJLoops.tv bring you another contest. This is the third edition in a series of contests to come. Our previous contest was on the best loop. Building on that we want see your best AV loop. Think you got what it takes? Upload your original created AV loops to win cash and prizes. Just to clarify the definition of AV loop – A video loop that is accompanied with an audio soundtrack. Official rules are listed at the bottom. Please read and agree before entering. By entering your content into the contest you understand and agree to the terms/rules.
YOU- Everyone participates by viewing the content on VJ Vault, downloading and leaving comments. User feedback and downloads will be determining factors in the contest!
Your work will be judged on aesthetics, creativity, originality & quality. We will also take into consideration user feedback and the number of times a clip has been downloaded as a partial determining factor for winners. Judges will submit the top 15 favorite clips in order to VJVault.com. Winners will be featured on main page of VJ Vault, VJ Loops and receive prizes. There is NO ENTRY FEE! Enter as many loops as you wish and good luck. The following prizes will be given out for the 5 best AV loops uploaded from July 15th to September 15th 2009.
November 24, 2009 3:06 am | 
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