Nerve Sounds Brauner

Doctor Nerve
44 Nerve Events

These miniature compositions were recorded by Doctor Nerve for the CD Beta 14 ok (Cuneiform Rune 26). Each sound event was on its own cd track, so the user could program her cd player to create an interactive musique concrete. The experiment was so successful, that it gave birth to an entire cd full of compositions derived from these 44 events [Transforms, The Nerve Events Project (Cuneiform 55011)].

So here they are, the verbal descriptions given to the band for each event, and a downloadable .AU format sample for some of the shorter ones (16 bit mono samples recorded at 22050 Hz). Have fun!

Note to Mac users.
If your audio helper application plays these .AU files and they all just sound like a distorted mess, you should get a copy of soundapp1.5.cpt.hqx. Or visit a good source for .AU audio.

Visit Doctor Nerve's Loop Machine, where you can loop these sounds independently and create sonic wallpaper your neighbors will love.

Descriptions of "44 Nerve Events", from the CD Beta 14 ok by Doctor Nerve

Unless otherwise noted, actions within an event can happen any time.

Event 0 (CD Track 17)

This wasn't originally going to be a Nerve Event, but we liked it so much, we couldn't resist. This track is really "Money Where Your Mouth Is" (track 5) remixed without vocals.

Nerve Event # 1

Event 1 (CD track 18)

4 seconds

LYTLE, DUBOIN: 2 loud sforzandos each, any pitch

Nerve Event # 2

Event 2 (CD track 19)

2 seconds

WAGNON: 4 quiet muted pitches

DIDKOVSKY: 4 quiet pitch/harmonic combinations

Nerve Event # 3

Event 3 (CD track 20)

4 seconds

ANDERSON: one quiet 4-note chord

CIESA: Loud low-tom flam on BEGINNING and END

Nerve Event # 4

Event 4 (CD track 21)

FULL BAND: non-pitched non-rhythmic rapidly changing dynamic noise. Stop when you notice someone stopped.

Nerve Event # 5

Event 5 (CD track 22)

6 seconds

DOUGLAS, LYTLE: Slow quiet trill, any interval any pitches

DUBOIN, WAGNON: One loud squawk or bleat each

Nerve Event # 6

Event 6 (CD track 23)

4 seconds

CIESA: Rapidly changing dynamic 32nd notes on high tom

WAGNON, DIDKOVSKY, ANDERSON: One gliss up or down

Nerve Event # 7

Event 7 (CD track 24)

4 seconds or so

DUBOIN, DIDKOVSKY: Staggered pops. Avoid coincidence. Stop as soon as your pops coincide.

Nerve Events # 8..19 (chromatic scale)
1 second each

FULL BAND: attack each note of chromatic scale differently, different dynamic levels, timbres, octaves, doublings, etc. Start with C

Nerve Event # 20

Event 20 (CD track 37)

4 seconds

ANDERSON, WAGNON: One loud low major second, let fade

DOUGLAS: Breathe through horn

LYTLE: Loudly sing "eeee" while pounding chest a few times

Nerve Event # 21

Event 21 (CD track 38)

3 seconds

DOUGLAS, LYTLE, DUBOIN: Medium loudness, agree on and sustain some pitch slightly out of tune with each other.

Nerve Event # 22

Event 22 (CD track 39)

6 seconds

WAGNON: Play any five low pitches in any continuously changing order as fast as possible.

DIDKOVSKY, ANDERSON: make buzzes with the ends of guitar cables.

Nerve Event # 23

Event 23 (CD track 40)

6 seconds

LYTLE, DOUGLAS, DUBOIN, ANDERSON: Pass sustained note around. Note should overlap slightly at head and tail. Note can change from player to player. Bass gtr use volume pedal if necessary.

Nerve Event # 24

Event 24 (CD track 41)

4 seconds

FULL BAND: Play a single note repeatedly, staccato, as fast as possible. Do not necessarily play for the full 4 seconds. Do not necessarily start immediately.

Nerve Event # 25

Event 25 (CD track 42)

5 seconds

FULL BAND: Play any single short noise repeatedly. Don't repeat until you think you've heard each member play.

Nerve Event # 26

Event 26 (CD track 43)

4 seconds

DIDKOVSKY: Sustained distorted power chord

WAGNON: Loud sustained major 7th chord

DUBOIN: Kill event with a single squeel

Events 27-44 (cd tracks 44-60) were improvised during recording and improvised during mixdown

Let it be known that Todd van Bronkhorst suggests the following is a good order in which to play the Nerve Events:
28 33 28 33 28 33 32 26 30 32 28 33 31 32 36 27 34 25 21

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Doctor Nerve 44 Nerve Events

Doctor Nerve
44 Nerve Events