February 2007
The new site forum
is now open! Please help yourself to discussions!
November 2006
Check out our new video page! (in the main menu above) - video clips from past
live shows!
Aug 2006
Söftware is in the studio!
Our respective studios that is. We've both revamped our studios to get to some
serious writing. We are thinking about doing live shows sometime soon so check
back here for more news.
Söftware performed as part of the 52 Studios Artist's Open House on this weekend. The performance was in Plexus Studios. People came and went as they saw fit and to explore the building and the other artists' work. Thursday and Saturday were the usual trio at work with Toastybird's amazing video projections. Friday night was a change of pace and something really special with Lorry Ayers joining in on vocals. Vocals and Söftware work really well together! Lorry was amazing.
The Friday show with Lorry and the saturday show were recorded and video taped. We've put the audio from these shows in our 'sounds' page for you to download at will: be forewarned... there were technical problems with the video camera and there are numerous highly annoying audio drop outs throughout! But the music seems to come through. We hope you enjoy this latest phase of our work.
Join Software in an evening
of electronic music and exhilarating video performance. Influenced by European
progressive electronic rock, jazz, folk and classical, Software weaves a sonic
tapestry in their own style of improvisation. Sometimes ambient, sometimes not,
always spontaneous and captivating to watch - sequencers scanning, minimoogs
screaming, guitar strings vibrating and Toastybird Visuals providing live video
projections. Check out the Software website for more information, pictures and
mp3s of past PiNG performances at: http://www.techno-jazz.com
Where: Hacienda (The Tequila Lounge), 794 Bathurst @ Bloor
West
When: Tues 15 Nov, doors open at 9pm
How much: Pay What You Can
Pay $10 you will get a CD of the first set of the December
2004 show, recorded live.
Pay $15 you get 2 CD's, set 1 and Set 2 of
the December 2004 show
Pay $20 you get both CD's and a DVD of the of the December
2004 show -or- a DVD of the April 2005 show (both in surround sound)
Pay $30 or more you get BOTH the DVD/CD's
of the December 2004 AND the April 2005 show
For more info:
http://www.techno-jazz.com
http://www.theambientping.com/
info@techno-jazz.com
Status: Excellent!
The Söftware 6 April show was a complete success! Thank you to all of you who came out and lent your support. We really really appreciate it!
We are in the process of reviewing the video of the show. Preliminary viewings suggest that its quite excellent. This in part to the use of a very bright DLP video projector supplied to us by a very nice patron - thank you B for this, it made a huge difference. There is a problem with the audio with some popping from a bad connection. The question is, can we release a DVD of this show with the audio like that? What do you think?
If we do, it will be our first 2-camera DVD. Terry provided the roaming camera footage. Stay tuned for the status of this potential release.
Recorded live at the Oct 2004 show, the DVD features a single camera shot of the stage performance with three exciting audio tracks: a full Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound which will make you feel like you were there! A stereo live mix and a stereo mix right off the mixing board for crystal clarity. The CD features Set One of this performance.
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Söftware will be performing live at The Ambient Ping (www.theambientping.com) on 12 October 2004. This performance will feature many analogue instruments including a mammoth PAiA 4700x5 Modular Synthesizer, Minimoogs and Doepfer sequencers. Analoge control voltages!! Vintage guitar synthesizers! Live video projections by the superlative Toastybird. Don't miss it.
For an idea of the sound of Söftware, see the SOUNDS page and look for the links to mp3's of previous shows.
Stage setup from the Oct 2004 Show
Photocredits for above: Left: Jamie Todd, Right: Tracy Tims
"The earth brought forth grass, herbs yielding seed after their kind, and trees bearing fruit, with its seed in it, after their kind; and God saw that it was good."
This Söftware show is going to be a treat! Electronic coated candy. We've got moogs, modulars, step sequencers, control voltages, guitars, delays, loopers and video like we've never had before. Its a delectable mix of sweet sounds: prog rock meets jazz meets electronica. The smooth rhythmic sequencers and hard-coated kraut rock inspired lead lines makes Söftware a tasty treat for your musical pallet. Toastybird will mix an exciting multi-coloured visual video presentation to accent your sweet-toothed escapade into this sonic sugarland.
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Plexus: synthesizers, sequencers and sound Paul Asselin: guitars and guitar syntheziser Toastybird: live video projection
1 June 2004 Söftware Releases Second DVD Live @ The Ping, Aug 2003
Söftware is pleased to annouce the release of their second DVD, Live @ The Ping, August 2003, featuring the two live sets of music performed at The Ambient Ping (www.theambientping.com) in Toronto, Canada. A total of 100 minutes divided into two sets. This show featured the use of vintage analogue only instruments and no computer control.
"Period music on period instruments. Its Analogue Only night at The Ambient Ping featuring Söftware (Paul Asselin, guitars; plexus, synths/sequencing). Söftware will be performing this evening show with instruments from 1984 and earlier, featuring a newly restored modular sythesizer c1977. Pulsing rhythms, silky swirly sounds and zippy guitar punctuations amid the fury of control voltages, sync pulses and trying to keep everything in tune. Also featured will be Toastybird Visuals providing the hypnotizing analogue video projections."
Recorded live at The Ambient Ping in Toronto in June 2002. The DVD includes both sets complete. Its a single camera full stage shot which captures Toastybird Visuals live video projection in it's complete and wonderful form! Audio is Dolby 4.0 Surround Sound! If you play the DVD on a surround system you will get the full ambiance of the venue, with the board mix in the front and a stereo room mix in the surrounds. On a stereo system, you can switch between the board mix and the room mix depending on what mood you are in! The sets have been indexed with markers so you can just to you fav part. Available at The Ambient Ping PinGThingS Kiosk - look for it when you are at the show!
"Plexus (synthesizers) and Paul Asselin (guitars) will celebrate 20 years of collaborative improvised electronic music at the Ping on 10 Dec 2002. This duo often transforms what are considered accepted musical genres and their most recent collaborations have brought about what they've dubbed 'techo-jazz'. With an entourage of vintage and modern electronics, Söftware creates music (not noise) in a totally improvised fashion, striving to be sensitive to the audience's enjoyment of spontaneous musical creation and so, will be performing their continuous-musical-experience in a more disciplined ambient approach for you in this evening of exploration."