"Red On Rubber" is a group of works for electronic drums and computer.
* photos by Clemens von Reusner:

* download album: [ http://www.niehusmann.org/shop ]

* demo video:

[raumzeitmaschine] is an audio-visual concert by khmfn
for laptop-computer and video-projection (composed in 2008);

khmfn are Karl-Heinz Mauermann & Frank Niehusmann

[raumzeitmaschine] – (engl. "space-time-engine"): two performers ("khmfn") with live-video and live-music on laptops and toy-electronics; two cameras, two video projections on two screens; some few words (english or german available, vocoder-voices) about strange details from the relationship between man, machine, society and future; looks like two space-engineers at work (checking the parameters of their time-and-space-machine), sounds like a futuristic engine-room. It's definitely serious – but it's sort of weird, too: because the machine (artificial intelligence!) likes to fool the engineers (and the audience) with jokes about time and space.

A demo-video from the first [raumzeitmaschine]-performance, 9 min.:

Video cameras:
Gabi Hammelmann, Erwin Wiemer

Photos:
© Erwin Wiemer (Essen/Germany)
[ http://www.erwinwiemer.de ]
© Holger Krüssmann
[ http://www.holgerkruessmann.de ]
[ http://www.kruessmannpics.blogspot.com ]

Day Tracks (2005/2007) – concert pieces for computer and keyboard

"Day Tracks" is a series of compositions in the context of musique concrète, industrial and noise music, Elektronische Musik, sonic art, Hörspiel and ars acustica: compositions with originally recorded machine sounds, sounds of nature, sounds of social life and sounds from musical instruments including synthesizers and drum-computers and all kinds of edited samples from the whole range of Frank Niehusmann's archive of sounds. The duration of the original tracks is more or less 3 minutes; they were composed in special "ritualized" procedures: each in one single day (and always only one per day). Frank started exercising this special "ritual" when he came back from his concerts in Japan in Summer 2005.

The concert performances of the "Day Tracks" consist of longer pieces: "Day Tracks Remixes" (around 20 minutes). These "concert versions" are always remixes or recombinations of several original "Day Tracks".

In the framework of his individual Max/MSP-based software solution Frank Niehusmann plays the keyboard like a piano player thereby leading his sound files into the circular course of digital loop-tracks to create dense, rhythmic networks of sound-cuts and noise-combinations. The progress of the pieces is a play with adding, erasing, cutting and overdubbing sounds in realtime in several parallel loop-tracks. The black and white "piano"-keys are used to control the functions of the software and the handling of the sound samples via midi data.

Release dates:

CD "Day Tracks 1", November 2005
CD "Day Tracks 2", April 2006
CD "Day Tracks 3", February 2007

Now available as download albums – please visit the [SHOP].

The original CDs are still available via mailorder from http://www.nurnichtnur.com – CD "Day Tracks 1" is sold out!

To read further details from the CD-covers (backsides) please click to enlarge:

"Achtung! Future!" is an audio-visual composition for concerts with computer music and video projection (composed in 2005).

Two versions exist:
one is a solo concert by Frank Niehusmann,
the other is an extended version performed by the duo "khmfn"
(Karl-Heinz Mauermann & Frank Niehusmann).

The music may be described as a futuristic kind of "musique concrète", generated from contemporary factory noises, synthesized robot signals and intensely edited historical machine sounds as well as everyday traffic sounds. In its full-length version it comprises a series of sixteen short pieces, none of which being longer than four minutes.

The sonic part of "Achtung! Future!" is composed and performed live on a laptop computer by Frank Niehusmann.
The video part is compiled (and for the "khmfn"-version performed) by Karl-Heinz Mauermann. It comprises five alternating image elements:
(1) a live recording showing Frank's fingers playing the computer keyboard;
(2) a view of the current audience that may be read as representing tomorrow's audience;
(3) transitory movements through familiar utopian cityscapes, live on stage;
(4) close-ups on eyes gazing into the future;
(5) the most important image element, however, shows nothing: the picture is black.

All pieces of "Achtung! Future!" have titles pointing out single topics, situations or places pertaining to futurity. In between the individual pieces Frank Niehusmann will explain the future.

concert for laptop-computer and midi-keyboard, (started in 2003 as a performance with analogue tape-loops)

INKAN is a composition for concerts with keyboard and laptop-computer – a composition with originally recorded machine sounds, recordings from underground mining machines, sounds of nature, sounds of social life and sounds from musical instruments including synthesizers and drum-computers – samples from the whole range of Frank Niehusmann's archive of sounds.

INKAN is a keyboard-controlled noise-symphony, it looks like a solo piano concert, but it sounds like "musique concrete", "noise music", "industrial", "sonic art" or "ars acustica".

INKAN is composed for performances with keyboard, computer and Max/MSP-software: inside the computer are several Max/MSP loop-machines running. Playing the keyboard like a piano player Frank Niehusmann leads his sound files into the circular course of the digital loop-tracks – creating thereby a dense, rhythmic network of sound-cuts and noise-combinations.

Performing INKAN is a play with adding, erasing, cutting, manipulating and overdubbing sounds in realtime in several parallel loop-tracks. The black and white "piano"-keys are used to control the functions of the software and the handling of the sound samples via midi data.

An INKAN designates in the Japanese language an artful stamp, which can be used in place of the own signature. An INKAN is therefor in each case a unique personal piece, which represents the name of its owner in representative characters. The title INKAN for this musical work means that this work is like a musical INKAN of Frank Niehusmann's composing, his musical handwriting in the form a representative sign and his signature in sound.

INKAN is developed from a former analogue version which was realized with an analogue 8-track tape recorder and 8-track tape-loops: this "analogue" version is documented at

[ http://www.niehusmann.org/depot/inkan-analogue-version.html ]

"Maschinenraum" (engine room) is a performance by the duo "khmfn" with live-video and live-audio, composed in 2002:
"khmfn" are Karl-Heinz Mauermann & Frank Niehusmann

"Maschinenraum" (engine room) is an audio-visual live performance with video-feedback-loops and industrial noise music.
The "sound engineer" Frank Niehusmann, standing within the light of the video projection, performs, transforms and collages industrial and machine sounds. Thus he becomes part of the projection, reacts to it and within it.
During the performance, the "image installator" Karl-Heinz Mauermann creates a kinetic installation: his projected image sequences are based on double visual feedback of live recorded video pictures, of simple homemade model machines, opto-electronical construction pieces and light reflections. Minimal manipulations of the feedback system lead to aesthetical highly complex processes: thus the "sound engineer" becomes part of a permanently oscillating, seemingly gigantic machine world.

"Maschinenraum" (engine room) is a concert for both eyes and ears, a collage of objects, actors, images and ear popping sound sequences. – A demo-video, recorded 2007 during the Maschinenraum-performance at the Beursschouwburg in Brussels (Cimatics 07 Festival) – 2′42 min.:

TV-Dokumentation in vier Teilen
4 x 60 Min. – Stereo – 16:9 Breitbild – Farbe & S/W – DigiBeta – 2001

Frank Niehusmann's Titelmelodie ("signature tune"):

Buch: Günter Bäcker & Werner Kubny,
Regie: Werner Kubny,
Kamera: Jörg Adams,
Ton: Andreas Fragel/Olav Gross,
Schnitt: Christoph Tetzner/Stefan Schneider,
Musik: Frank Niehusmann,
Sprecher: Otto Sander
Herstellungsleitung: Dietrich Voigtlaender,
Redaktion: Beate Schlanstein/Reinhard Wulf, WDR,
hergestellt von: Werner Kubny Filmproduktion,
in Coproduktion mit: Westdeutscher Rundfunk Köln,
gefördert mit Mitteln der Filmstiftung NRW und unterstützt von Firmen des Ruhrgebiets sowie Städten, Verbänden und Institutionen.

"… Die vierteilige Dokumentarreihe zeigt, welche unverwechselbaren Eigenarten sich über Generationen im Ruhrgebiet entwickelt haben, was diese Region und seine Bevölkerung ausmacht. Sie beschreibt den wirtschaftlichen, sozialen und kulturellen Wandel, der heute stattfindet, was mit ihm verloren geht und an Neuem entsteht …"

Folge 1: "Hier ist nicht wie überall"
Erstsendung: 3sat – Mittwoch, 18. April 2001, 21.00 Uhr

Folge 2: "Arbeit ist nicht mehr Maloche"
Erstsendung: 3sat – Mittwoch, 25. April 2001, 21.00 Uhr

Folge 3: "Bosse bleiben Bosse"
Erstsendung: 3sat – Mittwoch, 2. Mai 2001, 21.00 Uhr

Folge 4: "Nix geht mehr ohne Kultur"
Erstsendung: 3sat – Mittwoch, 9. Mai 2001, 21.00 Uhr

* More about "Abenteuer Ruhrpott":
[ http://www.abenteuer-ruhrpott.de ]

Untertagemusik Nr.1 was composed in 2000 for live performances with open-reel tape machines

"Untertagemusik Nr.1" is available on the CD "LIVE":
[ http://www.niehusmann.org/disx/cd-live.html ]

Untertagemusik Nr.1" ("undergound mining music no.1") was honoured in June 2002 at the 29th International Competition of Electroacoustic Music and Sound Art in Bourges (France) in the category "works for electroacoustic and sonic art".
Documentation of the 29th International Competition in Bourges 2002:

 

The method of composing and performing this music:
1) digital preparation of the recorded sounds with audio-software and computer;
2) organizing a set of selected sounds into one line on an analogue stereo tape;
3) playing these sounds from the analogue 2-track-tape "live" into selected tracks of a rotating 8-track tape-loop.
This way of composing and performing "Untertagemusik Nr.1" is the same like used for the work "Schnitt!".
More about this 8-track tape-loops:
[ http://www.niehusmann.org/worx/schnitt.html ]

The special point in "Untertagemusik Nr.1" is the special collection of the underground mining sounds.
There are single moments in "Untertagemusik Nr.1" when you hear additional sounds programmed by Frank Niehusmann himself on a synthesizer: his personal waving "good-bye" to this underground sound world.

Audio-Clips:

"Schnitt!" is a composition from 1999-2002 for live performance with open-reel tape machines

"Schnitt!" is available on the CD "LIVE":

[ http://www.niehusmann.org/disx/cd-live.html ]

"Schnitt!" is a live-loop-scratch-concert, a noise- and sound-composition, a sound-play

"Schnitt!" is a composition with sounds of nature, everyday-life sounds, machine sounds, heart beats and sine tones.

The instruments of the "Schnitt!"-performance are two tape recorders:

1. a conventional analogue open-reel stereo-machine with prepared sounds, tones and noises on conventional analogue open-reel stereo-tapes,
2. an analogue open-reel 8-track recorder, on which a tape-loop is spinning round.

Like a DJ Frank Niehusmann mixes samples, cuts, fragments and passages from his prepared stereo-tapes into the circular course of the 8-track loop, thereby creating a dense, rhythmic network of sound-cuts and noise-combinations.

The original sound of drummers on the Marrakech market stands equally to the bass tone of industrial machines in Germany, synthetic frequency-modulation, scottish bagpipers, dolphins, laughing children, rain drops, Diesel engines and much more.

One sees Niehusmann plays with the buttons and knobs of the machines: forward, rewind, start, stop, play, changing the loops, play again, scratch, dacapo …

 

Reviews on SCHNITT!-concerts:

The Order of the Loop

The stage set-up is as minimal as it is thought out: sound material from Niehusmann's extensive archives is played from a 2-track tape machine onto 8 tape loops, one at a time, on an 8-track tape machine in which the 8 tape loops of varying lengths are threaded. The system itself – a loop in which you can watch the sound material moving, so to speak; the manipulation stations are open for everyone to see. This transparency is the basis for Niehusmann's concept, which he presents strictly as a ritual. Carefully threads the tape, starts, bends to the right towards the 8-track machine to record, mix and delete with a precision that can be read in the language of his body, turning the sounds into 8 noise scenarios whose basic rhythms are determined by the length of the tape loop, broken and compressed innumerable times through his DJ-like treatment. The shaman appears in the music, while the presentation does not drop the ritual even in the intervals between the pieces: each of the looped tapes is handed over to a guest – a highly abstract object of devotion, as he had pointed out that the loop is empty both before and after the piece. Niehusmann himself is a component of his system, forces himself onto the audience – and that is a rarity in the world of noise music where the artists tend more and more to disappear, together with their laboratories, behind white fluorescent apples, compensating for a lack of stage presence, if at all, in multimedial form. A video does not sweat – he does, a little, and later, in the lobby, he snorts in satisfaction about the performance, which impressed even the most cunning of the Experimental veterans: even they! had never used a tape machine like that; … Musique concrète for the knowledgeable and for the neophyte …

Sonia Roelke about the "Schnitt!"-concert at
"Hoerbar" (Hamburg/Germany), 26 April 2002, in:
"tba fanzine", appears monthly,
editors of this issue:
Luka Skywalker and Sonia Roelcke,
address letters to tba-redaktion@web.de

The highlight …

…was Frank Niehusmann's performance of "Schnitt!" He used two tape decks (you read right — Tape Decks). One contained a reel of carefully indexed and marked samples. The other played a loop onto which Frank carefully and rhythmically recorded samples from the reel, creating an evolving texture that was exhilerating — and wonderful to watch …

(David Mooney about the "Electronic Music Midwest Festival" 2002 in Kansas City, in: CECDISCUSS, March 2002;
[ http://cec.concordia.ca/words/cecdiscuss.html ] and
[ http://cec.concordia.ca/forms/cecdiscuss.htm ].
CECDISCUSS is a forum created for the Canadian Electroacoustic Community CEC)

Sound-magician at the tape-record …

… Frank Niehusmann started a strange ceremony … the feeding of the big tape recorder with an empty tape loop … – Dextereously and masterly Niehusmann transferred noises, snatches of voices and other components of his sound material from prepared stereo tapes to various tracks of the eternal loop. All this intensified swiftly to both poetic an amusing structures. The result you could listen to was a highly complex playing with addition and subtraction, intensity and decomposition … – How he arranges these sounds … is highly artistic. And this fascinating sound-magician has definitely complete command of his art …

(Sven Thielmann, in: Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, 28.10.1999, Essen/Germany)

"Fragrance" (from 1989)
is a composition of pure electronic sounds in 4 parts on 4 CDs to be played all at the same time.

The 4 CDs should be played simultaneously: with 2 or more stereo sets you can listen to 2 or 3 or 4 parts of the composition in parallel. Precise simultaneousness is not necessarily required. Each part can mingle with an other part, as for example fluids or fragrances mingle with each other.

"Fragrance" is music, that corresponds in its structure with our perception of perfume. You can hardly say, where a fragrance "begins" or where it "ends". The starting and the final points are largely obscure: one hears extended passages of sounds symphonically assembled into one another. Their starting and final points can hardly be identified – there is only a "room", a "state", a "situation" which has a sometimes increasing, sometimes decreasing tendency.

* More about the Fragrance CD-Box:
[ http://www.niehusmann.org/disx/fragrance-2.html ]

An early version of "Fragrance" has been developed for an open-air sound-installation, which was presented 24 hours a day in a fragrance- and sound-garden on the premises of the closed coal-mine "Teutoburgia" in Herne/Germany from 1995-1997.

 

Press-reviews about Fragrance:

Frank Niehusmann – Fragrance
You've got four autonomous stereo sets at home? Four CD-players,four amplifiers, eight speakers? … So we've got something for you: This box with 4 CD's … What happens then if you play all 4 CD's asapproximately simultaneously as possible? Rising or dying away synthetical sounds overlap each other, a new, bizzare time-space feeling turns up. All this has been conceived by Frank Niehusmann, an experimental electronic-musician from Essen … an unexpected surreal surround-sound event and a chance to re-define the term "ambient music". Try it out! You've done that already? So you will have certainly realized, that making experiments is not only great fun, but it also awfully addictive. Take good care of yourself!
(Albrecht Piltz, in: Keyboards-Magazine, Cologne, March 1999)

Tributes …
… a piece of spheric-electronic-instrumental and ambient music a la Fripp and Eno, that you can appreciate endlessly … composed for more or less parallel playing on four CD-Players …
(P.E. Hillenbach, in: Marabo-Magazine, Bochum/Germany, January 1999)

***

More about the first Fragrance sound-installation inside the
"fragrance and sound-garden" on the premises of the closed coal-mine "Teutoburgia" in Herne/Germany
– in the book
"Industrie Natur – Ökologie und Gartenkunst im Emscherpark"
Hg. Jörg Dettmar und Karl Ganser; Verlag Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart, 1999;
ISBN 3-8001-3521-3

Michael Schwarze-Rodrian: "… ‘Der Duft- und Klanggarten' von Gudrun Banf und Frank Niehusmann liegt auf einer großen freien Fläche vor dem alten Förderturm. Düfte und Klänge werden hier zu einem sinnlichen Erlebnis verknüpft. Minze, Zitronenmelisse, Maggikraut oder Baldrian sind mit vielen anderen Gerüchen in Beeten gepflanzt, zwischen denen große quadratische Holzpodeste liegen. Ein Geheimnis dieser Podeste sind die Töne, die aus den darunter angebrachten und damit unsichtbaren Lautsprechern erklingen …" (p. 122f.)
Donata Valentin: "… Duft- und Klanggarten … ein leiser Platz zwischen den hohen Bäumen. Einfache Holzplattformen liegen zwischen Kräuterbeeten … Bis man die Klänge hört, die man nicht einzuordnen und zu orten weiß, denen man dann nachspürt von Punkt zu Punkt, immer neuen Klangentdeckungen folgend, eine überraschende Erfahrung und ein Vergnügen der Sinne …" (p. 130)