#miditablism

🎹 Stranger MidiTablism! 🎯 A precisely located synth bass note within the song Sweet Dreams is played by the arpeggiator with MidiTablism techniques in a morphing transition recreating the iconic bass line from Stranger Things. ✨

🎬 Film Credits: Music & Video by John Type

John Type is back with a visually stunning, cinematic video demonstrating his unique approach to MidiTablism — a groundbreaking fusion of MIDI sequencing and turntablism. In this latest performance, Type takes on DJ Shadow’s iconic track “Organ Donor”, showcasing how MIDI technology can be used to play turntables in a completely new way.

But how exactly are the notes played in this innovative setup?

For those unfamiliar, the Vestax PDX-3000 MKII turntable, one of the few equipped with a MIDI input, allows the sound of a vinyl record to be ‘tuned’ by adjusting the platter speed with MIDI notes, for example from a MIDI keyboard — a technique later known as Platter Play. In Type’s setup, the MIDI keyboard used is an Arturia Keystep, which not only serves as a keyboard but also functions as a built-in MIDI sequencer.

So, what exactly is a MIDI sequencer?

Simply put, a MIDI sequencer records and plays back MIDI notes, capturing the musical data we play in real time. This feature is ubiquitous in electronic music gear such as drum machines, samplers, synthesizers, DAWs, and more.

To clarify, in this setup all sounds come directly from vinyl.

In John Type’s setup, the PDX-3000 turntable uses a clear vinyl that Type produced nearly 20 years ago for his pre-DVS routines. The vinyl features a continuous organ note in the key of B. On the right deck, the vinyl features a simple looped drum break.

What sets MidiTablism apart is its innovative integration of MIDI sequencers with traditional turntablism techniques.