Todd Reynolds
Headquarters for All Things ToddAbout
TODD REYNOLDS (NYC, NY), composer, conductor, arranger and violinist, is a longtime member of Bang On A Can, Steve Reich and Musicians and Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Project . His commitment to genre-bending and technology-driven innovation in music has produced innumerable collaborations with artists that regularly cross musical and disciplinary boundaries, regularly placing him in venues from clubs to concert halls around the world.
A forerunner in the expansion of the violin beyond its classical and ‘wood-bound’ tradition, Reynolds electrifies in concert, weaves together composed and improvised segments, and makes use of computer technology and digital loops to sculpt his sounds in real time, seamlessly integrating minimalist, pop, Jazz, Indian, African, Celtic and indigenous folk musics into his own sonic blend. As a cross-genre improviser and collaborator, he has appeared and/or recorded with such artists as Anthony Braxton, Uri Caine, John Cale, Steve Coleman, Joe Jackson, Dave Liebman, Yo-Yo Ma, Graham Nash, Greg Osby, Steve Reich, Marcus Roberts and Todd Rundgren, and has commissioned and premiered countless numbers of new works by America’s most compelling composers, including John King, Phil Kline, Michael Gordon, Neil Rolnick, Julia Wolfe, David Lang, Evan Ziporyn and Randall Wolff. His interdisciplinary work includes ongoing collaborations with SoundPainter Walter Thompson as well as media artists Bill Morrison and Luke DuBois and sound artist Jody Elff.
Reynolds is a founder of the band known as Ethel, a critically acclaimed amplified string quartet (represented by ICM Artists), with whom he wrote and toured internationally. He has also produced Still Life With Microphone, an ongoing theater piece which incorporates his own written and improvised music, compositions written for him, and elements of video and theatrical arts. Nuove Uova [new eggs], new works for violin and electricity, another Todd Reynolds production is a ‘new-music cabaret’ of sorts, having as its home Joe’s Pub in Manhattan. He is the recipient of ASCAP awards, an American Composers Forum Grant for Still Life with Mic and a 2003 Meet-the-Composer Commissioning Music/USA award.
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Thanks so much, Todd, and nice to make your acquaintance. Great name you got, too. Your questions: Options, as you know, are vast with regard to midi-controllers, so any combination will only enhance ‘controllability’. Most of the time, however, I use nothing but 3 banks (30 switches, 6 continuous controllers) on an FCB1010 by Behringer. This is also my recommendation. It’s a little obtuse to program it at first, but you only need do it once, and there is great editor software with which to program it if you like. I’ve been through only two pedals all these years, so it’s pretty rugged. I use a Motu Traveler SO that I can go in with midi straightaway, no extra USB interface. So, easy answer, nope, nothing else needed. The Behringer is usually only about $149 as well. Thanks for your kind words and inquiry, hope to hear your music soon. (you remind me that perhaps I should put up a gear page, lol, would that be helpful?)
Thanks for the recommendation! I use a MOTU ultralite that has midi in the back so the fcb1010 should work perfect. So far I’ve only used the ultralite to make audition tapes and get down some ideas for songs so this will be great to get more use out of it. I’m guessing I’ll mic my bass and use headphones to prevent feedback. Do you use an electric violin when you preform live? My email is gtmatthews@gmail.com If I make any music worth listening to.. I’ll send it your way.
Thanks again for the advice.
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Great article on the ableton website. Watched some videos and listened some music clips and your music is amazing. I am a double bassist and I’ve been using ableton for awhile but just for composing electronic music. If I started experimenting with my bass and ableton together do I need anything other than a footpedal board and do you have one you recommend? Thank you and keep up the great music!
Todd Matthews