For triggers, gates, clocks, and sociopaths alike, "Master/Slave" faces retirement

Spoken Word with Electronics is an audio series delivering to you a two side recording of unusual stories paired with vintage modular electronic sounds

Hello, everyone – Welcome back. Part of this week's show is on language. One great result of the recent protests is a reassessment of some of our worst phrases. "Master/Slave" is an ugly one, with a direct path to some of the world's most terrible history. Unfortunately, it's largely adopted into electronics as an example of one device maintaining control over countless other devices. It's been suggested a better phrase might be Leader/Follower, and in that way you realize "Master/Slave" also describes politics, too.

As language is finally being addressed on this shameful history of semantics, I offer one final discussion on "Master/Slave" as an EXPLANATION for how people are still following and supporting Trump. Electronic control can be their only defense. In sympathy, I call for us all to love Trump Supporters and seek to emancipate them from this mental prison.

Mind Control is an interesting subject. There's been an ongoing effort to control minds with technology, and some consider this to be happening right now. Today's episode discusses triggers in drum machines as an explanation for how Trump's very sharp signal clock controls his followers. He's a perfect drum sequencer. He keeps his messages monosyllabic and sharp. That's the best signal for opening up a drum to follow a controller. And the term for this in synthesis is, regrettably, "Master/Slave", in that the Master is the sequencer and the slave is the follower.

Jump aboard for a 45 minute exploration of Triggers, Gates, Clocks, and Sociopaths. We also get semi-local and discuss the murderous deeds of Texas Governor Greg Abbott. Identifying an April 28 order to open Texas and ban Texas Mayors from protecting their cities, I accuse Greg Abbott of every Covid death related to any unmasked transmission since. This is a significant number, and it's only gotten much worse:

It's only gotten much worse

Electronics are useful for describing humans. We operate the same way as many synthesizers. Our brains operate through subtractive synthesis, for example. The stimulus in the world is a constant blaring signal, and we are constantly filtering out noises and thoughts to develop a personal perspective. Otherwise we would go crazy, literally. Subtractive Synthesis keeps us sane. One opinion on psychedelics is it removes some of these filters, which allows us to see more of the world for a brief moment. It's a very vulnerable state, however, which is why psychedelics are temporary. We couldn't survive too long with those filters wide open and sensitive to every breeze.

This week's show is also about timekeeping, specifically analog clocks for drum machines. Analog drum machines are special things, especially, in that they mimic a lot of engines and other mechanical equipment. They are wired up with trigger cables that fire off each drum noise with electricity, which is very different than digital emulations of drums. They are literally drum MACHINES, and this week demonstrates exactly how that works.

For a little humor, or maybe a direct explanation for the madness going on in this world, this week's bonus link is on Soviet Mind Control machines from the 1980s. Enjoy: The State of Unclassified and Commercial Technology Capable of Some Electronic Mind Control Effects