#its an old drafty place from the 1920s

[harastaelectronica-blog]

Harasta Electronica: The Love for Electronic Music Synthesizers

I paced up the cement steps of a drafty hallway where I could hear the sound waves of what I could only imagine was a science lab from the 1970’s recorded in film noir. Initially, I biked up to what looked like from the exterior an abandoned warehouse. I didn’t know what to expect when we agreed to meet that frigid Tuesday night.  As I took every uncertain step in a dimly lit stairwell, a gray and white cat greeted me on the third floor where I was instructed to meet Hayden Harasta. Shortly after, Hayden walked from behind the door and said “Oh, you met Trash Cat.” Of course, I inquired about the name which simply led with a story of the typical life of a North Philly cat and its rescue from the recycling bin outside. “Come on in,” said Hayden with both hands gesturing towards a mysterious light.

There’s always been something obscure about Hayden’s demeanor that makes you curious to know more. Just when you think you can sum up a person, he leads you to a room of overwhelmingly astonishing inventions. So many questions began to run through my mind at that exact moment. What is this place? How did this come to exist? I knew Hayden’s main interest was creating novelty synthesizers for people in the electronic music industry. What I didn’t know is his ability to be so resourceful and nimble in his everyday lifestyle. When I first met Hayden at a party in Olde City, Philadelphia, I would have never expected him to live in this unique space. The more layers I peeled off Hayden’s personality, the easier it was to understand how it all came together. Something I could comprehend about Hayden is that he is a problem solver and refuses to let anything stump him. Efficiency seems to be the core theme to his lifestyle. He’s more driven than any person I’ve met and is self-taught in many of his endeavors.

I walked into “Hayden Harasta’s Synth Factory,” a wonderland of electronic instruments. In what used to be a warehouse, now resides artists like Hayden who combine their work space and living space. Every inch of the apartment is made from re purposed parts, mainly resourced from his job at Scenery 1st where he crafts quality stage displays. The plumbing and electricity was all installed by Hayden, and when I asked “how?” He said, “You can pretty much do anything with the internet,” casually.”

As I looked up, various volumes on synths, modules, and oscillators covered the self-made bookshelves on the wall. Still, I didn’t know what this guy was all about but I found myself wanting to know more. It’s inspirational to see people like Hayden teach themselves how to create and invent such complex instruments. It comes to show that passion can drive an individual enough to be successful. He exudes confidence when talking about synths and you can just tell how much passion and love he puts into his work.  Self-starters like Hayden motivate individuals to be patient to fulfill their dreams.

Childhood provided Hayden with the opportunity to master household tasks and the duties that maintaining a beautiful estate entailed. His parents continue to reside in Worchester, Delaware where they resume their occupation as estate caretakers of the DuPont family. The DuPont family is known as one of the richest families in America since the 1800s. Though The DuPonts had many influences in large businesses across the US in the past, the family name holds a different standard today in Delaware. Most of the estates were donated to exist as National Parks and other properties were even turned into green space attractions for tourists. The DuPont family has a respected reputation in Delaware and continues to uphold a certain status today that is esteemed. As a boy, Hayden would help his parents build, garden, and clean to keep the estates maintained. Although he took it for granted when he was younger, he appreciates the skills he learned when growing up at the estates. He learned to be imaginative and uphold a certain craftsmanship when creating.

 Hayden’s first job did not come easy or conventionally after an institutionalized education. A couple years were spent at UArts located in Philadelphia, where he studied graphic design but found himself unfulfilled by that specific path. Eventually, Hayden left UArts before finishing his degree in hopes to take his career into his own hands. At first, he worked at a quaint coffee shop, keeping his aspirations on the back burner of life. Even thought he had little money from his consuming and draining day job, he continued to make time to create his synth inventions on the side.

When the opportunity arose, Hayden applied for a position through a friend at a special event décor company called Scenery 1st. He didn’t have any professional experience and had one day to prove his abilities. The company was impressed and gave him an opportunity where many of his creative desires could be met. Scenery 1st designs and manufactures quality stage displays with a diverse creative team including “stage carpenters, welders, scenic artists, crafts persons, seamstresses, draftsmen, sculptors, and designers.” This job gave him a chance to use his woodworking skills and craftsmanship to build sets in a creative way. With the extra equipment and supplies from various projects for clients, Hayden re purposed scraps like wood, metal, ceramics, and plastic that would otherwise be thrown out. Everything in his apartment came from stage bits and is currently used to furnish, decorate, and reinvent the cement space he rented out. Most of the money he makes from Scenery 1st goes into his inventions. As he told this part of his journey I began to question how he was so confident without having a college degree. He said, “most people can do most things if you leave your expectations to fail aside.” I found this intriguing because most of us tend to be critical of ourselves and our capabilities. The only way to catapult our existing dreams according to Hayden, is by using utilizing resources to bounce forward.

The “Thereminion” is the first electronic synth invention created by Hayden with the intent to sell. The “Thereminion” mocks an electronic instrument (known as the ether phone) made by a Russian inventor named Leon Theremin in the 1920’s. The instrument is played without any physical contact, but creates different sounds with the movement of your hand in relation to the electronic waves. The instrument was used in many horror films after its conception. When I listened to the sound waves all I could envision was an old black and white film of Frankenstein playing in my head. With Leon Theremin’s invention, Hayden could create a mini version of it. The product is convenient for those who cannot afford or have the space for an actual Theremin instrument. It is also for the electronic music creator to have a simple tool to use in music editing software. The tuning is simply managed with a screwdriver and can plug in to any sound amplifier. Each “Therminion” is delivered with instructions so the user can easily manage the functions to their needs. Hayden continues to make other electronic synths and thrives to perfect them for the synth community.

From the perspective of someone who does not know much about synths or electronic music culture, I found it intriguing that there was such a prominent community still. The influence lives strong in those who love synth music because of its origin in the 1970’s and 80’s in British Culture. It makes sense that Hayden and many others are exposed to this type of sound because of America’s early fascination with British culture. After watching Synth Britannia, the contextualization of synth culture becomes quite clear. In 1971, a film called “A Clockwork Orange” represents the rise of synthetic dreamers and a realm outside of synth pop. Alienated synthesists like Walter Carlos, now known as Wendy Carlos, used this time to expose a different side of synth music that became just as respected as classical music. She became known as an inspiration after her composition in the soundtrack for “A Clockwork Orange” where she used big Moog synth sounds to orchestrate one of the first absorbent synth based sounds. This became a foreshadowing of once alienated medium of music to come.

The most common name associated with synthesizers would be Moog. The conception of modular systems used in synth music was originally created by Robert Moog who “pioneered the concept of voltage control in the 60’s, and that was likely the biggest factor in making the synthesizer a practical music instrument today” (Horn, 1980, p. 34). His influence is still dominant today among synth artists and users. Wendy Carlos’ work such as Switched- On Bacharach, played a major role in bringing electronic music out of the experimental closet and into society’s consciousness. She was an essential element to Moog’s reputation in the electronic music synthesizer industry where eventually “Moog” became a terminology synonymous to “synthesizer.” These influences inspire those who make synth music to not shy away from creating something different that strays away from popular culture.

           Wendy (Walter) Carlos’ story parallels similarly with the way electronic music’s journey of acceptance rose. Carlos continued to thrive in the electronic synth industry as someone who identified as a man for more than a decade until 1979. Her reconstruction of the Moog and recreation of classic pieces, earned her respect in the industry. “The album became the most influential “electronic” classical recording of all time, smashing the borders between classical and synthesized music” (Macdonald-Dupuis, 2015). She continued to identify as a man until the age of forty where the public was unexpectedly tolerant of her identity. The community of synth music makers appreciates the art form itself no matter where it comes from or what prejudices people may have. I find this commonality of appreciation to be inspirational and influential to those who may consider difference before understanding the person or art form itself. This type of music and community makes it possible for artists to express themselves in a way that is beautiful and understood.

The way that Hayden describes his love for synth continues to be explained in an unforetold manner. Although synth culture had its rise in the 1980s, it seems to have less exposure in popular culture today. The medium is used to create a whole new culture and genre today. Hayden appreciates the experimental aspect of these instruments just like his influences did in the past. These impacts continue to thrive people with similar interests as Hayden in recreating electronic synth mediums for new experimental purposes. Experimental music communities are extremely accepting according to Hayden. He doesn’t feel judged or insecure in spaces where a sense of comradery is brought together through the love of synth.

A relevant influence of synth music in a separate genre would be Scott Wexton, known as the “Voodoo Organist.” Although Wexton started in the early 90s, he continues to influence people today with his music. His combination of “sound is instantly recognizable yet hard to describe, blending elements of blues, goth, punk, rock, and exotica into a heady musical concoction that sounds something like the house band in Satan's Tiki Lounge” (Na). Honestly when I listened to some of the songs, I felt like I was in Ronald McDonald’s haunted house listening to “The Monster Mash.” It’s a pleasant yet cryptic type of music that I would associate with light hearted scary movies. This goth/punk culture brings raw emotions out into this type of music form. Like Hayden, artists like this might not be straight forwardly transparent but express themselves through their music. As he presses down on each key, unique sounds bind together, lulling the dark lyrics as the pleasant sounds glaze over the mind. Most goth/punk music is created to be raw and straight forward in an aggressive way. His music shows the beauty of this culture and the different ways emotions are expressed through various keys.  

 Kraftwerk, a German synth group from the late 1960s, influenced the break of experimental music by constructing complex rhythms that were different than any other. Their dedication to creating obscure sounds with new technologies at the time made them one of the most influential groups to the development of electronic music. Like Hayden, this group created majority of their music in solidarity and continued to make music even when it was not popular to the public. Throughout their journey, they stayed true to themselves and the music they produced. Eventually, when electronic music became more accepted by the public, this group became one of the most influential to the development to different media genres today. “Having inspired everyone from Bowie to Coldplay, Siouxsie to Radiohead, this bizarre collective has also proven partly responsible for the emergence of entire genres - electronica, techno and synth-pop” (Johnstone, 2008).

   Hayden’s most recent invention aside from the “Thereminion,” includes a smaller compact pocket size travel synthesizer for those who like to play around with sounds on the go. “Hikari,” the name of the product, derives from his journeys in Japan and the community of synth music lovers he met there. Most of his inventions have Japanese oriented logos and qualities to them. His infatuation with the culture and love for electronic instruments is what inspired him to create this synth that generates buzzing sounds. The sounds are based off how the instrument is tuned to give the creator the ability to manage the pitch. The compact design also gives the consumer the opportunity to use it wherever they go. Although most people would not find the need to carry this type of instrument around, the community base for synth users are very passionate about this type of product. He said synthesists can “Make music any place at any time, in the dark, in the park, by the beach or in the street” with “Hikari.”

Twisting and turning modulators to create abstract sounds, Hayden hopes to connect with those who love experimental synth music through his inventions. Although they are still in prototype, his interest and influences continue to thrive in hopes to reach out to a community base who loves electronic music synthesizers as much as he does. After getting a taste of synth culture, I can see why so many people appreciate the medium and its originality. For those who are not exposed to this type of music, it can seem incomprehensible and distasteful. What I discovered to love about synth culture is the lack of arbitrary judgement and the open mindedness to creativity. I think we can learn from opening ourselves up to differently cultures of artistry. As I’ve gone through this journey of learning the power of synths, I hope to continue to expose myself to diverse compositions and the reasoning behind specific types of musical expressions. We should accept more than the homogeneous understanding of music and people.

 Citation:

 Stanley Kubrick's Adaptation of “A Clockwork Orange” (Discussed by Anthony Burgess, Malcolm McDowell, and William Everson). (1972). Films Media Group. Available at: http://fod.infobase.com/PortalPlaylists.aspx?wID=103640&xtid=128250 [Accessed 14 Apr. 2017].

http://fod.infobase.com.libproxy.temple.edu/p_ViewVideo.aspx?xtid=128250&loid=446356&tScript=0

Kraftwerk and the electronic revolution: a documentary film [Video file]. (2008). New Malden: Sexy Intellectual. Retrieved from http://temple.naxosvideolibrary.com.libproxy.temple.edu/title/SIDVD541/

 (2008, October 24). Retrieved April 14, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn0HAWX1TSA&list=PLD3973AC7BFE489A4&index=1

 Meet Wendy Carlos: The Trans Godmother of Electronic Music. (n.d.). Retrieved April 14, 2017, from https://thump.vice.com/en_us/article/meet-wendy-carlos-the-trans-godmother-of-electronic-music

 C. (2012, March 16). Retrieved April 14, 2017, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TK1P93r9xes

 http://www.voodooorganist.com/index.php?about-the-voodoo-organist=yes