Joker Nies
Musician, sound-designer, sound-engineer, fotographer and technical editor for the German Keyboards magazine. Lives in Cologne.
Since the early 80´s, Nies experiments with all kinds of electronic sound-sources, like modular-analog synthesizers, individually designed electronic devices, DSP-based systems (like Kyma/Capybara) and software based sound-sources. During the early 90´s, modifying the Omnichord became his initiation to what is known as circuit-bending. Since that time a steadily growing number of devices has been converted from simple toys into alien sound devices.
For his live-performances the focus has completely moved away from computer hosted sound enviroments and shifted to analog electronics instead. His instruments, beneath the Omnichord, are carefully selected and modified electronics, and the outstanding instruments Rob Hordijk has built for him.
Recent activities include software synth-design in MAX/MSP for the german Keyboards magazine, and production and sound design for radio-plays. Nies also leads workshops and tutorials about circuit-bending, DIY-instruments and synth-design in MAX/MSP. His musical activities are centered around an improvisational aproach, like with the Trio Die Schrauber or The KØP. He also cooperates in composition-based projects like the activities of the multimedia project REALTIME-RESEARCH and QUANTUM QUASI dance-projects. Joker Nies performed on festivals in all of Europe, USA and Mexico, with artists like John Butcher, Ernst Reijsinger, Birgit Uhler, Thomas Lehn, Alan Silva, Dave Tucker, Seth Josel, Hans Tammen, Mario De Vega, Gino Robair and many others.
