Woodroom

Woodroom is the electronic music lab that I’ve founded in Ankara.

It is a creative environment where local musicians from any background can musically collaborate and experiment with an array of electronic hardware and software devices designed to experiment in electronic music and sound design.

It houses a Wurlitzer Upright Piano made in 40's - one of the earliest American pianos
brought to Ankara.

It is dimly lit on purpose (for no video sharing on socials) and attendees are kindly asked to limit their phone usage. A large percentage of Woodroom does not have cell-phone coverage - nor does it have internet access. This creates and maintains an unspoken bond of trust amongst collaborators - to respect the environment and the outcome. When there is a collaboration, there’s always music either played by someone, a group of people or by machines. As the time-progresses, people choose to join or leave the ‘on-going music’.

As of October 2024, over 450+ hours of experimentations, collaborations, improvs, live performances are recorded so far - involving around fifty musicians (so far) - from classically trained to self-taught. Apart from the usual musician visitors, it hosted people of game-audio, sculptors, creative-technologists, investors who are interested in music business, audio programmers & engineers, radio DJ’s, academicians, many people with various roles from performance arts (opera composers, theater actors, musical directors, etc.)

There are multiple computers connected over a closed wi-fi network - they all run Logic Pro, Max MSP, Ableton Live, Renoise, VCV Rack, Cubase, Reaper, Tidalcycles, Supercollider, Sonic Pi and related 3rd party sound design, synthesis and analysis tools.

There are pre-made connections in between (almost) every instrument / hardware / system / device (plenty of overlapping on purpose) in order to fit any workflow.

There are two reverb-rooms (just like in the old days) ready to be recorded. The listening spots are carefully treated with custom acoustic panels. In addition, there are portable acoustic panels - ready to be placed to play with diffusion.

There are multiple stations for musicians to engage with the on-going music. Apart from the already plugged ones, there’s about 300 meters (~= 1000ft.) of audio/midi/usb cables - hidden around the space for any musician to plug-in their instrument and join the on-going collaboration from any part of the space they want. There are multiple recording spots with dedicated systems - with their dedicated listening spots - all connected to the main mixing spot with plenty of available channels on the main mixer for anyone to hook their instrument. (Keep in mind that this is NOT a ‘professional recording studio’ but a place for anyone to engage on-going collaboration). From cheap to high-end, there are 7 sets of speakers and 3 subwoofers (with some of them being mobile for experimentation in spatial audio)

There are modded audio devices and gimmicks for experimentation - as well as basic tools to encourage modification of your own devices.

Outside we have cats, dogs, tortoises, foxes, hedgehogs, and multiple friendly animal species. Early mornings host a great bird symphony during summers. At night time, you can record pristine cricket sounds from the nearby steppe hill.

This space is a result of an ever growing effort of 13 years (as of November,2024).


Equipment List:

Apple Mac Pro Max
Apple Macbook
Windows PC

A set of Focal Shape Twin (Hung)
A set of KRK Rokit G5
A set of M-Audio AV-40
STH900 - Subwoofer
A set of JBL Bluetooth Speakers
Three sets of custom made speakers with subwoofers

Sonotronics STC-3x - Condenser Mic
Shure SM57 - Dynamic Mic
Sennheiser HD600
Audio Technica - ATH-Pro5

Soundcraft Signature MTK - 24 Channel Analog Mixer
Behringer XENYX 1202 - 12 Channel Mixer
Behringer UMC404-HD Audio Interface
Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 2nd Gen - Audio Interface
Apogee Duet 2 - Audio Interface

Soma Synths Pulsar-23 / Modular Drum Machine
Soma Synths Ornament-8 / Modular Sequencer
Erica Synths Syntrx 2 / Modular Synthesizer
Korg ARP Odyssey MK3
Korg M1
Sequential Prophet 6 Module
Behringer Model D Module
Waldorf Blofeld Module
Casio CTK-651
Elektron Octatrack MK2 / Dynamic Sampler & Sequencer
Korg - SQ-1 Sequencer
Korg - NTS-1

Wurlitzer Upright Piano
Washburn Electro Guitar
Acoustic Guitar (belongs to Tomas Crow)
Mandolin (from 60’s)
Over 30 Small Percussion Instruments (Kalimba, Sticks, Maracas, etc.)
Over 25 World Instruments (Flutes, Duduks, Darbuka, Tunisian Bongoes, an Oud, Didgeridoo etc.)

Alesis 3630 Hardware Compressor
Neunaber WET - Reverb Pedal
Gamechanger Audio - Plasma Pedal
Flamma Audio - Ekoverb
Behringer VT-999 - Preamp / Overdrive
Korg - Kaoss Pad-3 / Multi FX - Processing Unit
Soma Ether
Various custom FX pedals (modded)

ERM Multiclock+
Kenton Midi Merge / Midi Split Boxes
Ableton Push 2 - Midi Controller
Arturia Keystep Pro - Midi Controller
Native Instruments Maschine MKll - Midi / Controller
Native Instruments Traktor S8 Mixer - MIDI / DJ Controller
Arturia Analog Laboratory / Midi Controller

American Audio TTD 2400 - Turntable
JVC-PC37 Black Boombox / Radio / Tape Player
HMV Gramophone

SOFTWARE (periodically updated)
Logic Pro
Max MSP
Ableton Live
Renoise
VCV Rack
Audacity
NI Komplete
Tidalcycles
Supercollider
Sonic Pi
Reaper
Cubase
Various 3rd party software (Waves, Fabfilter, Serum, Soundtoys, etc.)

Should you want to have an idea of what’s going on in Woodroom by comparison - here’s Oxford University’s Electronic Music Lab
https://www.music.ox.ac.uk/studio-2-electronic-music-lab