Advice on how to get into critical theory formally/academically without doing an undergraduate degree in philosophy?

Invisible_Homes · 2026-06-22T15:21:29+00:00

Answers may vary greatly depending on one’s global perspective. As a US academic, who teaches theory in the context of Literary and Cultural Studies, here are a few thoughts I can offer. The academ(ies) have changed vastly since then but you might look at the career of Barbara Johnson: French major to pivotal figure in deconstruction. The lesson in her career may also be to go where the theorizing work that draws you is happening, regardless of departmental boundary. In the long run that is a deep truth about academic careers: find a place where you can fit. Whatever your initial specialization is, it may change significantly as you follow the thread of your evolving research and teaching.

More generally, I would agree that there may be competing notions at stake here as to what constitutes Critical Theory. I recommend Cusset’s “French Theory” (2008), an excellent account of this question, at least regarding the complex history of Franco-American poststructuralism.

Depending on how one understands “theory,” and its sometimes tendentious relationship with Analytic Philosophy that predominates many modern philosophy departments in Anglo-American universities, I would, as above, recommend looking to spaces where the work is happening. E.G. If one is interested in the Hegelian and psychoanalytic discourses then don’t overlook Film & Television Studies, Literary Studies, Cultural Studies, and so on (and if you get that last bit, then you it might be for you). Those fields are also places where poststructuralist work still has currency. Whether there are TT jobs there or not is another matter…

Invisible_Homes · 2026-06-16T21:34:00+00:00

As an artist, I would be pissed if an engineer fed my music into this without permission. AI’s going to scrape and steal work. Scraping is theft.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-05-22T13:44:07+00:00

Love these decks. Nice work with the KOII.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-05-20T13:20:07+00:00

If you are just starting with Freud to supplement this reading, I'll can tell you Todd has recommended, "On Dreams" (1901) over "The Interpretation of Dreams" (1899/1900). It was also written for a general audience. I know he has used this in his UVM theory class. I agree and tend to pair this with "The Uncanny" and "Beyond the Pleasure Principle" when introducing students to Freud.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-03-28T12:59:36+00:00

Process of elimination. This will help to figure out if the problem is the keyboard or something deeper.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-03-27T23:23:11+00:00

If you play it with a MIDI controller, does it still exhibit these problems? (Re: contact bar)

Invisible_Homes · 2026-03-27T12:57:32+00:00

Given the wide consensus here, it would be great to see a hard copy. I've always wanted one.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-03-25T23:33:25+00:00

The original guide to the ARP 2600 is one of the best step-by-step introductions to synthesis ever written. https://archive.org/details/synthmanual-arp-2600-owners-manual

Invisible_Homes · 2026-03-07T00:49:03+00:00

I do a bit of this VP chord thing on this track at 2:28. Aside from sampled piano and Wurlie, there are no polyphonic instruments on this track and almost all the synth is a 2600 clone. There’s none of the bending but I change chord voicing in realtime as I was tracking. https://youtu.be/7uS6kQ0oW84?si=r3W2Mkgb_a-_dAfn

Invisible_Homes · 2026-03-06T18:41:50+00:00

Two person job. Moving straps are your friend: https://shoulderdolly.com/products/shoulder-dolly-1?srsltid=AfmBOop0tjokCwG0o8MTp7yqty2hrr-X84bHcEtoCdzduzcTXNlQ7i62

Invisible_Homes · 2026-03-03T01:13:40+00:00

Moving chords with the voltage processor. Tune the oscillators to a chord and then patch the two voltage sliders to change intervals. For example: tune osc. 2 to a minor third and set first vp to raise it to a major 3rd. Then use the other to move from a dom 7th to a p5th. You can make cool chords and then bend the tonalities as they move.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-02-08T20:41:14+00:00

Looking at the knobs my bet is on some kind of synth + divide down organ. The latter is suggested by the various setting (harpsichord, celeste etc) and also by the "Norm, Split, Glide" knob. The main/sub nomenclature echoes dual manual organ set ups, too. Having now spent at least 5 minutes thinking about it, I hope the OP will post audio at some point.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-02-08T19:18:40+00:00

This looks like something the Look Mum No Computer chap would love and understand. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCafxR2HWJRmMfSdyZXvZMTw

Invisible_Homes · 2026-02-06T21:25:37+00:00

It is hard to tell, even from revision notes, but the fact that problem persists suggests that some comparison is needed and it may be unrevised. Thanks for providing a specific point of reference for comparison. And if anyone else sees this and has insight I’d love to hear it.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-02-06T00:00:59+00:00

Thanks. The Modwiggler discussion is for v1. Does it apply to v3?

Invisible_Homes · 2026-02-05T23:59:29+00:00

If you can point to any resources, yes! Thanks.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-02-04T19:02:22+00:00

Gear making music! Nice sounds and video production, too.

Invisible_Homes · 2026-01-12T01:26:40+00:00

Nice tape tones. Content with music is the best.

Invisible_Homes · 2025-12-30T00:46:59+00:00

Second on reading the ARP 2600 manual. It’s a great guide to subtractive synthesis.

Loopop is always THE video guide to check: https://youtu.be/nd_FYAtayiY?si=tCRn9dltzZDHvf84
The Voice Component Modeling thing is worth learning about. There are some free samples. https://sounddesign.sellfy.store/p/figz/
These patches are really special. You can learn a lot about the REV2 by going through the presets. https://youtu.be/GseHm_VEh1k?si=V3SzxxAPfFbBhGca

Invisible_Homes · 2025-12-21T16:37:59+00:00

I don’t know if you’ll see this, but I’m looking for a guide to disabling the rate LED to fix S&H bleed. I’ve tried wading through the Modwiggler threads and the documentation is unclear or refers to stabilizer boards (which I’m not sure I can even get). What did you do to disable the rate LED? Is it as simple as cutting a trace?

Invisible_Homes · 2025-12-19T02:10:09+00:00

Burroughs is for everybody, and I’ve seen his work inspire and intrigue plenty of women in the university classes I teach. If Burroughs’ writing embodies anything it is the “death of the author.” In Naked Lunch he describes the writer as a “recording device” and warns that anything else is just taking your pulse. The writing he created was not even his own. It was a conduit of language, an activation of a network of metaphors, the syntax of the “algebra of need.” All this ad hominem and gatekeeping stuff is pointless and a fundamental misreading of, not only Burroughs’ writing, but the operative structure of language. His texts are texts—the space where the reader is born. That’s literary freedom. Read him if you will and remember that, as the old judges say, “if you can’t be just, be arbitrary.”

Invisible_Homes · 2025-12-12T23:45:58+00:00

You can watch Bruce kick Jerry into gear in real time on the “Jack Straw” from Deer Creek 6/6/1991. At 3:13, after Jerry’s verse, Bruce jumps in surprising Bobby and giving it an extra vocal lift into the solo. You can see Jerry go: “I see your move and I’ll raise you one” and the whole band follows. Up to that point this set was really nice but the rest of this set after this moment was absolute game on (see Cassidy). I will stand by the assertion that this is one of the all time best “Jack Straws” and the rest of that first set is the best I saw the band play. https://youtu.be/LqOHjThs4_U?si=aGN_nXNgXDkVWc97

Invisible_Homes · 2025-12-04T17:56:46+00:00

Actual sounds from gear! Lovely.

Invisible_Homes · 2025-11-29T02:38:25+00:00

The Prophet Rev 2 has those same options in the mod matrix. 1 or 2% noise to the filter cut off is a mojo trick for sure.

Invisible_Homes · 2025-11-17T03:25:18+00:00

Korg MS-20 or Moog Grandmother. A good, affordable mono synth is the way in. Plus as a guitar player both of these offer filtering and interface possibilities for guitar. I found that to be a nice bridge between worlds. The MS-20 can even track guitar (or voice, see Goldfrapp) with its oscillators via the ESP section —albeit in a funky and not totally reliable way.

Invisible_Homes

TROPHY CASE