Ignomium Load

[Wade Cornell]

Got together with an Australian guitarist I know. Tenor improvisation on a modal piece with flexi-timing. Recorded on a "zoom in da room", so poor quality.

http://www.soundclick.com/player/single_player.cfm?songid=12387796&q=hi

Comments welcome.

 

[Jamesmac]

I couldnt get out of my mind Paris Texas, the film. the guitar playing soundtrack of Rhy Coder. only a bit more subdued. The Tenor sound quality varied a lot when playing from piano to a Forte. which i found took away from the piece, but i liked the softer more focused tone in the softer passages, particularly above the stave.Perhaps the guitar was too forward in the mix. i think the sax took a back seat, but perhaps that was the intention.

 

[daveysaxboy]

Love the guitar player.The piece really comes in to its own towards the end.I liked it a lot.Wanted it to be longer.

 

[Wade Cornell]

I couldnt get out of my mind Paris Texas, the film. the guitar playing soundtrack of Rhy Coder. only a bit more subdued. The Tenor sound quality varied a lot when playing from piano to a Forte. which i found took away from the piece, but i liked the softer more focused tone in the softer passages, particularly above the stave.Perhaps the guitar was too forward in the mix. i think the sax took a back seat, but perhaps that was the intention.

Interesting that you note the change in timbre. This is a big difference between classical playing and other styles. Classical emphasis is on pure tone and keeping the timbre the same. Jazz and other styles often accentuate differences by incorporating otherwise rough sounds (growls, split tones, screams, etc.). I'm fond of using various textures that put the instrument in the background or foreground and assist in giving feeling/meaning to what's played. This is hardly unique, but it's interesting that you've commented when it's so common.

In terms of mix, there isn't any. It's a zoom recorder set down in the room with it's own microphones doing the recording. Not possible to change what the recorder hears and I use dynamics a lot, so the quiet parts are low, while the loud parts are loud. The electric guitarist (like most) plays at one level and needs to turn a knob to change his level. This is an impromptu jam, not a serious recording. Just thought it was interesting enough to post as it uses an interesting mode. Spontaneous composition is at its core rather than reading or playing a "standard". It may not always be slick or brilliant, but has its challenges and (for me) rewards.

 

[Wade Cornell]

Love the guitar player.The piece really comes in to its own towards the end.I liked it a lot.Wanted it to be longer.

Thanks Davey. Yea, it sometimes takes a while listening before I understand what he's up to. There is not always a lot pattern to what this guitarist plays. This one had enough for me to come forward and add my bit before the end. I wouldn't have minded it longer either, but he kind of stopped playing....the end. The guitar player is Chris Fenton. He used to be a pro in Melbourne some years ago, but now is a hermit living in a very remote area that is a half hour off the nearest highway on a very rough 4 WD track and impassible at times in rainy season. He mostly plays by himself so has some difficult habits from not playing with others. He's a challenge to play with, but got lots of music in his soul. May post another snippet from this jam later that is more typical of his "flexible" style of playing and my attempts at trying to anticipate.

 

[Jamesmac]

Interesting that you note the change in timbre. This is a big difference between classical playing and other styles. Classical emphasis is on pure tone and keeping the timbre the same. Jazz and other styles often accentuate differences by incorporating otherwise rough sounds (growls, split tones, screams, etc.). I'm fond of using various textures that put the instrument in the background or foreground and assist in giving feeling/meaning to what's played. This is hardly unique, but it's interesting that you've commented when it's so common.

In terms of mix, there isn't any. It's a zoom recorder set down in the room with it's own microphones doing the recording. Not possible to change what the recorder hears and I use dynamics a lot, so the quiet parts are low, while the loud parts are loud. The electric guitarist (like most) plays at one level and needs to turn a knob to change his level. This is an impromptu jam, not a serious recording. Just thought it was interesting enough to post as it uses an interesting mode. Spontaneous composition is at its core rather than reading or playing a "standard". It may not always be slick or brilliant, but has its challenges and (for me) rewards.

I think it's constructive to comment on what you hear for all concerned, and saying that, the reason I spoke about the change in timbre, was more about the change in timbre being more noticable than the musical reason behind it, ( meaning you should not be only conscious of the sound effect) which is no easy task in any composition. There is of course the distinct posibility that i missed the point, but as i said, better to say what you hear and not what you think the musician wants to hear. Stockhausen uses all sorts of weird and magical sounds, but you expect it from his compositions. Possibly I have a preconceived idea what goes with this guitar backing. I suppose we all do. When I read this back it sounds a bit harsh, because the overall music experience was enjoyable and interesting.

 

[Wade Cornell]

I think it's constructive to comment on what you hear for all concerned, and saying that, the reason I spoke about the change in timbre, was more about the change in timbre being more noticable than the musical reason behind it, ( meaning you should not be only conscious of the sound effect) which is no easy task in any composition. There is of course the distinct posibility that i missed the point, but as i said, better to say what you hear and not what you think the musician wants to hear. Stockhausen uses all sorts of weird and magical sounds, but you expect it from his compositions. Possibly I have a preconceived idea what goes with this guitar backing. I suppose we all do. When I read this back it sounds a bit harsh, because the overall music experience was enjoyable and interesting.

I don't think you were harsh and greatly appreciate you giving your opinion. At the same time I know that your approach is very "classical" so mentioned other styles of playing. I think we play in different worlds, so was just trying to give you some idea of how different it is to just play with another individual where there is no reference point for anything. Nothing is planned, it's all spontaneous so there is only the present. Your point is valid in that it certainly would have been more consistent if I'd just hung back, but I was hanging back to hear where it was going and if there was the potential for a consistent pattern, then stepped up to contribute. If the guitarist had gone on playing for another minute or four then I would have possibly edited out the softly played first part.



It's not Stockhausen, but it is totally improvised so there is even less that's “composed” than most of Stockhausen' music. Given that it's all spontaneous (and not anything recognizable to me) it always amazes me that it's possible to make music at all. Will it ever be as good as playing a composed, practiced, and thoroughly worked over piece? Probably not, but it's more than an amusing exercise for me and always a challenge.