finger controller and Repeater melodic loop manipulation

["loop.pool" <looppool@cruzio.com>]

I see that M-Audio has a new controller called a Trigger Finger which has 
16 
pads and several knobs and sliders.

I want one badly because it is small and lightweight and has the 
equivalent 
of two octaves of modal triggering capabilities
which in my harmonically limited universe is my idea of a good time.

I used to use my Roland Octapad as what I called a modal log drum and I 
loaded up several different
world music scales from C to C into it so that I could trigger my old Akai 
S950 sampler......voila, a modal
electronic baliphone with no wrong notes (as long as you don't 
modulate...............lol).

I've been using my Octapad again to control my Repeater loops melodically. 
I love doing this with a complex timbral
loop like a brass candy dish,  stuck and controlled by overtone comb 
filter 
manipulations using the chamber of the mouth.  The portamento effect when 
going between intervallically disparate notes is so cool using this 
technique and  I love taking a found object and suddenly recontextualizing 
it into a tuned and playable musical instrument.

Again, credit where credit is due (which seems to be my spiritual lesson 
and 
work for this week),  my brother
Bill is the person who hipped me to this technique and I think he does it 
as 
well as anyone I've seen.

I especially love how he uses a sequencer on his midi guitar to drive 
octave 
and fifth jumps on his Repeater loops.
If anyone wants to hear the results of a very cool experiment that Bill 
did 
using me, a kanjira and a Bansuri bamboo
flute as his guinea pigs let me know and I'll e-mail it to you off list.

I think it is too hefty to post at L.D. although I'm a little murky on the 
accuracy of that statement.