Re: PrePrepared vs. Improvisational Live Looping Performances

["Ricky Graham" <rock.guitar.guru@binternet.com>]

Just on the note of Classical music being precomposed and Bach's name 
creeping up, let us not forget that while that may be predominantly the 
case 
that classical music is from the score, Bach's fugues, to my knowledge, 
and 
correct me if I am wrong but I'm pretty sure that I am correct on this, 
were exercises to improvise with. (check that out for a run on)

I have never really gotten over the "authenticity" issue surrounding 
scored 
works, but that's another conversation. I guess, like most things in life, 
never mind music, a healthy balanced diet is key. So, while preprepared 
can 
be quite fruitful in terms of performance, it can also provide a vehicle 
for 
improvisation. Pre written motifs can be explored in terms of all their 
musical cues, and that really facinates me in this day and age and with 
the 
technology we have to manipulate proximity, pitch, timbre etc. Following 
on 
from what Per has said, I think it is important to explore "all relations 
between melodies, scales, chords". But prior knowledge calls into question 
as to whether or not we are really dealing with Improvisation?!

Here's a link on Improvisation and the great composers that I found quite 
interesting: http://ericbarnhill.wordpress.com/facts-about-improvisation/

Ricardo

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Steve Bingham" <sbingham@con-brio.com>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Wednesday, July 08, 2009 10:15 AM
Subject: Re: PrePrepared vs. Improvisational Live Looping Performances


> Rather like Zoe, I come at this from a classically trained background
> where I played everything straight from the composers music for about
> 20 years! When I started some tentative improvisation it was in a
> group and not solo, which somehow felt easier. In that group I got the
> looping bug from Steve Lawson, but didn't feel confident enough in my
> own compositional/improvisational ability to go for completely free
> looping.
>
> My solo gigs also tend not to be entirely loop based, I also play a
> range of classical and non-classical unacompanied violin pieces (Bach,
> Piazzolla and so on). I think this really adds variety to the shows
> and also allows me to keep my 'classical' identity, which is still an
> important part of what I do.
>
> With the looping I have built up a load of arrangements of various
> pieces - Beatles stuff, Nirvana, minimalist things by Glass and Reich,
> folk tunes, and pieces written specially for me - which involve fairly
> complex pedal setups. There can be some improv within them (and
> usually there is) but I have to stick fairly closely to the 'script'
> to keep the loops working correctly for the arrangement. I enjoy the
> challenge of working out these arrangements and they go down well with
> audiences (so far anyway!!). Again like Zoe I want to win over the
> audience straight away, and for me that means playing something I know
> really well (I know - scared of taking risks! But there's always a
> risk with looping however well planned....), at least for the opening
> number.
>
> More recently I've been adding some of my own pieces to my sets, but
> I'm a long, long way from a totally free set: I'll probably never get
> there, maybe just a slight change of balance as I explore some freer
> material.
>
> Basically I really love doing the worked out arrangements, which
> always feel slightly different in every show, and I keep getting ideas
> for more pieces I want to arrange.
>
> I'll even admit to playing the Pachelbel Canon in some shows (!). As
> it's originally written for violins (and continuo of course) it seems
> to work well. Also I play it entirely in the original form, ie. bass
> line and then 3 canonic violin parts (no blazing electric violin
> improvised virtuosic solos for me in this one!). Audiences tend to
> fall into 2 categories here: There are always lots who love the piece
> and come up to me to thank me for playing their favourite classical
> work. The second type come up to me and say "I'm so sick of that
> piece, but it was great to hear it done by just one person"!
>
> Me - I quite like the piece anyway!
>
> For me looping (and my musical career in general) has been, and
> continues to be, an evolutionary process: Nothing is out of the
> question, it's just that it may take me a while to get around to some
> things (although listening to some of the music mentioned on this list
> is undoubtedly speeding up the process - thanks!).
>
> But you wait, if I'm still looping when I'm 90 it'll be a whole
> different ball game........
>
> Best wishes to all,
> Steve
>
>
>


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