Support
Looper's Delight
|
Support |
|
|
This is an excellent question. I don't think my cave-man looping attempts would ever be misconstrued as "ambient" for many reasons. I have a very minimalistic setup (banjo, minstrel fretless banjo, jaw harp, harmonica and vocals and an Rc50 with a POD Octave pedal and a digital reverb. Is that minimal? Maybe not). I often want to be as concise as possible so my looping is quick and to-the-point. Usually involving a mere drum loop to sing punk songs over. I've noticed that banjo by itself is almost too sparse for punk. I like singing and writing goofy songs and I always felt "ambient" to be more of an instrumental type realm. Solos and instrumental cut into my "mic time" where I can be saying/singing goofy stuff. All that being said I often do like to create bizarre ambient soundscapes with my assortment of other strange acoustic instrument (a dobro, dulcimer, cardboard box upright and toy keyboards) to my banjo rotation. You'd be surprised at how spacey Appalachian instruments sound looped just right. I love the ambient soundscape I can get but I usually get a short fixed amount of time with an audience and I'm a sub par musician with a good sense of humor. I wanna do as many funny songs as I can until they pull the plug in me. Perhaps I'm in the wrong mailing list. True my loops often will be the opening drums of one song while I sing a different song on top of it (can you say "I'm So Lonesome When The Levee Breaks I Could Cry"?) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TPOQ1BCZwIc&feature=youtube_gdata_player That is a looping song only in the most basic definition. I just took an opening drum beat to a song fed off my phone, pressed a pedal at the right time and voila! I have a drum beat to sing Hank Williams songs and annoy a drunk bar. I'm utilizing looping and generating my own beats off my banjo head much better now. Perhaps I'm on the wrong mailing list but I feel pretty at home here. Chaz Worm - singer, bass, banjo Earth, Worm, &, Fire and Electric Light Opry http://chazworm.com http://ELOpry.com http://YouTube.com/ChazWorm On Nov 4, 2011, at 10:21 AM, william middlemiss <billymiddlemiss@gmail.com> wrote: > I have a question for considering, because I have had it on my mind for > a while and it appears to possibly be of some use for many of you as > well (functional questioning!) > > What do you call 'ambient' music when it crosses over into the active > listening domain? Some of my work has been right 'on the edge of > ambient and something more-ness.' I often see the term 'ambient' > haphazardly thrown ontop of anything that doesnt fit into the other > 'categories,' and it seems to me that this is an abuse of the term. > After all, from what I understand, there was an 'intent' behind ambient > music whereas most of what we see that's called 'ambient' now, is > labeled so as an afterthought or even a reflex. > > As I understand: Ambient music was/is a passive experience. As it > becomes 'busier,' we actively listen- because we have no choice. How is > ambient defined? Is it by the perceived 'weight'? The lack of activity > in the foreground? I would say such music would require a spaciousness > and openness for the term to be considered properly. What is the > function of music in our society? Should function be the primary > consideration of titles (as opposed to form?) As artists, that struggle > exists in perpetuity, and it is in our best interest to choose to react > before a reaction is thrust upon us. > > As loopers, we are often the first to implement the term, and often the > first to abuse it (too many overdubs/etc.) Maybe we should be the first > to consider an alternative, or a solution. Terms such as 'modern > classical' often fit, but they lack any kind of description. Maybe lack > of description is what is required of such a term? A ambiguity can be > functional as well- especially in art. There are most likely several > solutions, but what they are may require a shift in understanding or > perspective. > > Any insight would be well regarded.