Re: Re: Long improvs

[Dpcoffin@aol.com]

<<>I've been forcing myself to record 1/2 hour improvs at home, all live, 
no
>overdubs- after the first few hours or so, I really have to strain to come
>up with ideas, ...>>
This basically what I do all the time with my setup-- alternating playing
periods with marathon fx-editing and sound-design sessions, so that I can 
use
new timbres and textures, in new combinations (multiple-output guitar into
mixer=MANY possible parallel fx layers) when I switch back to 
improv/taping.
I feel like I'm "dueting" with my processors, learning their interactive
options as i play, never sounding the same from one session to the next,
because I don't make notes or try to be "precious" even about particularly
gorgeous combinations--having the sounds and the performances they inspired
on tape is enough. 
Editing down the hugh piles of tape that accumulate from whole days filled
with playing is a pleasant chore that gets put off usually for months on
end...and seems to require a totally different part of the brain, not the
lizard/wizard/angel part that I'm after during the playing; it's oriented
towards finding some way of sharing the results with other ears...but I 
often
get bogged down here, and just go back to more taping, since I prefer 
listen
to the unedited tapes. It reminds me of my days as a painter, stepping back
to evaluate/discover next step/find new doors into work in progress--I find
I'm always trying to structure my music-making to be more like my 
experiences
as a painter--I simply find sound and time more compelling than color and
form at present.

The net results in terms of playing new things vs. rehashing old tricks 
seem
to break down into these fairly obvious experiences:
during the playing:
Old stuff still sounds old;
Old stuff sounds fresh, and I'm inspired to extend it into new realms;
(most likely) New sounds call forth new playing even if only slightly 
varied
versions of old stuff...but sometimes totally surprising.
During playback of tapes:
old stuff often sounds good--leads to new practice/composition efforts; 
New stuff that sounded wonderful at the time may not hold up;
(best result) "What WAS that cool thing!?!?"...leads to much analysis, 
often
frustrated, but inevitably, back to more  sound design and technical
practice, and the start of the spiral/circle...
David