Re: Integrity of Performance and the Sample

["max valentino" <ekstasis1@hotmail.com>]

Hi....y'know I have had (recently) an very similar experience.  I perform 
as 
a solo bassist with loops as my accompaniment.  For a while I was using 
many 
pedal and rack effects to alter the sound of my basses (harmonizers, 
delays, 
'verbs etc.) and using two different drum machines with very polyrhymical 
sequences loaded in.  I found at a number of performances when I Just 
played 
solo bass (or solo bass with loops) the audience was enthralled and 
curious, 
  but as soon as I hit the drum sequences 80% of them were lost....they 
couldn't care less about the technology or how clever and complex the 
rhythms were. To them, the performance became a type of lip-synch or even 
Kareoke! I was very bummed over this happening time after time.
Then  spoke with my good friend Rick Walker (Loop.pooL), who besides being 
a 
very knowledgeable and persistent looper, is also a percussionist 
extraordinaire. He offered me the advice of "playing" the drum 
machines...that is to tap in the pattern rather than just footswitching on 
a 
sequence. It seems audience really do like seeing a musician play, even if 
they are playing a machine (which all instruments are) or a mixing 
board...or turntables et al.
But then I took it one step further: I began using my acoustic bass guitar 
more for solo/loop stuff, and began playing the body of the bass as a 
percussion instrument and making loops in real time with that.  Now I 
prepare the bass with aligator clips for faux gamelan type sounds, use 
chopsticks, different muting techniques, and, of course, sound processing 
to 
alter the timbres.  Certainly is not as drum-like as sequences or 
pre-recorded drum loops, but the audience response has been
great! You could use a vocal mic and treatments to produce odd sounds and 
create your rhythmic loops ion real time, rather than deal with the 
publics' 
dislike and distrust for technology......I have found that sometimes they 
do 
not understand the looping techniques, but they certainly appreciate 
creativity in any form!
Loop-a-licious....Max Valentino


>From: "Gary Lehmann" <relayonemanband@cts.com>
>Reply-To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
>To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
>Subject: Re: Integrity of Performance and the Sample
>Date: Wed, 31 Jan 2001 08:39:56 -0800
>
>----- Original Message -----
>
>Subject: OT: Integrity of Performance and the Sample
>
>
> > Ok, guys/gals, a dilemma:
> > My collaborator and I have been recording together for a while now
><snip>
> > However, we've been given the opportunity to play live at a fairly cool
>gig
> > (North by Northgate--for any of you Aggies) and are now faced with the
> > grueling task of adapting our recorded material for live performance.
> > Other than finding a drummer, bass player, keyboardist and DJ, how do 
>we
> > best approach this?
>
>Depending on your equipment and amount of time available, you could:
>
>1.  Just use a drum machine
>2.  Sequence MIDI
>3.  Record digital audio to augment the MIDI
>4.  Use all digital audio
>
>I want to share an anecdote from around 1991--I was entertaining in a 
>lounge
>in Chula Vista (near the Mexican border) with option 3, and I had a
>complaints from customers.  One was so bold as to say, "Turn all that s**t
>off!  I can't tell if you're good or not!"  When I spoke to the bartender
>about it, her words were that people were used to a "good old-fashioned 
>drum
>machine".  Folks like to see what they are listening to--even musicians 
>look
>at the speakers when they are concentrating on music.
>Gary
>

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