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Re: Attitudes to instruments/loopers (Derek Bailey)
This is a really interesting quote, Andy. I think I vacillate between the
two approaches, but the older and more seasoned I get a human being and
musician, the more I tend to resonate well with the approach that the
instrument is only a tool and not essential for improvisation. This is
because I consider improvisation not just something inextricably tied to
music, but a way of life and approaching the world, both physically and
intellectually. Sometimes I find it just as gratifying to set the guitar
down and vocalize through a mic and my looping setup....or pickup a drum
like a kinjira, or whatever. I'd rather have the improv music be defined
by
my own creativity and mind rather than the instrument.
Years ago, I would have said something different and much more idealistic
(naive?), suggesting that I have this faithful bond with my instrument
(gear
worship) as if I have become one with it, more obsessed with the means and
object rather than the end....but afterall, it is just a material thing
made
out of wood and metal. If I lost the use of my hands tomorrow, I'd still
be
looping the next month at gigs...but with my voice, feet, and whatever I
can
find to express myself. You could disconnect my brain from my body and
keep
it alive it in a vat, and I'd still improvise musically in my mind. With
this approach, nothing can come between the player and his music, because
they are both internal and part of one's psyche.
I agree, this all applies to looping as you say. We often get so obsessed
in
the features and functionality of our looping systems, but in the end it
seems that one can ultimately sit down and do some amazing and creative
things with an utterly basic system or one that is complex. I love my
laptop
because of its power and flexibility, but if you gave me nothing but an
acoustic guitar and a 30 second delay unit with infinite feedback, I'd
made
it work.
Kris
----- Original Message -----
From: "a k butler" <akbutler@tiscali.co.uk>
To: <Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com>
Sent: Wednesday, August 09, 2006 8:21 AM
Subject: Attitudes to instruments/loopers (Derek Bailey)
> "There seem to be two main attitudes to the instrument among
>improvisors.
> One is that the instrument is man's best friend, both as a tool and a
> helper; a collaborator. The other attitude is that the instrument is
> unnecessary, at worst a liability, intruding between the player and his
> music."
> ...Derek Bailey in "Improvisation, It's Nature and Practise in Music".
>
> So I take that to mean that the instrument is either a means to produce
> "the correct notes", or that is something that can be explored to find
>new
> sounds and new music.
> Musicians who develop extended technique presumably have a certain
> curiosity about their instrument which is not shared by others.
>
>
>
> It struck me too that this applies to looping, there seem to be a lot of
> loopers who want their looping gear to perform in certain pre-defined
> ways, and not many who are not tempted to experiment/improvise with the
> looping device itself.
>
>
> andy butler
> www.andybutler.com
>
>