Re: Repetition Repetition was Repetition

[Daniel Thomas <danielthomas4@mac.com>]

Rick writes:

> no repetition if I can help it................after 30 seconds, it's
> almost completely unlistenable, despite the years of technique and 
> creativity I've put
> into trying to achieve some mastery of my instrument.


Isn't there a musical genre dedicated to this approach?   "Black Metal"

;)

Daniel 

 

On Sep 10, 2012, at 1:14 PM, Rick Walker wrote:

> When the human brain is presented with too little information,  it will 
> start to project
> information;   really, a form of hallucination.
> 
> I've posted a famous psychology experiment that I was lucky enough to 
> participate in
> a few times to this forum so I won't reiterate it, but the gist is that
> presented with a tape loop of the non-word  'COGITAE'  25 scientists and 
> artists
> each generated a list of 25-35 words that they had 'heard' the speaker 
> say
> in 20 minutes of constant repetition.
> 
> This of course, is a psycho-acoustic phenomenon,  but I think it is one 
> of the most
> interesting aspects of why repetitive music is fascinating to a lot of 
> human beings.
> 
> We are intrinsically pattern oriented due to the nature of our 
> neurophysiology.
> 
> Because of this,  I always demonstrate by playing one minute of 
> 'shredding' drumming to students,
> utilizing every single chop and conceivable time signature and tempi in 
> a randomly
> spit out order............no repetition if I can help 
> it................after 30 seconds, it's
> almost completely unlistenable, despite the years of technique and 
> creativity I've put
> into trying to achieve some mastery of my instrument.
> 
> I then play the kick on 1 and 3, the snare on 2 and 4 and the hi hats on 
> 8ths notes
> for another minute.      The response is palpable.
> 
> It is always my first demonstration when trying to teach a young drummer 
> how to 'groove'.
> 
> Steve Gadd played this exact exercise for five straight minutes when he 
> did his
> first ever solo drum clinic on the west coast (and every drummer worth 
> their salt was in attendance,
> many having flown up from LA just to see this rare thing).
> 
> He got a standing ovation when he finished.   He didn't play a single 
> fill or vary his tempo, one perceptible
> iota.
> 
> It's one of the most beautiful things I've ever witnessed musically.    
> Every drummer I know who saw it raced home
> to play for hours to try and get that 'feel'.
>