Re: [Harp-L] New Improvisations; please let me know what you think!

["David Priestley ( for harp-L)" <dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hi
I think that the term "utterly Destroyed" overstates the case with a 
bluntness that goes beyond brusque.
That said there is some tone balancing work that could be employed to 
good effect.

Whilst I enjoyed the over all listen, I was at times left wondering why? 
Though not everything needs a purpose.

If you are just doing this for yourself, as in a 'workout', then what 
ever you want and what ever you do is your ball game.
 There is no doubting that you can get about the instrument.

 If you are doing this with the idea of taking the listener on a 
journey you may do better to start with a reasonable simple and strong 
theme from which you then move, extend, embellish and eventually return. 
Keep in mind that more often than not folks put music on to alter their 
mood, to kick back and relax, to lighten their load.  If the structure 
is so complicated  right from the get go, with constant streams of quick 
flourishes  it will tend to misplace the listening ear. By which I mean 
that all the the flashy movement will hide the thematic statement  and 
it may well end up just getting the listener wound up and irritated.

You may like to take this idea on board.
That you try and develop the use of some of the ideas in the abstract 
modern art moment of the  late 19th and mid 20th century. In particular 
the style known as 'pointillism'  or to quote Wickky:

*Punctualism* (commonly also called "pointillism" or "point music") is a 
style of musical composition prevalent in Europe between 1949 and 1955 
"whose structures are predominantly effected from tone to tone, without 
superordinate formal conceptions coming to bear" (Essl 1989, 93). In 
simpler terms: "music that consists of separately formed 
particles---however complexly these may be composed---[is called] 
*punctual* music, as opposed to linear, or group-formed, or mass-formed 
music" (Stockhausen 1998, 452). This was accomplished by assigning to 
each note in a composition values drawn from scales of pitch 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitch_%28music%29>, duration 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duration_%28music%29>, dynamics 
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamics_%28music%29>, and attack 
characteristics <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Articulation_%28music%29>, 
resulting in a "stronger individualizing of separate tones" (Frisius 
1994). Another important factor was maintaining discrete values in all 
parameters of the music. Punctual dynamics, for example

   mean that all dynamic degrees are fixed; one point will be linked
   directly to another on the chosen scale, without any intervening
   transition or gesture. Line-dynamics, on the other hand, involve the
   transitions from one given amplitude to another: crescendo,
   decrescendo and their combinations. This second category can be
   defined as a dynamic glissando, comparable to glissandi of pitch and
   of tempi (accelerando, ritardando). (Boulez 1971, 60) end quote.

   Personally I find that much of this sort of thing should be done
   privately and not inflicted upon an audience. I also feel that there
   is a lot of guff spouted in the name of art. That said I am honestly
   trying to point you in directions that you may be able to make good
   ground on. To the idea of pointillism I would also add the concept
   of fractals, which you may find a useful idea, as far as a search
   for structure with-in a mass of points of sound.

   You will need to play ranges of notes over and over to ensure that
   they all have the same qualities about them. You have to have an
   acoustic base line,  i.e. a standard point of sound from which you
   make an alteration, in order to make that point of sound significant
   as opposed to  regular. It's as though your regular audio points
   take the place that silence would take.

   I would make sure that you do your best to record such work with a
   view to 3d/ surround sound reproduction. Now some would say that to
   use surround sound and pitch filters to alter the energy / dynamic
   and 3d placement in a mix is cheating. To which I would only ask are
   you perusing art or indulging in some playground competition.

   Feel free to utterly disregard all that I've said, I try not to take
   my self too seriously and when all is said and done these are
   nothing more than musings, which are  meant with a good intent.

   Wishing you ATB -yours David


On 11/09/2011 21:36, Joseph Blow wrote:
> Well, since you asked:  Re: #1   Some fantastically great stuff that is utterly destroyed by the presence of sour notes. Maybe you're not using the right tool for the job.
>
>
> Best of luck...
>
>
> To all you harmoni-folks out there, I'd really appreciate if you listened
> through at least a few of these tracks and gave me some feedback... I believe for
> these recordings I am mostly using a C Golden Melody (diatonic)...
>
>
> http://sammyasher.bandcamp.com/album/crowell-improvisations-on-9-6-2011
>
> Thanks for listening!
>
> Sam
>
> Sam Friedman
> sammyasher.bandcamp.com
-

D Priestley AKA Dr Midnight.
England's first  harmonica Guru.
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