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

[Sam Friedman <sammyasher@xxxxxxxxx>]

All points noted, and anything I disagree with I still respect (although,
based on Joseph Blow's comment, he wouldn't make a very constructive
teacher).  I have a lot of tone work to do still, although at least in the
"006" improvisation (that I think you speak of), those notes that I have
strong somewhat out of tune warbles on are purposeful wrenching of the notes
for effect. An ability to create an even tone across the instrument is
important even if that is not the desired result, as is being able to find
all possible ways to manipulate that tone to varying degrees purposefully.
However I think a lot of people are so used to the idea of "all notes must
be same" that when they hear something that is manipulated for the sake of
it, their instinct sometimes is to jump out and claim foul-play(ing) rather
than let themselves just listen to the sound itself and get a feel for that
as a creation in itself. Because the context that people play this
instrument in is either strictly "classical" or strictly "jazz" or strictly
"blues", when something is played that confuses the genre-senses and blends
things, there can be an urge to apply certain expectations of one genre to
aspects of another; I personally don't like necessarily improvising in
genres. In a rock context, the tone is about incredible distortion. In
blues, bending notes. In classical, a pure evenness. So what if a piece is
composed that has elements of all? A bach-inspired tone-wrenching
exploration? Let yourself hear things on their own outside of preconceived
notions of genre and "supposed-to's" before applying your developed
genre-tonal bias. All mentioned musical development ideas I will look into,
and appreciate the respectful well-intentioned criticism (David).

For David specifically, here is a more succinct theme-building
improvisation, this one you may prefer the experience of, let me know what
you think.

http://sammyasher.bandcamp.com/track/005


Sam


 For a more succinct theme-building improvisation, this one you may prefer
the experience of, let me know what you think (its short),

http://sammyasher.bandcamp.com/track/005


Sam



On Mon, Sep 12, 2011 at 9:20 AM, David Priestley ( for harp-L) <
dmharpman@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> **
>
> 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 Friedmansammyasher.bandcamp.com
>
>  -
>
> D Priestley AKA Dr Midnight.
> England's first  harmonica Guru.
> Please send some reply, so I know you got this E-mail.
> Do feel free get in touch.
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>
> I teach from: 51 Barkston Gdns, the basement flat & On-Line,
> Email me or call me to book lessons or get more info.
>
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>
>