Dienstag, 21. Januar 2014

Minimal Improvisation Simulation

This is a simulation of phase two of the MINIMAL IMPROVISATION process. We recorded some vocal expressions, I put them into the sampler software in ableton live and controlled them via Fabián Keslers DRK HETERO4 Max4live device, which I modified to use it for the slow tempos I desired. This device makes it possible to work with different tempos simultaniously which works fine as a simulation of musicians repeating material without sticking to a common pulse, so that the same material is shifted again and again. The whole recording is played backwards, thus emphasizing the surreal, non-human quality which already comes along with the process of sampling the human voice by seperating it from the person it may be associated with. Also, while any human singer would adjust the pitch to what others sing the samples are fixed, thus creating an impression of stoically sticking to one statement. For more info on the MINIMAL IMPROVISATION process look here: phyla.info (german).

Donnerstag, 9. Januar 2014

Minimal Improvisation

Over the last month Jennie Zimmermann and me developed a specific improvisational process: Minimal Improvisation. An approach to improvising music by relating to the qualities of reduction and repetition taking from Minimal Music. Also, Minimal Improvisation is inspired by scores used in Contact Improvisation. Here are two exampes:






These are recorded by the two of us, which is the minimum setting for this score. We developed it in our Lab with more singers involved.

In the background we are working on the website for our shared project called 'Phyla', the future label for our teamwork and it will be online soon, yeah!