Composing with patterns 1 - achieving complexity within a minimal scope

The usage of short motivs is a central feature of my style of composing music. I will share some thoughts on this in a loose series.

Around 1990 the father of a friend handed me a tape of south african Xhosa music. One track on this tape consited of a rhythm beaten on some kind of metal device. The sound was raw and cheap, giving me the impression it was a dustbin lid. That particular rhythm consisted of two or three tone colours, that were played in a short pattern without variation. A very limited range of expression, but: I was not able to get grips on that rhythm, it was beyond my analytical capacity and that thrilled me. The underlying principle - in my interpretation - was to make up something quiet complex and elaborate by combining very few elements. This has become an important aspect of my approach to composing music. Some of my guitar parts for Blotch reflect that, for example `Rigidur´.




Das Pattern beginnt 2:19.

The whole guitar part consists of three notes, but most of the time I only play two of them, or, more precise, the variation of one note, because it is an octave. The pattern is definitely not interesting for it´s tonal aspects, but rhythm is it. In `Rigidur´ it´s function is to be a complementary part to the guitar part of my colleague Michael Hauck. Before weaving it into this composition, I had already arranged it as a central motiv in this electronic sketch:




Two more tracks build around complex two-note-patterns are next. Both are sketches realised in ableton live to be played by a live band, but they have some cold charme in these stripped down electronic versions:





Haeree and Decrule share some features in addition two the usage of only two notes for the central motiv. Only a minimum of musical material is used for all parts, no variations, just exact repetitions. Both aspects are in line with the aproach described above and show my interest in minimal music and techno. Repetition without variation has some resemblance to a ritual that is performed in a mechanical way, rather than personal expression. Circling, dwelling upon a single moment, the only element of change being the parts starting or stopping, and, in the case of Decrule, the harmonic progression in the end.

Nibiru Transit and Lost World rehearsal

Working with Blotch on the new track Nibiru Transit. We did some more complex, prog-rock oriented versions of the material before, but this version - more simple and danceable - fits better to the profile of Blotch. The unison pattern following to the intro reminds meof the offbeat bassline of the old Blotch-track Rigidur. Following this video recording, we did some more arranging on Nibiru Transit, in the half-time-part at the end, Michaels adds his ascending eights phrase.



And here we have a take of Lost World, with Dennis playing to a click, which gives it a good drive but does not prevent me from making silly mistakes...

Blotch @ Robodonien 2012

Some impressions from Robodonien Festival 2012. Thanks to Christiane Kaja for taking these pictures.

Blotch @ World Music Festival

Some impressions of the Blotch gig at the Loshausen World Music Festival, pictures taken by Cinja.

Blotch @ Odonien

Odonien is a beautiful location in Cologne, which is threatened to close down at the moment. We played with Blotch at the Robodonien Festival there every year since it´s beginning, so we were happy to play a benefit gig there. Here are some impressions, thanks to Christiane Kaja for artsy camera work.

Blotch @ Fusion

We played at the Dubstation at this year´s Fusion festival, on saturday night just before an approaching rainstorm forced the festival to stop for a few hours... lucky us.

A few hours before, I saw a french band called 'Kaly Live Dub', guys who combine the studio gimickry of dub productions with a live band, very inspiring stuff. All in all the Fusion is a very cool festival, organized in a pleasing way, lovely executed and freaked out; love the mixture of electronic music and bands. And now some more pics of glittery me:

Blotch @ Spaceparty

Some impressions of the gig of Blotch at the Spaceparty 2012.

At Kolja Kuglers Workshop

At Robodonien 2012 Kolja Kuglers bass playing robot and Blotch will rock the stage togehter. We are just beginning to work on that and I am really looking forward to it.


Here a video of the rocking robot in Koljas workshop:

Blotch @ Blue Shell

Live in Cologne...

Blotch live @ LiLu

Live in Lippstadt together with UR. Me Hawaiian-style...

Blotch at work

Working on a new arrangement of the track Theda Bara, which we didn´t play live for quiet some time...

Blotch @ URspektacL.3

Short clip advertising our next gig
Using material of our latest photo session


photography: Christina Zajber

Rehearsing

Blotchen with Dennis and Dora in Soest.

Blotch two-piece-band photos

Daniel Shechtman and his quasiperiodic crystals - should I omit a common cycle of different patterns in the next compositions? My fascination for the musical structures in central anfrican music as described by Simha Arom led me to the frequent use of polyrhythmic patterns in cyclic structures.

Blotch as a two-piece-band needed pictures, so we did a session, these are some favorites, without any editing.
Photography: Tina Zajber
Paintings: Agata Schubert
Skull necklace: Bernhard Thora
Flowers: shop around the corner

Disco Balls

My classic favourite frivolity during Blotch gigs. Usually I mess this up, fail to close the bra etc. but not this time...

At the moment I am thinking of enhancing the disco balls with midi controllers. Probably I will use distance and flexion sensors applied to gloves in combination with the disco balls. I still have to do more research on the musical possibilities of such a setup.

Blotch before and after

Before:

After:

Thanks to Michael Ostendorf who took the photographs.

Midi-controller during puberty

A version of Rigidur live in Robodonien 2011. I am triggering bass samples with the joystick, that is connected to Ableton live via junXion lite. The bass line is composed by former bass player Bastian Heckl and was recorded by Volker Schubert for the 'Love & Rockets'-LP but was not included on the album. This version uses rhythmic variations and added delay. I had to bend down to my laptop because the footcontroller was out of service spontaniously.

Blotch in flesh and blood

The new human lineup of Blotch live in action, the laptop is taking a break. Love and Rockets in Robodonien and Wot a Mess in Zytanien.





There was no time for rehearsals, I´m looking forward to working together.

Blotch in Robodonien

A dream came true at the fourth Robodonien Festival when we rocked the stage together with Kolja Kugler´s 'bass playing robot'.




I hope the robot will learn some Blotch or Para Hybrid basslines to join the band next time...

It was a pleasure to meet the wonderfull Pierre Gordeeff, his sound-machines are absolutely fascinating.

http://pierregordeeff.com/WordPress/

Blotch live in Zytanien

Short snippets of Blotch live in Zytanien 2011.
'Flag on the moon' for the first time performed in a live set with 2 guitars & electronics and combined with throatsinging.





We went on playing with Dora & Dennis of krautrockers WELTRAUM on Drums & Bass which turned out to be cool and we are looking forward to doing that again at Robodonien - http://robodonien.de