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Introduction



Hello, 
I've been lurking for awhile, and just managed to get a post past
the vaguaries of my mailer, so I thought I'd introduce myself. 

I've been playing with loopers for a few years, starting with a pair
of digital delay units chained together, moving up to a boomerang and
then adding a DL4. Now I've got my rig velcroed into a suitcase and
pedalboard, with a mackie mixer, zoom guitar processor, alesis wedge
(5 second delay!) -- enough knobs that I can chain the aux sends and
route the boxes into each other in nicely confusing signal chains.

I generate sounds mostly with voices (throat singing, chanting, vocal
percusssion), and odd noisemakers (wok lids, bag of forks),
occasionally using a "real" instrument (didge made out of abs pipe,
bamboo flute, tablas). My solo work has been going in two main
directions: live "illbient" soundscapes where I act like a loop-based
DJ, but with all the loops being created live on the fly; and music
for modern dance performances. I'm currently working with a small
dance troupe in San Francisco, and will send out a "gig spam" next
week for an upcoming performance.

I've also been working with loose collections of musicians that we're
taking the liberty of calling a "band." Fermat's Last Theremin and
Mixtape From Mars debuted at (respectively) BurningMan '99 and 2K. In
those situations, everybody feeds into my mixer, and I control how
much of their mix goes into the loops and effects boxes.

Another fun thing I've done is put together a battery powered system
that lets us play just about anywhere. We often have performances with
the Popcorn Anti Theater, a bus you get on in San Francisco, that
takes you to various locations for short performances. It runs evey
month. We've playing in the cave at the sutro bath ruins, at the wave
organ, the presidio pet cemetary, and other fun places.

The battery powered system is a wheelchair battery, 4 channel car
stereo amp, and inverter bolted into a bright pink ten dollar goodwill
suitcase. I mounted 1/4" inch jacks near the suitcase handle for
stereo input and stereo outputs for mains and subwoofers. The inverter
supplies 110V AC for the rest of my rig
(also in suitcases). All we need is speakers and we're ready to go.
(The speakers are alien robot sculptures with full range car stereo
drivers in the heads, and subwoofers in the belly. I wish I had a
picture to show you).

I've really enjoyed hanging out with this list. I especially like the
fugue-like repetition of the different threads around the
repeater. It's coming; it's not coming. I'm waiting; I'm not
waiting. Introduction of a humourous melodic againinator theme,
followed quickly by the counter point. ABAAB. Some loops fade quickly;
others persist, but change each time around. How loopy!

Simran

Here are some references:
  http://www.mp3.com/Inkstone
  http://www.mp3.com/FermatsLastTheremin
  http://www.mp3.com/MixtapeFromMars
  http://www.popcornantitheater.com