----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, June 26, 2003 1:01
PM
Subject: Re: Paul Dresher / Was Re:
essential loop recordings
He employed a single 8-track reel-to-reel
machine
It was a four track: TASCAM 40-4.
He had also constructed a "bank" of foot
pedals
24 control voltage pedals that regulated a VCA mixer build by Paul
Tydelski at UCSD.
One of the really neat tricks he would do
involved his post-loop processing through an early Eventide Harmonizer.
Somehow (this was pre-MIDI, I believe),
he was able to, at certain
points, change the pitch of his loops
(without changing the tempo) by
pressing keys on a small, one-octave
keyboard. This was the first time I'd heard
(or seen) anyone do that.
He used an Eventide H949. The keyboard would have had a control voltage
connection. He later moved up to an H3000.
his music had a lot in comon (in my
thinking) to groups like Tangerine Dream and Ashra
I've often wondered about influences on Paul's loop music. I never heard
him listen to TD, Fripp, or any of that era's "space music" but that doesn't
mean he was unaware of it. Steve Reich (and to some extent Terry Riley) were
probably more direct influences, and I expect Ingram Marshall and Daniel Lentz
inspired the tape system.
Bit of Dresher trivia: The first version of "Liquid and Stellar Music"
was a class exercise for Robert Erickson's tibre seminar in the winter of
1978. It was realized on an Ampex 1/2" 4-track. The intention was to create a
musical texture that was perceived as a continuum, without individual "sound
objects" popping out in the mix.
______________________________________________________________
Richard Zvonar, PhD
(818) 788-2202
http://www.zvonar.com
http://RZCybernetics.com
