Re: what a loop has to say

[tEd ® kiLLiAn <tedkillian@charter.net>]

Dennis,

On Mar 16, 2006, at 5:55 PM, Dennis Montgomery wrote:

> Those out there who perform for an audience, do you ever introduce a loop like, "this is a loop about <my dog><France><groundhog day><whatever>"?  One of the exciting things I'm finding about looping is it's a whole new musical form of communication with a new language of techniques and a new way of saying things. 
> Dennis

Well, on rare occasions I will introduce a musical piece that way -- but mostly as sort of an "in joke." People who know me well know my musical grey matter doesn't work that way. I am really not wired that way at all (and fail particularly miserably whenever I don't go with the way my head works). "Hey, y'all! Thanks for comin' out tonight. This next song is about a blue helicopter."

Another exception is when I am trying (in vain mostly) to recreate the spirit and mood (and a few of the recognizable riffs and other earmarks) of a piece from my CD. I'm a terrible cover musician to begin with -- even when I'm covering myself. I can just about do it sometimes but it isn't a very satisfying experience for me. Who knows about the audience, heheheh. Don't ask don't tell.

My music (at least while I'm doing it) isn't about expressing something that can be expressed in any other way (at the time). It's about discovery, about finding a new path and (as corny and pompous assed as it may sound) it's about expressing what seems to be inexpressible. I'm finding out as I'm doing it.

I can really only give titles to things after the fact, if there happens to be a recording. When I'm doing it (actually performing), the verbal part of my brain better be totally turned off or a true musical "train wreck" is certain to ensue.

I make no judgment on others (or you in particular) for being another way. Actually, I feel that I am the one who is deficient here. I would love to be able to sit down on my guitar stool and think in the abstract . . . okay, I am now going to evoke . . . spring, a sunny day, lost innocence, memories of whatever . . . lost love, my dog, my truck, my doughnut, heheheh. Really!

It only seems to happen "in the moment" for me. A part of my brain must be broken. That's all I can say. I admire the heck out of anyone who can think of something beforehand and "express" it musically. I can't do it. I've tried too many years and have finally learned what I'm sortta good and what I'm not very good at at all. 

I also absolutely cannot sing and play at the same time. I picked up the guitar at age 10 and I am now 53. You'd think that somewhere along the line I could've mastered at least a simple campfire song by now, huh? Nope. Not even one. I really think the two areas are closely related.

The musical part of my brain cannot operate while my verbal part is going. So, as far as the title of this thread goes, "what a loop has to say" I'd have to say I need to hear it first, and think about it a while (maybe even sleep on it) -- then I may have some vague idea. Otherwise, I ain't got a clue.

My hat is off to you. 

tEd ® kiLLiAn

"Different is not always better, but better is always different"

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