Re: Do you actually loop with the instrument you are mostproficient on? (Re: What would loopers do without power?)

[kkissinger@kevinkissinger.com]

Hi!

This thread has gone everywhere from which instruments we loop with to  
how we deal with musical cliches and I've enjoyed following this thread.

Not sure if I can add much to the many excellent comments -- here goes 
anyway:

To answer the question: "Do I loop with the instrument on which I am  
most proficient?"  I really don't know.  I loop with a theremin and  
I've only been playing it for about 2 3/4 years.  I am more  
experienced on pipe organs and synthesizers -- however I've become  
proficient on theremin.  The theremin has become such a natural "fit"  
for me that I feel as though I've played it longer than I have.

As far as pipe organ looping -- that would pretty much be a "midnite  
madness" kind of thing -- a fun thing to do in an empty church but  
something I probably couldn't get away with on Sunday mornings.  If I  
ever attempt to loop a pipe organ, I'll share the results with you.

Now, cliches are an interesting topic.  There are a couple of ways  
that I avoid them on keyboards:

The primary method is that I play in a key with which I am least  
comfortable.  I will take a tune that is written in, say, F major and  
modulate to a key such A-flat minor.

The other thing I do is "broken field running" -- that is, I play each  
note of a melody in different octaves (registers) -- this helps to  
dissect a melody and find "stuff" in it that isn't cliched.

On theremin it is pretty easy to avoid cliches there -- I just kind of  
avoid campy 50s sci-fi style.  (Although some would contend that it  
ALL sounds that way!)

But, to avoid cliches one must know them.  Cliches are to be reveled  
in, really -- kind of like hot fudge sundaes with whipped cream, nuts,  
and cherries on top.  (Yes, the cherries are ESSENTIAL -- they are  
just as important as the triangular cuts and toothpicks in club  
sandwiches. Yes... club sandwiches must be cut into triangles in order  
to be TRUE club sandwiches -- and the toothpicks have to have those  
little frilly things on them or else the sandwich is compromised.  ok  
ok -- forgive my off-topic rant :) )

Thus, I try not to "accidentally" fall into cliches.  Rather, I decide  
wholeheartedly when I'm going to play a "chestnut", and I go at it  
with the kind of gusto that one reserves for consuming high-calorie  
food.

The following track is my arrangement of Londonderry Aire: cliched...  
non-looped and unabashedly sentimental:

http://kevinkissinger.com/downloads/music/LondonderryAire224.mp3

This post is, admittedly, shamelessly indulgent (I know).  However, to  
summarize my opinions here:

. Play cliches with volition and revel in them once in a while
. Muscle memory can lead to cliches or otherwise thoughtless playing.   
Thus, to choose unfamiliar keys, tonalities, fingerings, and voicings  
helps to defeat mere reflex.
. To loop precisely requires some level of proficiency -- the needed  
level depends on what one sets out to accomplish.  One needs to  
acquire proficiency on one's instrument and one's looping equipment.

Well, thanks for reading.  It is almost 1 am and I am pretty slap-happy.

I'd make me a club sandwich now except that I don't have any toothpicks.

-- Kevin