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Looper's Delight
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My re-interest in music comes out of the free jazz/improv/spontaneous composition field so I'm becoming very familiar with the "high-wire act" of just winging it, both as a player and audience. But since that's with my double-bass, I'll admit to still being a little uncomfortable with loopers/effects on the floor, just because I'm worried that I'm spending too much futzing with knobs, etc. and not focusing on responding/replying to the other musicians. As to pre-gig prep, I'll echo the previous comments about starting with something you know and just screwing around with it - play it backwards, half-speed, as fast as you can, etc... My favourite riff for that is "Black Dog" by Led Zep. And, as usual, you learn from those that do it better than you. I've been fortunate to attend workshops by Eddie Prevost, Jessie Stewart, Lori Freedman, Anne Bourne, etc. and to hear them articulate the process is very helpful. Anyway, I'm pretty much at the point where I have a very low tolerance of live music that doesn't have an 'edge' to it. I mean, why go out, drive who knows how far, and pay big bucks just to hear the cd live? I'm looking for effort and fearlessness, not choerographed stage moves. My general inspiration for improv comes Douglas Adams from "Life, the Universe and Everything": There is an art, it says, or rather, a knack to flying. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss...Clearly, it is this second part, the missing, which presents the difficulties. Ted Harms. Enemies are good for self-definition. Werner Herzog |