Things have been progressing pretty nicely with the artist's residency. It has been interesting to step outside of the idea that I should build "real" instruments, and I have had a chance to explore the intersection of æsthetics and sound. When I am making instruments I feel a certain amount of (self-imposed) pressure to make a recognisable and tunable instrument, something that some one who plays guitar or a similar instrument would be able to play. Success is measured by doing just that, by being able to hand it to someone and have them pick it or strum a chord.
This is different.
This is about activating a room, a stairwell. It is about creating a series of objects that will sound good in the space and that will sound good together. I am writing a song with these found objects as I make them, and having made two instruments that are nominally in the same register as a guitar, it seemed like it was time to make something lower. One of the problems I have been running in to is that guitar strings come at a specific length, and that if I want to make a bass I need something longer. Then I was at SyraUke this past weekend playing washtub bass, which we have strung with a weed-wacker cord. So there it is.
Below are three videos. The first is an alternate way to play the first instrument:
This one is the second instrument, a 3 string slide:
And here is the bass. Apologies for not being a bass player, but here is what it sounds like:
This is really shaping up to be weird. I like it.
This is different.
This is about activating a room, a stairwell. It is about creating a series of objects that will sound good in the space and that will sound good together. I am writing a song with these found objects as I make them, and having made two instruments that are nominally in the same register as a guitar, it seemed like it was time to make something lower. One of the problems I have been running in to is that guitar strings come at a specific length, and that if I want to make a bass I need something longer. Then I was at SyraUke this past weekend playing washtub bass, which we have strung with a weed-wacker cord. So there it is.
Below are three videos. The first is an alternate way to play the first instrument:
This one is the second instrument, a 3 string slide:
And here is the bass. Apologies for not being a bass player, but here is what it sounds like:
This is really shaping up to be weird. I like it.
Comments
Post a Comment