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Re: WHAT COULD WE DO BETTER?...and why should we do it?





In an attempt to answer Rick’s call, and to give some “list” of ideas for 
a 
better portrayal of the loopist’s craft in a live setting (and somehow 
avoid 
resurrecting the debate over the “live looping” moniker), I would like to, 
in some way, make an attempt to define and qualify (in the broadest of 
sense) just what we do in that forum.

And so, the first question to ask is “is it important to have Looping 
Festivals?”. And, if so, what purpose do they serve?  My own answer to 
this 
is an emphatic “yes”.  The necessity of the events can be illustrated 
simply 
by the mutual support, inspiration, and, yes, sense of community they 
conjure.  By this I do not mean a self-congratulatory, ego-fulfillment 
exhibition, but rather an opportunity to support, share and learn from 
other 
musicians working with loops; all being divergent in style, setup, 
hardware 
and/or software and instruments etc., yet still offering inspiration, 
ideas 
and support of each other.

I believe I have mentioned here before that all artistic movements (and 
here 
I would like to NOT address looping as a sort of pretentious “movement”, 
yet 
still offer the “craft” of looping has had a substantial impact on the 
“craft” of music production, regardless of style or genre, and with this 
as 
a given fact, we as loopists (loopsters?) ARE actually in the spearhead of 
a 
movement, or evolution, of sorts in how music is composed, performed , 
produced and recorded) have swelled from a similar “self-supporting” 
system 
of the artists themselves.  Oftentimes, the small community of 
like-minded, 
or similarly inclined, artists ARE the only ones giving support, credence 
and exposure to a “style”, form or school of expression.

Yet, looping (both live and otherwise) is somewhat unique as its’ “school 
of 
expression” is so diverse in style and form.  This is/can be both 
beneficial 
and a hindrance to the further popularizing of looping techniques and 
music. 
“Looping” itself does not describe the music, but rather is a general term 
for a technique used in developing a great number of different musics..and 
as such CAN be a rather hard sell for an audience (tho I must say, Rick 
has 
done a remarkable job of “exposing” us and what we do to the public and 
the 
press).

So, what is the purpose of having a “Looping Festival”?  To give a public 
forum to artists who may, due to the nature of their work, find it 
difficult 
to get a gig?  Yes, this would be partially correct.  Looping lends itself 
to experimentation, and thusly experimental music. These events DO give a 
chance for some artists to perform works which they might not have an 
opportunity to perform anywhere else. Yet all looping is not 
“experimental” 
(or even “electronic”) music.

Do these events raise the public awareness of a “new” (and we all know 
that 
does not mean brand spankin’ new…) musical technique of composition, 
improvisation and performance of which they are aurally aware of yet not 
popularly conscious of?  Again, this would also be true.

But there is the rub.  Although the public has been made aware, both 
consciously and sub-consciously, and certainly well primed from acceptance 
of these techniques and technologies, they really don’t care.

As a composer and performer, I am keenly aware that MOST of my audience 
really does not care that piece I wrote may have been constructed of five 
note cadences, reharmonized in 4 measure patterns with a rhythm structure 
derived  from the intervallic relationships of those cadences..not do they 
care of the clever, implied tension achieved by use of the Lydian mode..or 
about my signal chain or MIDI tapped delay times.  They only care that 
sonically, texturally and musically it appeals to them or not, and that as 
a 
performance it was presented in a way which was both challenging (though 
not 
too challenging) and entertaining.

Yes, entertaining. NO, it does not have to be like a rock concert, rave or 
any other similar event.  But I think we do need to look at what is 
“entertaining” to audiences.  Probably the biggest thing is acknowledging 
that the audience is there.  This is the shoe-gazing syndrome, which seems 
to permeate these events. And though it is a daunting  and difficult job 
to 
control the level of technology some of us employ in a live rig, the 
challenge remains to inject some levity, humor, interaction or even 
dialogue 
with audience.
The act of looping is quite technologically focused.  And technology can 
be 
both mesmerizing and scary to an audience. It is important to make our 
“sets” less like clinics and more like performances.  I think it the duty 
and responsibility of the performer to add a human face, so to speak, to 
the 
technology involved, and I think Rick gave some nice examples of that in 
his 
post.

Looping is not the “ultimate one-man-band”. Often times we tend to fill 
things up simply ‘cos we can, in some sort of weird way of becoming that 
ultimate one-man-band.  I think it important to play to your strengths. In 
the role of a solo performer, that means BEING a solo performer…granted 
one 
with loops, but just because you CAN use midi drum loops, and countless 
textural loped atmospheres, does not mean you SHOULD.  Work with the 
limitations of being a solo performer, and make the music matter more than 
the machines.
And on that note…learning to be more concise in your musical phrasing, in 
this case with looping, can add heaps to what the audience perceives as 
entertaining. Far too often we take far too long to get to the musical
Point.  One thing I have always admired about Andre LaFosse (and learned 
from him!)  is that even with his deepest, most complex EDP techniques, he 
gets right to the point musically.  He does not just let a loop run 
because 
it is running.  The loops bend to his will.

One thing audiences really do grab onto is the internal dialogue in music. 
 
At most LoopFests, the roster is filled with solo performers.  I would 
love 
to see more interaction ‘tween performers…even groups, duos, trios etc. 
where the music is NOT just loops, but where the one or two folks doing 
loops are integral to the piece.  One thing I have been working on lately 
is 
a trio where I do loops and bass with a live percussionist and vocalist.  
It 
has been a rewarding challenge to make what I do with loops fit  with 
other 
musicians in  song-forms.  How about some of us “soloists” get together, 
as 
Jon W, Bill W and I did at Loopstock…or even start working with someone 
who 
is not looping…

Many of the “sets” at loopfests are based around improvisations.  I am a 
big 
fan of improvs..and am one of these culprits at the shows!  Yet, to 
maintain 
diversity (and, BTW, this was something I really noticed at Y2K3) a 
balance 
of improv and composed sets is necessary………..but how about balancing 
improvs 
with composed pieces within your individual sets?

Finally….the nature of looping festivals necessitates there be no 
soundchecks. As we all know, the more gear you bring the more can go wrong 
and the more a check IS necessary.  Nothing can lose an audience than a 
tech 
check on stage, or those ten endless minutes of setting levels, plugging 
and 
re-plugging, and checking boxes and LEDs the audience cannot see. Try 
limiting yourself gear-wise; use only what is necessary, and try to 
“pre-wire” as much of your rig as possible. Practice with it..get to know 
it 
so any troubleshooting on stage is minimal.  I have recently taken to 
doing 
gigs with only a DL4, which forces me to make my performances much more 
musically oriented; the loops being part of the music and the music being 
part of the loops.

I think what we have dubbed “Looping Festivals” are important events. Yet, 
I 
think sometimes we mis-read the title.  They are not so much festivals of 
Looping, but rather festivals of music made using live audio loops.  There 
is an important difference.

Max

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