RE: Everyone and their dog has a live looping video now!

[<jacob.lister@xtra.co.nz>]

> I find it amazing that some players are incredibly secretive about  
> the technology and techniques involved in their performances, as  
> though that's where the magic is... Clearly, that's total balls, as  
> anyone who's witnessed one of the half a million 'weekend warrior'  
> bands around the globe with the most incredible equipment thanks to  
> well paid day jobs still not being able to play a decent version of  
> Mustang Sally, let alone generate much of substance in terms of  
> original music. 

I have mixed feelings on this topic, but ultimately I think the question 
it broils down to is 'who is your audience?'  For my own work, I receive a 
steady stream of criticism for not doing enough to showcase the 
technology, and 'that's where the magic is' is a statement I've heard on 
more than on occasion.  This kind of comment however comes from technology 
oriented people, who only make up a small part of my audience.  As I'd 
like to think of myself as a musician, rather than a 'Laptop DJ' (and 
there are way too many of those around), the approach I take is simply 
play my music and let the technology demonstrate itself.  Technology 
oriented people can and will take an interest and figure out for 
themselves what makes it tick - other people proably arn't that intetested 
to start with and will just listen to the music.

Technology to me has a more important role to play - my requirements are 
for a system which is highly portable, easy to setup and very reliable.  
My setup time is now down to about 2 minutes, down from 1/2 hour in my 
early days, I just chuck the rig on the floor, plug the power in and go.  
I'm well aware that and hiccups from the technology will have a negative 
impact on my concentration and ability to perform - technology needs to 
just work and not get in the way, and lets even leave aside 
band/stage/sound engineering politics from the equation

My set now has a number of phases with the tecnology involvment from 
'none' to 'insane', I think this helps to satisfy the tecnology, musical, 
and general beer drinking oriented segments of my audience:

Insane - live looping with foot control, vast variety of instrument 
control from one guitar, including octave shift (bass), MIDI triggering 
(rhythm and synthersizer control).  No backing tracks - all live
Midway - sequenced backing track, generally with drums and bass, maybe a 
splash of extra keyboard parts.  Looping controlled from sequencer, as are 
patch changes for my guitar processing.  Lets me play a respectable cover 
of 'Nothing Else Matters' always goes down well
None - put all technology aside, pick up guitar and play classical - makes 
a great interlude

Jacob

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEY_m1WMMZg
http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/guitarworkstation
http://www.keystoneframework.org/