Re: OT the Guitar as percussion instrument in Live Looping

[doc rossi <docittern@gmail.com>]

have a look at this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ddn4MGaS3N4&feature=related

On May 5, 2008, at 4:58 AM, Rick Walker wrote:

> Luis posted this video of Preston Reed's percussive style (probably
> an influence on Kaki King, the wonderful percussive and now, looping  
> guitarist)
>
> www.youtube.com/watch
>
> I thought it might be cool to watch it and find some other resources
> on the web (as well as post our own thoughts and practises) about  
> how to use the guitar as a percussion
> instrument.
>
> My own brother, Bill Walker has been finding incredibly cool sounds  
> out of
> hi lapsteel guitar, by brushing the strings to create shaker effects  
> and , just lately , he's discovered
> a very hip really high pitched cowbell sound buy manipulating false  
> and very high harmonics and then
> damping immediatlely.    His 'drumset' loops at the latest Heroes of  
> Slide Guitar show in Santa Cruz
> was particularly compelling to me.   He even used his cell phone on  
> the pickup to amplify some
> cool 'cricket' like sounds.
>
> Preston uses his techniques in real time, interspersing them with  
> tapping, strumming and glissing
> the strings in much the same way a beatboxer can weave in a melody ,  
> linearly, in to a beatbox).
>
> The cool thing about this technique is that it presents us with only  
> partial percussion that is so convincing
> that the pattern orientation of the brain completes the  
> pattern.............this is done analagously by beatboxers who can
> weave in faux instruments, lyrics and drums by interspersing  
> individual 16th notes of different timbres of sound....all
> in a row.
>
> My brother, uses live looping and then layers several parts on.
>
> They are both very valid approaches but require really different  
> mental sets.
>
> In some ways, because one doesn't have to hold down the fort in  
> looping, it means we can search for more interesting and
> idiosyncratic sounds to weave into our instrumental mix that we  
> don't have to be responsible for holding down constantly
> (in much the same way that I can use a frisbee as a kick drum sound  
> without having to play the instrument for the entire
> song).
>
> The acoustic real time way is certainly more difficult and  
> technically impressive, but the looping part may, ultimately, be
> more liberating and innovative in terms of pure timbre.
>
> What do y'all think?