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Re: Do you actually loop with the instrument you are mostproficient on? (Re: What would loopers do without power?)



Hi!

This thread has gone everywhere from which instruments we loop with to  
how we deal with musical cliches and I've enjoyed following this thread.

Not sure if I can add much to the many excellent comments -- here goes 
anyway:

To answer the question: "Do I loop with the instrument on which I am  
most proficient?"  I really don't know.  I loop with a theremin and  
I've only been playing it for about 2 3/4 years.  I am more  
experienced on pipe organs and synthesizers -- however I've become  
proficient on theremin.  The theremin has become such a natural "fit"  
for me that I feel as though I've played it longer than I have.

As far as pipe organ looping -- that would pretty much be a "midnite  
madness" kind of thing -- a fun thing to do in an empty church but  
something I probably couldn't get away with on Sunday mornings.  If I  
ever attempt to loop a pipe organ, I'll share the results with you.

Now, cliches are an interesting topic.  There are a couple of ways  
that I avoid them on keyboards:

The primary method is that I play in a key with which I am least  
comfortable.  I will take a tune that is written in, say, F major and  
modulate to a key such A-flat minor.

The other thing I do is "broken field running" -- that is, I play each  
note of a melody in different octaves (registers) -- this helps to  
dissect a melody and find "stuff" in it that isn't cliched.

On theremin it is pretty easy to avoid cliches there -- I just kind of  
avoid campy 50s sci-fi style.  (Although some would contend that it  
ALL sounds that way!)

But, to avoid cliches one must know them.  Cliches are to be reveled  
in, really -- kind of like hot fudge sundaes with whipped cream, nuts,  
and cherries on top.  (Yes, the cherries are ESSENTIAL -- they are  
just as important as the triangular cuts and toothpicks in club  
sandwiches. Yes... club sandwiches must be cut into triangles in order  
to be TRUE club sandwiches -- and the toothpicks have to have those  
little frilly things on them or else the sandwich is compromised.  ok  
ok -- forgive my off-topic rant :) )

Thus, I try not to "accidentally" fall into cliches.  Rather, I decide  
wholeheartedly when I'm going to play a "chestnut", and I go at it  
with the kind of gusto that one reserves for consuming high-calorie  
food.

The following track is my arrangement of Londonderry Aire: cliched...  
non-looped and unabashedly sentimental:

http://kevinkissinger.com/downloads/music/LondonderryAire224.mp3

This post is, admittedly, shamelessly indulgent (I know).  However, to  
summarize my opinions here:

. Play cliches with volition and revel in them once in a while
. Muscle memory can lead to cliches or otherwise thoughtless playing.   
Thus, to choose unfamiliar keys, tonalities, fingerings, and voicings  
helps to defeat mere reflex.
. To loop precisely requires some level of proficiency -- the needed  
level depends on what one sets out to accomplish.  One needs to  
acquire proficiency on one's instrument and one's looping equipment.

Well, thanks for reading.  It is almost 1 am and I am pretty slap-happy.

I'd make me a club sandwich now except that I don't have any toothpicks.

-- Kevin