The Grooved Whale Project

I wonder if we’ll ever discover the overall code for human music – one massive algorithm that would allow us to press a button and presto! a new song pops up. While I’ve seen many attempts at creating this code, most fail miserably imho, either creating stuff too out there or too boring for consumption.

What I’ve been paying attention to lately are the transition zones in pieces I compose- areas where the beauty/groove no longer reigns and the song becomes seemingly less musical. Hold this transition for too long and you lose the listener.   Forget to put a transition zone in and the song fails to progress.

The trick for me is to create these transition zones in a live setting, where loops and layers have already been established. I love the freedom electronic gear ultimately gives me but sometimes the constraints are annoying. I miss the freedom of creating with just my violin, where my whim is at my fingertips.  Ahh well, it wouldn’t be an exciting world without challenges, would it?

Had another great practice with Kirk Watson today – really focusing on taking things outside of the box then bringing them back in. Got around to thinking about the different zones I’ve had to master to bring me to my current musical level.

First there’s the playing of my instrument – the violin – and all the years I put in to learning its abilities. Second, there’s the programming of gear – learning how to make the sound do what I want it to do when I want to do it – such as creating beats on a drum machine or a patch on a keyboard. Third, there’s the creating music in real time where I am the creator of all sounds and the one in control of them. And fourth is the creating music in real time with other musicians.

This fourth zone for me holds the most risk and the most reward. I have no control over what the other musicians are doing. I can only suggest ideas by sending out particular beats or phrase “codes” but what they add to the mix is up to them. Improvisation within the limits of a structure.

This type of music-making to me is very freeing. The mistakes you make are part of the game, taking you to unexplored areas or relieving you from boredom. Add to the mix a live audience and it feels a little like bungee jumping – scary until you feel the rope at the end of your feet and then you know you can enjoy the bounce.

Kirk and I will be trying out our new material at The Midnight Tea Garden this Saturday. Going to be fun!! Check it out: http://www.mikokuro.com/