As a change from my recent experiments in density, I offer this chamber-like piece.
It is essentially a bluesy free improvisation between bass and lap steel.
amazing soundscape, nocturnal creatures strolling around the quarter, they´re buzy....inspiring guitar effects
- I got some cleaner sounds on this one, so I'm working on cleaning up my basic palette on which to splash all kinds of colour and dirt. Strange, I always awake early and take in the dawn chorus of birds - that's probably my main musical influence. The bird kingdom has the best musicians, far surpassing humans in my view
delicate work. i love absolutely everything about this bass tone :)
- there are two basses on this - my favourite Epiphone TBird, and a Yamaha 5 string.
organic flicker and gives one the impression of seeing nature grow in fast motion
: Thanks for giving that image - I can see the flower open now, every petal opening like an orchestra, s l o w l y
Nice drop from spacious to closeness.
- I tried to take right down without losing too much momentum.
You had me again at the flutter of wings.
: Yeah, flutter is the better word for that technique
Beware the plinks of March. They're scarier than the Ides!
: bar right up by the pick up on the lap steel - but because it is tuned up fairly high, the strings are stiff and so plink when you cut them that short
There's an almost open road to this.
: Yes, I wanted something like that - a kind space within sound
Density is not always measured in dBs from peaking, sir!
good one, this.
- I had been listening to some older stuff of mine and realised that that earlier stuff had more space in it, so I wanted to recapture that vibe [just as back then I wanted to get more density into my tracks!]
: I get that. I seem to be in a period of reassessment, myself, trying to determine what course to set. Stumped, at the moment.
: Set more courses, sir. All the courses, just play!
they now gather around me. as in hitchcock.
: Torrid bar shaking on the lapsteel - always liked that effect
your painterly instincts at work
: yes - flicking in cobalt details against an ochre wash
and the thunder
: lots of bass scraping going on - a drill socket slowly dragged down a a heavy duty bass string through delay and 'verb can so quite thunderous
I like the pared down, open (grey) sky small ensemble feel.
: Yeah, as I said above, those last tracks I did were so dense, I wanted to do something with a lighter texture. just a fairly clean lapsteel and bass improv. with some added percussion sounds. And yes, I wanted it open. I also wanted all the sounds on there to have some kind of clarity.
and shifting sands, at that.
: that would have been a good title, too
Extraordinary sounds and senses, Bill
- I like the combination of 'sounds and senses', always aiming to provoke or evoke all the senses
What a landscape! Teeming with activity but bleak and inhospitable. .that lapsteel makes incredible noises in your hands
: Thanks for pointing up that contradiction Nick, it helps to make sense of the sounds here. You also touch on my approach to particular instruments - I'm interested in the sounds that a lap steel guitar can make that a regular guitar can't and vice versa
Most excellent art !
Beautiful cleansing crisp flight
, there was need for this ...
lyrics
Avian Sands
A place by mortal feet untouched,
No featherless bipeds here.
The avian creatures rule.
From eagle to wagtail,
From hawk to sparrow.
From crescendo to whisper,
In sky-popping freedom.
[Bill Boethius]
credits
from Carved Hail,
released November 4, 2017
Bill Boethius, basses, lap steel, drum machine.
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