A Music Education Blog Collective

Another Layer of layering knowledge and music…..

May 26th, 2006 by etobias

A couple of posts ago Joe discussed a project he does with his students where they use a looping pedal to layer improvised loops on top of a pre-existing piece. Here’s a cellist who layered 37 cello parts , all performed by himself, using a cello and computer technology! My first thought when comparing the two approaches to layering, was that the former approach was live improvisation/performance while the latter was composition. The more I thought about it though, the more I realized that each most likely had to involve elements of improvisation and composition. The decisions that the students made when layering their improvised parts must have had some composition or planning like decisions they were making while the cello player was probably improvising as he decided what types of parts he would like to layer and record.

Each approach probably lends itself to different ways of layering knowledge through the various processes being used. It would be interesting to have students try out each method and discuss their experiences and the similarities and differences between them. As they moved from one approach to the other and possibly back again it might also be interesting to observe their “layering” of knowledge and experiences. Whether using analog equipment like looping pedals or digital software that allows you to record, edit and add new tracks, it seems the potential for layering both music and knowledge are pretty amazing.

Whether you end up trying a looping project or not definitely watch the “A Cello Rondo” video on the cellist’s website!

5 Responses to “Another Layer of layering knowledge and music…..”

on 11 Jun 2006 at 4:29 pm Alex Ruthmann

I’ve done a similar project with my students, having them listen to cellist Gideon Freudmann’s “Fish Food” as an exemplar for composing with loop software. He recording this piece using a loop-pedal and software: Here is an excerpt from an email between Gideon and I about his piece:

I recorded Fish Food with my electric cello and a Lexicon JamMan - a nice rack-mounted looper that has not been on the market for several years. Lately I have been using a foot peddle looper - the Boss Loop Station (RC-20). It’s not stereo, but very easy to use and has some other nice features.

Fish Food is from my CD, Hologram Crackers which is an entire album of loop based electric cello instrumental tunes (all original. It’s available, along with my other CDs at http://www.cellobop.com. Fish Food is an unusual tune in that the “verse” has three measures in 7 and one in 6.

The tune was recorded mostly in one pass with the looper - playing the the strum phrase first and then building the layers of the loop on top of it. Once it was all there I improvised some leads over the top - again, all in the one pass. When I mixed it down, I started the piece at a point where the loop with all the layers were established (as opposed to some other tunes where left in each layer as they get added) and at the very end I overdubbed a few of the weird atonal sounds. The big chord that begins and ends the tune came from another tune and those were the last sounds to be added.

He also commented that the influence for the “atonal” sections of this short work were from Jimi Hendrix’ “If 6 was 9.” If you have a chance to listen to it, it’s a cool piece. It is also included in the CDs for Silver Burdett/Scott Foresman’s 2nd grade music textbook series “Making Music.”
on 18 Jan 2007 at 4:21 pm emanuel wendell

I need a video-teach of cello
on 24 Jun 2008 at 7:36 am kim

i need to know the importance of layering in music and the multimetrics in music
on 24 Jun 2008 at 7:37 am kim

what is layering and multimetrics in music?
on 24 Jun 2008 at 7:38 am kim

who is claude debussy?

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