A NEGOTIATION WITH THE MACHINE

The piece of music I have presented is one of a series of experiments carried out in our home studio. The
purpose of this experiments was to study the sound that is inherent in the analogue machine. To see in what
ways musicians can interact with the dialogue produced by the so-called machine.
Winston Marsalis once said about jazz: "the innovation of jazz is that a group of people can come together
and create art, Improvised art. And negotiate their agenda with each other and that negotiation is the art "
(Jazz2001)
With this definition he meant that jazz music, for him, represents an enterprise that gives him the ability to
play with other musicians, to travel the country, exchange ideas and tips on the music - a definition far away
from the classic reductionist conception of music.
The definition given by Marsalis presents the art of producing a musical piece as a social act where various
egos interact with each other, not only in a musical fashion but also in a pragmatic way. With this, the artistic
expressions, as well as the ideas impregnated in them by the author, become a secondary element with the
musical equation.
But how do we behave, in a new era of music where the interaction with the machine in most types of music
is unavoidable, and most importantly how does the machine respond to us? Does this technology have some
kind of expression beyond being on demand in a pragmatic sense? Microphones, the mixing desk, DWA,
effects pedals, Jack leads, all impregnate our sound and help us colour it and give it form - but we are also
forcing the machine into our background and our language. This is clearly illustrated in the way most of us
use digital software, so, to resolve this matter, a series on sonic experiments were carried out with relevant
precautions being taken.
To carry out this experiment, the first thing was to find a place of encounter, a forum, where at
practical level musical ego could change ideas. In this case, not between musicians but between the musician
and technology, that for so long has been at its service. The options were and still are, to create a space
virtually or fiscally, or to find a space also virtual and fiscal where this interaction already occurs. Due to
infrastructural purposes, and being that there are an uncountable number of spaces where this interaction is
already taking place, the second option was taken due to infrastructural pragmatism.
Although I must say that the concept of creating a non-bias emplacement for this kind of events
seems an interesting area for the sonic investigation. Also note that if we talk of the machine we
have to realise that any type of electrical circuiting at this level could affect the outcome of the sound at a
level that for us are unappreciable.
The other decision was the source of sound, taking into account the inherent properties of noise and music
making objects, being there from the clapping of two hands to the unsuspected noise of a built in plugin, and
that different musical instruments produce different timbres, harmonics and over tones. To lay
common ground between such a vast array of sonic elements, the project was divided between three main
sound sources which would colour the final work differently:

Digital, from the DAW that was used. Analogue, from the effects pedals and amplifier cab. And, the natural
sound from the physical resonance of strings, each of them serving a different purpose. The Digital DAW has
only been used as a recording device and for some final editing but not in any case as an initial sound or as a
decision-making element.

The other sound sources here can be understood as two forms and have been applied in
different stages. The first stage was the expression from the analogue circuit. For this, and
although the technical aspect should not eclipse the conceptual part of this piece, it is important to take note
of the equipment used for future tests and references. We have used a 1979 walnut body electric guitar, with
a 22 fret ebony fret board, two exposed humbucker pickups, three way pick up stich and four potentiometers,
in open tuning. A 1975 upright piano, slightly detuned, connected to a chain of analogue pedals, Fig 1,
which consist of an analogue Fuzz pedal, a Bit Crusher which also contains noise gate options, White and
Pink noise generator and a sample rate vintage analogue vibrato and a 1981 Japanese analogue delay. All in
the other mentioned.
In some tracks the parameters have been altered for expressional purposes, acting as sound sources and
expressional elements of the piece. And in other cases, they have stayed fixed throughout the piece, acting in
the causes as bridges between the sound produced by the resonance of the strings and the overall outcome of
the sound. This idea of translator or bridge like elements in the piece or in other pieces of music
is interesting. The use of these implies by force the existence of a system, or in a more
relaxed case, the creation of some quid of patterns of musical ego that can be used and studied in practical
terms.
The opposite case of our study at this point would be to musically note the rhythmic and
melodic lines created by the chain of pedals and the natural feedback produced by the guitar and piano
without it being played, therefore accommodating the mechanical language to our musical one. This is where
it is interesting to talk about the pedals as translation elements of the piece and not only as sound producing
elements.
The second sound source used was the musician and the diverse types of musical system utilised by them -
from reading sheet music to simply playing by ear. This collides and reaches a point of consent with the
rhythmic and musical patterns of processed feedback,
by forcing the musician to play from the same effects channel as the ones that produce
the first layer of sound. We are forcing him and his musical system to adapt, or at least trying to
understand the choices made by the initial sound source: The machine.
All the musicians that participated in this experiment expressed a level of uneasiness at first. Clear in some
parts of the piano and guitar line, where inevitably the coherence of the piece is held on by the repetitive use
of one predominant tonic. But these sensations were also followed in
the rhythmical aspect and somehow liberated. In later listening and
decision making of the different tracks, great attention was given to the new melodic and
rhythmic patterns generated from the experience, although some indifference and scepticism was shown at
times.
The final outcome of the piece could be categorised as heavily influenced by drone and noise music, and
that in the beginning when discussing the type of piece to perform, these styles where appointed as a
departure point. By being so, what is to be illustrated is a conversational negotiation at a linguistic and
physical level that had to be a point of compromise in both aspects of the piece. On a
physical level, the effect chain and space, and at a linguistic level, a musical
style which the two sound sources can produce, that is Drone music.

When listening to traditional forms of drone music some of the ideas outlined above were realised: That is,
the inherent sound or resonance of a particular sound source and it some cases its constant repetition.
Examples of this can be found in a wide range of traditional music from around the world(quote). At the
same time these traditional forms of music possess their own notational system. Notational systems that
have had to be translated to the Western musical format. Being in some cases schematic and simplistic.
Although universal this system only dilucidated a style and a way to approximately reproduce it in the
piece, but cannot compete with the concept of negotiation presented by Winston Marsalis. It is undeniable
that notational systems, universal or not, are useful ways of transmitting knowledge and ideas. Therefore, the
temptation to use them is always there.
After numerous takes by the performers, such complexity does not appear. What begins to emerge are points
of reference within the piece. And, the once cryptical language starts to make structural sense. The two
musical sound sources, systems and egos collide and therefore engage in negotiation forcing them to
understand and consider the other. At a pragmatic level the absorption or preponderance of one musical
system over another is ignorable, if not harmful for the emergence of a musical piece. A fact that occurs on
both sides of the creative process.
The musician hears and interprets the different elements created by the effects pedals and his own input. He
is influenced and answered by the machine in a different manner depending on the set up of the effects chain
output. He becomes the machine and therefore he only inverts places with his interlocutor, becoming only a
medium for his expression, taking the place of the machine. The negotiation is broken and can only be
regained in and out of the piece, with the pragmatic occurrence of a new creative process in action.
Reference List.

Jazz (2001). Public Broadcasting Service. 8 January

Bibliography.
Novak, D. (2013) Japanoise. United States of America (U.S.A.): Duke University Press.
Jazz (2001). Public Broadcasting Service. 8 January
Shapiro, P et al. (2000) Modulations: A History of Electronic Music.