Collaborating with Performance Artists?

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expatmuso

Sep 3, 2015
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#1
I was asked recently to collaborate with two performance artists. We're still hashing out the details but I will probably play in two segments, maybe about 10 minutes each.

Segment 1: woman behind a curtain, with bricks around her. The man comes over and slowly drags her away. They asked for some kind of psychedelic effects for this.

Segment 2: Two artist will be lying on the floor spinning around slowly. they want a melodic part here.

I'm thinking i will bring some pedals, maybe even a looper. Anyone have an experience with this kind of thing. Any tips?
 
#2
I used to do some scoring of performance art. Planning is really important. You have to meet the performers and find out what they're going for in their pieces. ****Sometimes**** your impression of them is more important than your impression of the performance.

What I would do normally is think of the emotions that stirred in me and find music that stirred similar emotion. Then I'd assimilate themes from those tunes into my composition. Sometimes I'd just cover the tune/motif it made me think of.
 
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#4
All I got is this, for the second segment...slow it right down and it should work:)


Seriously though, a looper might be great here...but be careful not to overshadow the visuals...and be ready to be flexible when something goes wrong.
I really hope you report back on this, it sounds like a fun deal.
 
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#6
I wrote and recorded an entire dance production when I was in college (didn't have to play it live), and I've done incidental music for a few shows. As already mentioned, I think the only given is to go in with an open mind. I'd suggest asking questions too, and listening well to what the performers are envisioning and/or expecting.

Chances are you won't have to deal with what I did, but in the dance performance I was given very little attention or respect. It was a complete collaboration, me - and them - but they acted as though I were non existent, despite the fact that they needed me. They were from a somewhat respected dance company so that may have had something to do with it. Egos were a tad inflated. They may have sensed also that I had a crush on every one of the female dancers :). I might have spooked them? I dunno... was a long time ago.

Good luck. I had a lot of fun with that kind of stuff. Would love to do it again one day.
 
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#8
So the rehearsal went pretty well. I used distortion, reverb, and delay to create some spacey atmospheric sounds. I thought it worked all right. They seemed to like it too, but also asked me to add more sharp sounds into the mix. I tried a few things, but they didn't seem satisfied. Any suggestions as to how to get more sharp sounds on a bass guitar?
 
#9
Slap the crap out of it? Perhaps specifically high on the G-string?

I don't know what the heck "sharp sound" means other than a note that's out of tune in the not-flat direction, for one thing. Staccato, quick, high-pitched...?

I have actually accompanied some performance art, but due to nature and location (traveling in an open field) I did it with an Eb marching horn I have kicking around, as it seemed to work better than the trombone, and there was no practical way to use either bass. It was a bit sketchy (a pre-rehersal of much vagueness and trying out different things, (so I brought both horns to that) a dress rehearsal, and a performance that required a good deal of flexibility as the match to the dress rehearsal was not very good (not entirely the performers fault - the "audience walking though a field" part was a beast of "hard to manage" and more people showed up than had evidently been anticipated.

One option is to expand your instrumentation - pull out any weird music-makers you have lying around the house, and switch to one of them at certain points. Alternatively (and this may have constraints) pull in another musician.
 
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#10
Yeah, I'm not exactly sure either. I don't think he meant sharp as in usual meaning as a sharp note. More like an aggressive sound, something that punches through. But I like you're idea of slapping on the g string.
 
#11
Use a coin for a pick and roll on the highs and pull off quickly with your left finger as you pick. No sustain or decay. That should give you a sharp sound.
 
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