12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 188
Date: 07/07/2013
Instrument: Tenor saxophone
Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)
Notes:
This morning I woke up, went into my practice space and immediately recorded an improvisation. I decided to go with my gut feeling, and arrived at a piece that explored the cross fading of sounds at a low level of volume. I’m amazed that every fingering can be made to elicit a world of sounds when simple changes in perspective are applied. A large part of this process is simply imagination. I imagine what sound I would like to come out of the horn and more often than not, if I am aware and open to possibility the horn will respond in kind.
During this improvisation I worked within the mid to upper octave in the horn’s traditional range. I used alternate fingerings to create ebbs and flows in the sustained pitches, and as described above I imagined the creation of sound. This included lower pitches, higher pitches, or the fading of one pitch into two or two into one. I went directly to the horn this morning to get that initial burst of creative energy that takes place before the duties and obligations of the day began to weigh on me. I did only have 20 or so minutes to work and record, but I was amazed at how focused I can become under situations where time is precious. But unlike most days, this morning time felt new.
-Neil
The image “Mapping the Internet” accompanying today’s post by Barrett Lyon (2003)