12 Moons Solo Saxophone Project Day 218

Date: 08/07/2013

Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)

Notes:

Evolution was my theme for today’s improvisation. In nature there are of course extreme examples of evolution within an animal or an environment, and then there are more subtle adaptations. Today I was concerned with the evolution of slight sound traits, the evolution which is subtly shaped as a response to changes in a given environment. During this piece I considered 2 points of action within 2 sections. They are respectively labeled below as Section A, Actions 1 and 2 // Sections B, Actions 1 and 2

Section A, Action 1: Pitches (in ascending order and in the tenor key) C, Db, Ab

(Left Hand) C key, Octave, Low B // (Right Hand) F-E keys, Low C

Section A, Action 2: Pitches (in ascending order and in the tenor key) Db, Bb, Gb

(Left Hand) B key, Octave, Low Bb // (Right Hand) F-E keys, Low C

Section B, Action 1: Pitches (in ascending order and in the tenor key) C, Db, F

(Left Hand) C key, Octave, Low B // (Right Hand) F-E keys, Side F, Low C. Slowly trill the side F key.

Section B, Action 2: Pitches (in ascending order and in the tenor key) Db, B, Gb

(Left Hand) B key, Octave, Low Bb // (Right Hand) F-E keys, Side F, Low C. Slowly trill the side F key.

I was fascinated by the sound colors that just the root fingerings Action 1 and Action 2 could create. While preparing to record this piece, I would hold each of these chords out independently. This ringing out of the chord was used in the improvisation today as an intermediary between the two sections. Section A was dominated by the pulsing sound heard at the outset of the improvisation, and Section B included alterations to the rhythm cycle that had been established. I viewed this evolution as the necessary response to the changing environment of the piece. This can be heard the first time at 2:35. I experienced the entirety of the piece without any jolt of action whatsoever, but rather just a slight, continuous evolution as the big picture sound unfolded.

-Neil

The image “4-Part Variation” accompanying today’s post by Stephen Shore (1969)