Neil Welch, Continuous Resonance Project

Date: 03/12/2014

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

Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Performed Acoustically

Notes:

In this improvisation I balanced the use of a recurring minor figure with an oscillating pitch center above it. The minor melody used a series of 3 descending pitches with tempered tuning, using the notes E, D#, C#, with the C# being perceived as the root. The maximum volume of these pitches was no more than medium quiet, and they were executed by a recurring fingering shape. During this improvisation I adjusted my embouchure and air flow within this fingering system to pull out the upper register pitch oscillations. There was a true sense of part independence for me during this improvisation, in the sense that I had control over volume within the two regions (the minor melody and the pitch oscillations), as well as control over the ability to phase either of the regions in or out.

The image “Lake Louise, Canada” accompanying today’s post by Lee Friedlander (2000).