March 28, 2015

9.00 am. While clearing the draining board of crockery, the thought ‘sonic culture of religion’ came to mind. I’ve probably considered the idea before on several occasions; but only now is it timely.  (Idea + opportunity + necessity = a determination.) The term not only defines the field of my practice-based activities in sound art but also is suggestive of an area of historical research that, to date, has not been looked at with any particularity. 9.45 am. I cleared emails, updated sites, switched on machines, purchased cables, and decided to launch into town (now that the rain had stopped). 11.15 am. Back to the sound studio to hear again yesterday’s remix session with greater discernment, distance, and clarity. ‘I like it’:

discipline

I do remember one thing.
It took hours and hours but..
By the time I was done with it,
I was so involved, I didn’t know what to think.

I carried it around with me for days and days..
Playing little games
Like not looking at it for a whole day
And then… looking at it.

To see if I still liked it.
I did.

I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress.
I repeat myself when under stress.

I repeat…
The more I look at it,
The more I like it.
I do think it’s good.

The fact is..
No matter how closely I study it,
No matter how I take it apart,
No matter how I break it down,

It remains consistent.
I wish you were here to see it.

I like it.

(King Crimson, ‘Indiscipline’ (1981))

Occasionally, there are aspects of an artwork that appear to be amiss at first, but which persuade us of their virtue once we’ve become accustomed to them. In such instances, the artwork overrides our tastes and sensibilities: it encourages us to broaden our aesthetic sensibility and to accept the unexpected. That’s one of the ways in which we are tutored by our own work and grow as artists.

I bumped my little finger on my left hand, but felt the sensation in the big toe on my right foot. We are ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’. 1.30 pm. I return to matters related to sub-domains and sub-websites, and their relations:

Screen Shot 2015-03-28 at 13.45.05

It’s all getting rather complex. Complex is not a qualitative measure; rather, it is a description of a type of structure and its components. Thus, simplicity is not superior, or to be preferred, to complexity, where the latter is the ideal condition of the relationship between many parts. There cannot be one less site in my network of websites and sub-websites. Consequently, complexity (however, hard it is to manage) is appropriate and honoured.

3.30 pm. Done. Now, back into the sound studio to modify Pedalboard I: a valid complexity of a different order:

IMG_2985

I’m removing two effectors and replacing them with a Zvex Fuzz Factory and WMD Geiger Counter bit-brusher — thus upping the appalling-noise making capacity of the board considerably. Completed:

IMG_2988

5.00 pm. Enough! 6.40 pm. Practise session 1: testing the modifications made to Pedalboard I. 7.30 pm. An evening with the family.

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March 30, 2015