Scratch 3 Tactile Improv

The following piece is one I’d like to draw the listener to the tactility of playing an instrument. So this was recorded with placing a hand held recorder on the keyboard. Normally I would play it through some kind of sampler to get the ‘pure’ sound. In this piece the sounds of the fingers on the keys, the creak of the sustain pedal are all part of the performance. The improv itself also is based on tactility. I have no preconception of the kind of sound I’m looking for. I play with my eyes closed and let my fingers play. I try not to have a preconception of what I will hear but that is impossible. I do have an idea of the rhythm and dynamic but when it comes to the pitches and the harmonies I’m literally in the dark. These are just my fingers pressing the keys. Touch is very important in musicality and throws open questions on what ‘computer music’ means. Just as listening is quite often an ignored sense, touch is also something we urban industrialised folks seem to bypass.

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