Jamuary 2023 jam journal

[Drew Stephenson]

This one's a bit more up my street.

[Ben Asaro]

I try not to do the same thing too many times in a row!

[Ben Asaro]

Today's jam is heavy on the atmosphere. I really like how this one turned out. The percussion is from the JV-1080 Bass & Drum expansion card; it's a tom sample played waaaaay down in pitch.

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

[Ben Asaro]

The last of the jams I stockpiled when I suspected I was coming down with something. I played the drums in real time on this, pretty happy how it turned out.
I call it Cyberpunk Casbah.

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

[Drew Stephenson]

Today's jam is heavy on the atmosphere. I really like how this one turned out. The percussion is from the JV-1080 Bass & Drum expansion card; it's a tom sample played waaaaay down in pitch.

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

Very atmospheric, and cinematic again.

[Ben Asaro]

Today's jam is heavy on the atmosphere. I really like how this one turned out. The percussion is from the JV-1080 Bass & Drum expansion card; it's a tom sample played waaaaay down in pitch.

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

Very atmospheric, and cinematic again.

Thx! Yeah, that's some of my bread and butter stuff. I was definitely starting to feel sick by then and needed something safe to get through the jam.

(Historical note: I was struck down by a cold/flu thing on Monday and my fever only broke this morning; so I've been using the stockpile I made right after one of the kids got sick, expecting I would go down soon after. Turned out to be very prescient of me, because that's exactly what happened!)

[Drew Stephenson]

Good forward planning but sorry to hear that, hope it clears up quickly and smoothly.

[Ben Asaro]

Good forward planning but sorry to hear that, hope it clears up quickly and smoothly.

Thx! Today was my first day being human again and I'm feeling better every hour!

[Ben Asaro]

Feels great to be back in the mix, as it were! Today's jam is my first-ever attempt at Frippertronics! A few things to note:
1. It's a lot trickier to play than it sounds
2. Whilst it encourages improvisation, you really need a plan getting from Point A to B; it's easy to botch, and then you have to start over due to the delay repeats

This is absolutely inspiring a new direction in me, along with Clouds. I'm eager to see this jam getting built up for the conclusion of Jamuary.

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

[Drew Stephenson]

Sounds like a disturbed accordion.

In a good way.

[Ben Asaro]

Ha! I can buy that lol.

[Ben Asaro]

It didn’t take long after completing Jamuary that I started thinking of refinements.

So I will either share what I have already or redo the entire thing, depending on how today goes. I started thinking of “pre-loops” within a larger loop performance.

In other words, let’s say that the base layer of the final/output looper is ten minutes long. What if:

1. I have a second looper (which I already own) just after my guitar which loops on it’s own, panned to one side.

2. I perform live accompaniment over this loop and also add preliminary overdubs.

3. When the output looper circles back around, pan to the other side and do the same, continuing to build layers via overdub.

4. Repeat process with other instruments.

[Drew Stephenson]

I think in that case you eventually become David Ford: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv4QBRS-U50

[Ben Asaro]

I think in that case you eventually become David Ford: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv4QBRS-U50

Ha, I wish.

Just had my first go with the loop-within-loop setup. It gets chaotic fast, you really need restraint. Being able to 'tape flip' at the touch of a button creates a forward/reverse toggle as different layers are moving in different directions if you're carfeful/careless enough.

I wanted to stress test to see how many things I could pile on, and the answer is: a LOT.

[Drew Stephenson]

That's the best kind of stress test!

[Ben Asaro]

Of course I just recorded a new jam bc I needed to test out the looper in a looper thing. This is really strange, yet peaceful? Enjoy!

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

[Ben Asaro]

At the end of the end now! Two more jams to go!

[Eddy Deegan]

Today's jam is heavy on the atmosphere. I really like how this one turned out. The percussion is from the JV-1080 Bass & Drum expansion card; it's a tom sample played waaaaay down in pitch.

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

I love this, it's definitely heavy on the atmosphere in a very good way. It's more than the sum of its parts; very nice indeed!

... Cyberpunk Casbah.

Fun and boppy, and you can't go wrong with an Eastern-style scale I reckon.

... my first-ever attempt at Frippertronics!
https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

That has a lovely vintage vibe to it, a bit like a wartime recording of someone playing an accordian or something like that!

Of course I just recorded a new jam bc I needed to test out the looper in a looper thing. This is really strange, yet peaceful? Enjoy!

https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

Ahhh... this puts me in mind of an unhurried outro sequence to an artistic film I've never seen but which I liked a lot. Very calming

I really wish I'd gotten more involved than I've been able to this month but after the post -New Year 'back to work' thing I've been rushed off my feet. It's been wonderful listening to the things posted in this topic though

[Ben Asaro]

Thanks, Eddy!

Jam no. 30, https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

[Drew Stephenson]

Thanks, Eddy!

Jam no. 30, https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

This is definitely working for me.

[Eddy Deegan]

Thanks, Eddy!

Jam no. 30, https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

This is definitely working for me.

Me too. It's quite hypnotic, very dreamy and pleasing to the ear

[Folderol]

Yes indeed. This one is a standout. Really sucks you in

[Ben Asaro]

It has been accomplished.

Man, this was some serious work lol. Glad to have Jamuary in the rear view mirror. Many new avenues I want to explore, however!

Final jam, https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

[Ben Asaro]

Thanks, Eddy!

Jam no. 30, https://soundcloud.com/user-329043613-5 ... al_sharing

This is definitely working for me.

Thanks, Drew! This one left me feeling very 'meh', glad some ppl enjoyed it!