SOUND FABRIC # ONE SPRING 2004

“…2) If you really have to be a composer and are attractive and uninhibited, then

try and get yourself “kept” – whether by woman or man. This might be easier than

undertaking a whole second career in order to be able to afford composing, and you

might get a little restorative affection as well.”

Excerpt from Lou Harrison’s MUSIC PRIMER as published in

SOUND SCULPTURE, 1975; J. Grayson, ED.

Fortunately, I read this early on in life, and decided if I was going to be the one subsidizing my art, I would do what I choose to do, and not fall into the trap of copying the latest fad and ponying up with the rest of the herd vying for the same proverbial, but non-existent brass ring.

Harrison’s words firmly embedded my feet on the microtonal highway. In retrospect two things stand out in my mind, first, just about everybody seems to disbelieve me when I tell them that “95% of professional musicians make less than 5 thousand dollars per year” And, most of those that do are music teachers. Many folk actually get ugly and belligerent when exposed to the reality of the ‘music biz’. I suppose the- climb on the tour bus- fantasy and leave all their problems, cares, and complications behind dies rather hard.

The other thing that stands out is the large number of dickheads who have a problem with my disinterest and rejection of everyday twelve-tone equal temperament. All I can say is that you would think that I was publicly spitting and pissing on the TWELVE commandments. Or rejecting the scientific truths of twelve planets orbiting the sun! A pox on those who utter ‘freedom and individuality’ but mean ‘convention and conformity’.

Years later, but now years ago, I bought a copy of Lou’s PRIMER, and it has been helpful in my forays into just intonation. I had first learned of hexatonic, or six tone modes in his book. But focused on pentatonic and hepatonic scales, never feeling a need to explore a 6-note scale. Ironically, recently I was tuning up my pentatonic lap harp/lyre and accidentally included a sixth note. Perhaps it was just something new in a familiar framework, but I was stunned at how this particular pentatonic scale was filled out without sounding ‘familiar’ like a hepatonic scale.

It reminds me of what my composition teacher Ron Herder (SUNY at Purchase) said: “composition rules are just find, but eventually you come to a point and break them. And it’s fun” (or something to that effect).

Recently, I picked up Cage’s SILENCE at a used bookstore. On the second page appears: “When Thermin provided an instrument with genuinely new possibilities, Therminists did their utmost to make the instrument sound like some old instrument…we are shielded from new sound experiences.” Further on Cage states “…with electronic means one may employ any sound, any frequency, any amplitude, any timbre, any duration: there are no limits to possibility.”

SOUND FABRIC POSTULATE

Braiding

Folds NEW HARMONIES

Sewing ENERGY-TRUTH-POWER

Tapestry INTENSITY-FORCE

Cloth PITCH-QUALITY-STRENGTH

MOTION

LAW

TENSION determines TONE Buzz Kimball

TONE affects VIBRATION 2688 Hopkinton Rd.

VIBRATION – FLOW Contoocook NH 03229