Thoughts on making a live-instrument "IDM" record...?

I plan to--in the next couple months--make an "IDM" record where everything is performed and nothing is sequenced.

I am thinking:

acoustic drums (a little 4-piece jazz kit)

SH-101

Juno-60

and

possibly samplers

possibly some guitar and bass

(I'll be playing everything)

I think actual performed drums are under-represented in the "IDM" universe, and I am excited to see if I can fill the void in (if nothing else) a new and interesting way.

I was just wondering what you guys think of such a project--vague as it is--as far as what-not-to-do's and you-should's and stuff like that. Essentially: if you were to dream up such a record, what would it sound like? Would it be breakneck DnB or would it be lazy acid funk or...

  On 11/20/2012 at 8:42 AM, roasty said:

lol

I love Sonic but I don't know what that means.

No Don't :(

Y not?

(I really want to)

People go mad in the studio all the time, they just don't make it a special neck beardy self aware gimmicky thing. If you wanna blow your mind go listen to Switched On Back and think about how the whole thing was recorded live with a shit ton of multitracked monosynths in 1968.

Oh, okay.

Well, sorry for bothering you.

(if you read between the lines you might find that I'm seeking advice/guidance)

  On 11/20/2012 at 9:55 AM, Gocab said:

Is that a musket or a clarinet?

Do it. Actually, i want to do this as well, bt with electronic drums. I really wonder why this has not been done more before (except some Squarepusher needless to say), maybe because IDM composers are not classicaly trained instrumentalists in the first place.

I like rock and I like electro.

But I don't like it when the rock gets too stiff (programmed), or when the electro gets too loose (played).

Maybe I'm just boring and conservative, but I just don't see the point in making "electronic" music with too much of a human feel, ie sloppy rhythms and weak sounds.

  On 11/20/2012 at 9:58 AM, psn said:

 

 

Maybe I'm just boring and conservative, but I just don't see the point in making "electronic" music with too much of a human feel, ie sloppy rhythms and weak sounds.

Who said anything about sloppy rhythms and weak sound?

Fuck what everyone else thinks. If you think it's a good idea then do it.

I see, if it were me I'd do it ambient style with dubby basslines and cool jazzy drums all over.

edit: If I had any skillz that is.

  On 11/20/2012 at 9:59 AM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/20/2012 at 9:58 AM, psn said:

Maybe I'm just boring and conservative, but I just don't see the point in making "electronic" music with too much of a human feel, ie sloppy rhythms and weak sounds.

 

Who said anything about sloppy rhythms and weak sound?

I understand this point of view. But the problem is not the concept, it's the skill of the people who play the instruments.

Battles are pretty good at bringing teh IDMs in a live band context.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HARfCMHfPOM

There was a band that made a whole techno/house album just using guitar/bass/drums in 2010 (I think). It was pretty good but I can't remember their name off the top of my head.

Good luck with your project.

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:10 AM, Diabrotikos said:

  On 11/20/2012 at 9:59 AM, LimpyLoo said:

  On 11/20/2012 at 9:58 AM, psn said:

Maybe I'm just boring and conservative, but I just don't see the point in making "electronic" music with too much of a human feel, ie sloppy rhythms and weak sounds.

 

Who said anything about sloppy rhythms and weak sound?

 

I understand this point of view. But the problem is not the concept, it's the skill of the people who play the instruments.

Indeed.

Well, I'm not a basher. I've been studying jazz and afro-cuban drumming for about 7-8 years. I've been studying jungle/DnB out of books for the last year or so. (all the while I've been studying rock as well but in my experience rock is obligatory with most teachers).

Guitar is my first instrument but at this point I'm probably a better (or at least cleaner) drummer than I am a guitarist.

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:17 AM, Lucy Faringold said:

 

 

Good luck with your project.

Thanks mate.

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:17 AM, Lucy Faringold said:

Battles are pretty good at bringing teh IDMs in a live band context.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HARfCMHfPOM

Listening to this track I hear instrumental, psychedelic, repetitive rock. Not IDM.

Would you have thought of them as IDM if they were on a typical Kraut rock label instead of Warp?

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:07 AM, Gocab said:

I see, if it were me I'd do it ambient style with dubby basslines and cool jazzy drums all over.

 

edit: If I had any skillz that is.

I'm curious: what kinda ambient and what kinda dubby basslines and what kinda jazzy drums?

Like Music for Airports meets Body Riddle or something like that?

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:33 AM, psn said:

 

Would you have thought of them as IDM if they were on a typical Kraut rock label instead of Warp?

Yeah I reckon so. Their live show is IDM as fuck. I certainly don't think of them as psych rock.

dubby basslines like the ones found in dub, like in the scientist vs series. passive agressive free jazz drums. fat droney pads, acidy 101 squeeks drenched in spring reverb. dark stuff from the depths of space feel.

I'm not sure. I just made this up. I'd listen to it.

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Well, I'm not a basher. I've been studying jazz and afro-cuban drumming for about 7-8 years. I've been studying jungle/DnB out of books for the last year or so. (all the while I've been studying rock as well but in my experience rock is obligatory with most teachers).

DNB is a good example of the point I'm trying to formulate. Let's say you have a drummer who is so sickeningly good that he can't be distinguished from the craziest programmed Squarepusher/Aphex/whatever beats. Does that add anything to the music, besides someone being impressed by a wanky drummer who spent years learning to sound like a sequencer and a sampler? (For the record, I have still yet to hear that drummer.)

Let's on the other hand, say that the drummer just isn't as tight as a sequencer. He lags here and there, plays more dynamically, doesn't maintain the momentum, can't get the same energy out of every drum beat, etc. Does that add to the music within the context of Jungle or DNB? From the view point of a listener in those genres expecting flawless beats and relentless energy, I'd argue that it almost always subtracts from the experience. But from the view point of rock music where playing skills are appreciated as a virtue in itself, this energetic drumming might add to the experience. Also, of you're a drummer or a rock oriented listener, you might be impressed (again) that a person is able to mimic those high speed breaks to a degree.

So yeah, I think it's contextual. Listening to "IDM" I like programmed beats of all kinds. Listening to rock I like sloppy playing, tight playing, energetic playing, groovy playing, etc.

And I do think that crossing over might yield some good results, but so far I haven't heard many that justify the effort.

Good luck! :-)

When I think about it Supersilent come close to this live IDM fantasy of mine, what are they anyway? Jazz?

Yeah, they are a pretty good example. A sequencer isn't too good at improvising, so that's an element a human can add.

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:52 AM, psn said:

  On 11/20/2012 at 10:30 AM, LimpyLoo said:

Well, I'm not a basher. I've been studying jazz and afro-cuban drumming for about 7-8 years. I've been studying jungle/DnB out of books for the last year or so. (all the while I've been studying rock as well but in my experience rock is obligatory with most teachers).

 

DNB is a good example of the point I'm trying to formulate. Let's say you have a drummer who is so sickeningly good that he can't be distinguished from the craziest programmed Squarepusher/Aphex/whatever beats. Does that add anything to the music, besides someone being impressed by a wanky drummer who spent years learning to sound like a sequencer and a sampler? (For the record, I have still yet to hear that drummer.)

 

Let's on the other hand, say that the drummer just isn't as tight as a sequencer. He lags here and there, plays more dynamically, doesn't maintain the momentum, can't get the same energy out of every drum beat, etc. Does that add to the music within the context of Jungle or DNB? From the view point of a listener in those genres expecting flawless beats and relentless energy, I'd argue that it almost always subtracts from the experience. But from the view point of rock music where playing skills are appreciated as a virtue in itself, this energetic drumming might add to the experience. Also, of you're a drummer or a rock oriented listener, you might be impressed (again) that a person is able to mimic those high speed breaks to a degree.

 

So yeah, I think it's contextual. Listening to "IDM" I like programmed beats of all kinds. Listening to rock I like sloppy playing, tight playing, energetic playing, groovy playing, etc.

 

And I do think that crossing over might yield some good results, but so far I haven't heard many that justify the effort.

 

Good luck! :-)

You make a very compelling point, PSN.

I guess I want to glimpse the parallel universe where Elvin Jones or Tony Williams play on RDJ or Squarepusher records.