Monthly Archives: March 2011

A New Twist on Bach

A New Twist on Bach

Jason Marsh

Many people have tried to modernize Bach, perhaps by adding a rock beat, synthesizer, or distortion guitar to classic Bach pieces. I have a different idea in mind, though.

I want to keep the feel as I think Bach intended, but still apply many of his musical sensibilities to current technology and style. He obviously reveled in the power of the violin as an instrument, so I am staying the the ‘acoustic’ instrument as the source of everything you hear. Bach liked to build chordal progressions though single-note instrument lines, which I’ve enhanced with a beat-synchronized delay, to bring out the harmony without losing the line.

And particularly, Bach liked to improvise, and all the melodic lines in this piece are improvised (full disclosure… I predetermined my first few notes, referencing Piu Jesu). So here’s my Preludium, based on Bach’s Prelude I from from Well Tempered Clavier:

Preludium

( right-click here to download, touch to hear on iPhone/iPad)

This consists of 4 tracks, one pizzicato track and three improvised violin tracks, where I tried to remember prior tracks in order to harmonize or build counterpoint lines. And once again, this is performed live in a single pass, no edits, with footpedals controlling the record/playback of each track.

Sorry this is two slow pieces in a row… the next one will be more upbeat!

Tuning – rough draft

Jason Marsh

It’s about time to hear what I’m talking about… I’m posting a rough draft of a piece that right now I’m calling simply “Tuning”, since it starts with nothing but open strings. Everything you hear is produced on a violin. I lay down 7 background parts for the A section and 5 parts for the B section, and of course play the melody and improvise over that.

Tuning: ( right-click here to download, touch to hear on iPhone/iPad)

And remember, its ALL live: one take, one pass through, controlling the computer and all the parts with a footpedal controller which I’ve programmed to manipulate (record, play, stop) each part independently. Hopefully it has a pleasing ‘shape’: much more than just a bunch of parts thrown together, but a meaningful progression of form from start through build though conclusion.

This is a real moody piece, appropriate for a long winter, with hints of Spring trying to peak through. There is so much to explain about what I’m trying to accomplish, but for now, just listen.

Enjoy- and really, really, do leave comments here.

Updated 3/27: remixed with a bit more bass

Welcome to the ride

Jason Marsh

Welcome to my adventure, pretentious as it is, to try to touch people with music. I feel that I have something to offer emotionally and intellectually to explore new musical territory, boldly to create something that has never existed before, blending acoustic, earthy, improvisation with digital technology. I’ll explain it a thousand times before I’m through, I’m sure, but you’ll really have to hear it. So, raise a toast to a this new adventure: welcome to the ride.