Apotheosis Video ( Performance Pressure Technique)
The past year has been about discovering various ways to get musical ideas out of my head and into the real world. One of the ways I enjoy is to take an upcoming performance - and write a NEW piece just for that show.
Here's a video from Solo Bass Night 1 in May 2006 called Apotheosis.
This piece was written FOR that performance and this was the only time I played it live.
I wanted to do something a little more aggressive with the fretless than the mellow trippy stuff I had been writing. So I used the "pressure" of an upcoming performance to force me to make quick decisions about the ideas I was playing with - and refine them to the point where I could play them live without sounding like a complete moron.
I never really felt I escaped that last part about being a moron with this piece- which is why this has been sitting on my Hard Drive since August. I bumped into it a few days ago and thought - WTF - it's the only recording of the piece - and I'll probably never play it again - just post it.
This is one of a dozen or so pieces I've "Let Go" over the past year. By "let go" I mean not playing it or "working" on it anymore.
It's getting a little tougher to employ the performance pressure technique of composition the busier I get booking shows. I have to pick my battles - plus I have to realize that moving riffs and short motifs into SONG form that can be performed like this is only the first step.
Going back and "punching it up" to the next level takes another level of discipline and awareness.
I'll hit that topic another time. ,-)
Comments
Just my vote to keep that one Jeff...for the Debut CD. Awesome textural sound.
Posted by: Dave | January 30, 2007 08:59 AM
I'm going to pretend I didn't read that Dave.
;-)
Seriously though - thanks!
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | January 30, 2007 05:13 PM
I really like that too. at least you could share with us just an "mp3-home-recording" of it....it doesn't deserve to be forgotten ^^
Posted by: Riccardo | February 8, 2007 11:37 AM
I played this tune for the first time in months this morning. I had to watch the video to remember how to play it- HA!
Anyway - it's actually pretty fun to play.
I struggled with it so much last year I think I grew tired of it.
Anyway - the distance of not having played it for a few months is actually very helpful.
Not sure it'll make it onto the CD - but I do think I can get a more proper audio recording done.
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | February 10, 2007 04:30 PM
"...but I do think I can get a more proper audio recording done."
That's great! thank you! ^^
Posted by: Riccardo Puglielli | February 12, 2007 09:14 AM
I am begging you, please put this on a CD. This is definitely my favorite solo bass piece.
Posted by: Mike | January 12, 2008 11:50 PM
i love it...these are the melodies that i like to play and listen! sorry for my bad english i'm italian :P ...a lot of compliments. Tell me why you dont want to continue these way instead of "mellow trippy stuff" that are also really good..bur sorry apotheosis ...is really the apotheosis of your creations!
Posted by: vincenzo | February 22, 2009 11:47 AM