02/02/2015 (Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation)

Neil Welch, Continuous Resonance Project
Date: 02/02/2015
Location: The bathroom at my home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)
Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Notes:

During this improvisation I worked with the illusion of higher pitch, “whistle” tones. Though I am singing into the horn, the extremely high pitches captured in this piece are actually altissimo notes that I worked to balance dynamically. This created the allusion of upper register whistle tones within a chord, such as those heard in Tuvan throat singing.

The image accompanying today’s post by Jessica Rimondi.

01/31/2015 (Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation)

Neil Welch, Continuous Resonance Project
Date: 01/31/2015
Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)
Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Notes:

This morning I was preparing for a later performance at Cafe Racer where I played music inspired by the great storyteller John Coltrane. Drummer Gregg Keplinger and bassist Evan Flory-Barnes also joined me that evening. During my practice session early that day I worked to create threads of melodic activity centered around simple thematic concepts. During this improvisation I occasionally interrupted the melodic activity by playing repeated single pitches that I would articulate and re-articulate repeatedly. I would then briefly move on but quickly return to focus on a pitch one half step below that previously articulated single note.

The image “Collapsing Architecture” by Seth Clark.

01/30/2015 (Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation)

Neil Welch, Continuous Resonance Project
Date: 01/30/2015
Location: Home studio in Clinton, WA (Whidbey Island)
Instrument: Tenor saxophone

Notes:

During this improvisation I worked with a “walking trill” technique in my right hand, where I alternated quickly closing and opening a the F# key with my right hand index and middle fingers.

The image accompanying today’s post by street artist Borondo.

01/29/2015 (Continuous Resonance Solo Improvisation)

Neil Welch, Continuous Resonance Project
Date: 01/29/2015
Location: Practice room B at South Whidbey High School. Langley, WA (Whidbey Island)
Instrument: Tenor saxophone/Upright piano

Notes:

This morning one of my students cancelled, and I took the opportunity to work with the piano in a practice room at South Whidbey High School. I quickly developed a kind of multiphonic and false fingering groove and began working with this texture inside an old upright piano with the sustain pedal on. The band director at this school burst into the practice room and asked if I might improvise this piece for his music survey class. This was a class for music appreciators only, and non-muisicians. He introduced me by name only, I walked in and played this piece into a baby grand set up in the center of the room. I finished and immediately walked back out, into the practice room and recorded this version.