Like most percussionists, my musical ideas sometimes exceed my instrument of choice, which eventually led to an interest in live looping and sound design. This is where it started for me, but my practice has since grown into something altogether different. Beyond the practical advantages of my approach, the benefits to my creative practice have been profound.

Through the use of software, live looping becomes much more flexible and robust than traditional methods (loop stations, etc.). Instead of simply playing back a loop layer, it can be endlessly altered in terms of pitch, timbre (via effects), playback speed, and occurrence. Automating the playback of loop layers creates structures much more interesting than simply “stacking” layers. Through sound design, every part of the drum set can be transformed, akin to a guitarist’s use of effects pedals.

In my compositions, I often automate effect and looping parameters so that I may focus entirely on the performance itself. By creating a sort of “cue list” of scenes, a structure is created around which I can freely improvise. This approach allows me to build a composition from the ground up (and never in the same way twice), akin to how a jazz musician may improvise over the “changes” of a tune. This has inspired my playing and changed how I write and perform music dramatically. As a practice tool, there is nothing more revelatory than immediately hearing what was just played, and nothing more inspiring than hearing the sound of an acoustic instrument change in real time. For this approach to be effective, careful attention must be paid to timing, composition, and the use of space.

In my presentation, I will perform and (if desired) talk about my practice. Although I use Ableton Live, many of the ideas I present can be extended and adapted to other platforms. I’ve found other drummers, both at PASIC and elsewhere, to be extremely curious about and inspired by my music and approach, which I am eager to share.