Ground

"Ground" is a piece I created a while ago. I wanted the beat to very minimalistic, which I think I succeeded in. I like how it stops and "holds it's breath" every second bar. At the time, I chose a very basic bass-sound; something I would do otherwise today. But, that felt right then, so, so be it.

As an effect, I recorded an "ambient-instrument" I made from oakwood a couple of years ago. It resembles those wind-chimes some people have hanging on their porch, but wooden.

I improvised the melody on a recorder and I enjoy its melancholy. I repeated the melody on my soprano saxophone, as a contrast to the thin sound of the recorder.

You'll also hear a favourite of mine, a small xylophone from Järna, Sweden. It comprises only an octave, but the sustain is wonderfully long.

All in all, I find "Ground" a sweet, little melody.

Jubel Töne

In late summer of 2006, a very dear friend of mine gave me her East German zither of the brand "Jubel Töne". I was astonished by her generosity and being given an instrument was so unexpected for me. And, I was overwhelmingly happy. Few things give me such joy as new instruments (last week I bought myself a trumpet).

I went to a friend who owns a violin store, and he ordered a tuning-key from Germany, which arrived two weeks later. This zither is normally tuned in quite "ordinary" chords, such as C, D, G, F & A, but I had the idea that I would tune it in, for me, more exciting chords, such as Fmaj7. This is my first try at playing the zither, and I will definitely use it more in the future.

I set out to only use natural sounds and no midi-instruments. I made the "bass-drum" by recording hand claps and then I transposed them down one octave. The bass is similarly my Italian accordeon (a Curtini), also lowered an octave. I think it almost sounds as a bowed upright bass sometimes.

I improvised a melody on the saxophone and after one round, I was lacking something to follow it with. I spontaneously wrote nonsense lyrics and sang them (which right now is a stretch for me, to have the courage).

Luckily, I found a place for my musical saw as a "take off"-effect in the end of verse 1. It's fascinating how an acoustic instrument can make such a strange sound.

And, then "Jubel Töne" was completed.