John Simon

Electronica

Glossolalia

 

Google it!

 

I became very interested in what happens when a sound loops, and a second copy of that loop runs slightly ahead. As the two loops slip out of sync, they first sound like a reverberation, then almost like a canon. The two loops gradually come back into phase. I first heard this in Steve Reich's "Come Out" in 1966. Read about that HERE.

 

My first foray into this genre was in 1978, with "Music of the Spheres". I love this idea - it creates tension and release, similar to the way classical functional harmony creates tension and release with the basic attraction or movement between Dominant and Tonic (V and I) chords, but without the use of pitches!

 

I'm so interested in Electronica, because it points towards a new kind of music that is not dependent on discrete pitches (notes). I know, Electronica is often used like traditional music, because the sounds can be imitative of traditional instruments, which use individual notes to make chords, melodies and so on. But Electronica is the first time music can also be made by controlling not just pitch, but timbre (sound color) for expression. If you throw out chords and melodies, how do you express yourself with this?

 

A lot of the music on these pages is my way of working out an answer to this question.

 

 

IV Rabbit Holes

 

Four Rabbit Holes! These sound great at both normal listening volumes and background levels. Each part draws from variations of the same three sound sources. All three sources are from the same "universe", but each has its own unique character. I improvised with one sound, leaving space to improvise and respond with the second sound, and then added a third one in response to the first two. I encourage you to take time - you'll start to hear the language that connects all 4 of these! Dedicated to Pauline Oliveros. Click here to learn more about her and Deep Listening.

 

 

Preludes

 

Each Prelude focuses on finding a sense of gesture that connects each sound together to create meaning. So, the sounds relate to each other, sometimes flowing and morphing from one into another, other times in layers.

 

 

If you're interested, check out my first explorations in this genre HERE.

 

Ambient/LoFi

 

OK, back to harmony! The Ambient genre really excites me because it asks for deep listening to detail. "I Can't Remember" is a bit of an homage to Harold Budd and Brian Eno. "Without Looking" is in the LoFi Genre.

 

 

Beats

 

 

Video