Bells and Drums Improv

Doug Somers

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Description

I was fiddling around with some new Tonehammer samples (Tonehammer is now SoundIron and 8dio) and thought I would play a little with abusing the arpeggiator in various ways. This piece is pure nonsense, atonal, polyrhythmic, and pretty much as it came out from hammering on keys. I love the deeply sampled Tonehammer instruments as there is a lot of variation in both the number of volume levels and also in the round robin sampling.

The instruments used are the Imbibaphone, various wine glasses, Cylindrum, made of lengths of corrugated plastic tubes, Whale Drum, a tongue drum, and Circle Bells, which are a custom instrument that has been extended in it's range by processing after sampling.

I have been spending a lot of time since my last post laying down sound beds for a game and some on Rik's animation so have not been posting much (or listening here :( !! ) lately.

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Lyrics

Act on whatever comes to mind

Song Stats

Hits: 1265
Comments: 50
Fans: 26
Plays: 80
Downloads: 42

Uploaded: Aug 31, 2011 - 05:26:23 PM
Last Updated: Sep 01, 2011 - 09:43:09 AM Last Played: Mar 18, 2013 - 01:59:18 PM

Song License

Creative Commons License:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike

Song Actions

Keywords:

Experimental (492), Bells (76), Drums (304), Arpeggiator (3)

Hardware:

Akai MPK49, MacPro

Software:

Logic Studio, Tonehammer: Whale Drum, Cylindrum, Imbibaphone, Circle Bells; Kontakt 4

Comments

michaeljayklein

michaeljayklein said 627 days ago (August 31st, 2011)

Doug
I never stop to think about music construction unless there is absolutely none (!) but you have a good consistent pattern here with the beautiful wineglasses (is there anything that sounds quite so pure and clear as those things?!) opening the piece and always returning after the (nicely understated) dramatic sections. Very pleasant and enjoyable--thanks for sharing it! Michael

Check out my latest song called Old Man Mose is Dead

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Thanks Michael I do find glass makes a special kind of sound with the purity and overtones it can generate. I particularly like large glass bowls, although I don't have any samples of them. I have heard musical healers use them and the sound is both penetrating and enchanting. I appreciate your kind words! Be well, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

aRcTip	aRcTip said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Bells and Drums Excellent, nice mix of sounds here. I find the wine glass sounds and the part in the begining very pleasing. You could do a fine ambient piece with that alone! Check out my latest song called Frolic

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	I thought about ambient Then the imp in me said "let's play with arpeggiators!!" and so I did. It certainly changed the character of the piece, but then I was drawn back and forth between the flowing non-rhythmic sections and the beats. Thanks for your support! Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Jarvoid	Jarvoid said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Well really interesting and very restful piece...I could hear this in a PC or console game and it would be effective and atmospheric. Nice one Cheers Jarvo Check out my latest song called Cripple Creek Revised........By Jarvoid and the Banjo Bedraggled Manic Mandolin Accordion Squeezers

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Game music Probably the other work I was doing has bled through to this piece in terms of sounding gamey. I like the variation in sounds from that crazy Cylindrum, and I did also use that in a game track too. Thanks for having a listen Jarvo!! Cheers, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

particledots	particledots said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	this is fabulous thanks for sharing Check out my latest song called i got a new lens

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Wow I am touched by your response to the piece. Thanks for having a listen and sharing your reaction! Cheers, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Bowman	Bowman said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	It's wonderful the way this piece unfolds, the way your just created sounds inform about to happen sounds. This is breath releasesingly beautiful. I cant' wait to get home and listen to this on better headphones. Even when you're "playing around" Doug you can't help but make interesting music. Check out my latest song called RADIANT FLESH (take 2)

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Ahhh, good headphones I found that good headphones help - or good full range speakers. There are subtleties in the samples that would be lost in say earbuds. Many thanks for your kind support Charlie. It means a lot. Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

davajonah	davajonah said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Beautiful! I'm a total sucker for synth bell sounds. This is just lovely. Maybe some nice pads to move it along? Then, maybe not. The more upbeat sounds you've place in there do just that. It's terrific as is. Nice one Doug. I don't own any Kontact stuff. Maybe I should investigate. Check out my latest song called Nocturne op. 55 Andante

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)

Synth bells
Actually there is a pad in the last whale drum frenzy, but I found I had to really dial it down to keep the drum and its harmonic richness as the centre of focus. Clearly we have the same initial reaction about pads as to what to do with the piece :)

The Kontakt package is good as is, but these samples only use Kontakt as a player. They can be found at SoundIron or 8dio.

Thanks for the generous remarks Dave. Lovely to see you come by!

Cheers,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

PaulaMunk

PaulaMunk said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)

I was thinking
I could fall asleep to the water glass sounds. Then, you added the beats and I thought no, but gee, it is still a quite beautiful piece. It just is too bouncy to fall asleep to. I'd be sleep cha-cha-ing into the bathroom for nightly pee breaks and probably scaring the cats. You are an amazing musician/composer. Love this. Thanks.

Check out my latest song called Alone at Christmas

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Sleeping was not in the cards in this tune I did think as it started out that it could be an interesting new age-ish ambientish melange but no. The mad drumming just had to make itself heard, and hence sleeping gets a little tougher, or at least affects people and their cats :) Thanks Char! Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Narad	Narad said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	Bells and Drums Experimental music of the best. Muchly enjoyed ! :) Check out my latest song called Train of industrial delight II

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Hello Harald I'm so glad you enjoyed this experiment. Thanks for stopping by for a listen. Cheers, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

fathom	fathom said 626 days ago (September 1st, 2011)
	This is gentle percussive music that's meditative and head clearing. Rich sounds and combinations. Enjoyed! Check out my latest song called Early

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Head clearing - cool! Glad you liked the sound textures. I wanted to almost solo the instruments so the richness of the originally recorded samples shone through. Thanks Fathom, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

gadzooks	gadzooks said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Bells and Drums Improv This is a very nicely put together piece ... it's quite magical and dreamy at the start and then that odd percussive beat comes in and stops and those wonderful bells and glasses and tubes come in. What an interesting experiment of sounds. I do like the way you have played with percussion in this piece. SG Check out my latest song called A Fly

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Thanks Stan This was a kind of spontaneous stream of consciousness that didn't want to rest in any one style or theme. Thanks for your kind words, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

DWL	DWL said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Dunno how you do it Doug but you do it very well. Improv or not, this is great. The sound just flows around me. Nice work. Cheers Dick Check out my latest song called Not For The Likes of You

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Cheers Dick I can only think of the same statement about your creations. You've always been a solid supporter of my work and I really appreciate it. Best always, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

bud	bud said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	This is great I have to look into Tonehammer - don't know a thing about it - but this sounds excellent on my monitors. I'm playing in an actual bell choir and would love to mess with these instruments. Check out my latest song called ditto

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)

Thanks Kevin
Tonehammer as a company split into 2 new companies just recently. The two principals of Tonehammer each went their own way, and they split the catalog between them. One company is called 8dio and the other is SoundIron. The instruments in this piece are all now carried in the tuned percussion line by SoundIron (.com). If you're a bell guy, the circle bells would be of interest and the demos on the site are pretty indicative of what you can do. They use 12 velocity layers and 10 round robin samples per layer to achieve pretty realistic results.

Thanks for stopping by!
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Moviz	Moviz said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Very much like a vibraphone don't you think Doug..... and there's something very satisfying and dreamlike about that 'gling-glong' sound..... nice way you have of mixing with the percussive sounds; it comes across as quite cinematic, regards M Check out my latest song called Shine Your Light

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	VibraGlass? For sure it is like a vibraphone, and as the notes are sustained there is this higher bowed detuned glass sound that kind of rides on top. Subtle, but it's there. Cheers Maurice, glad you came by and thanks as ever for the comments. Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

VicDiesel	VicDiesel said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Way cool Those wine glasses sound great, as do all the other bells and whi.... eh, more bells. Enjoyed listening to this. Check out my latest song called Fourth Candle

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Thanks Vic I had no idea that you had just put out your own rhythmic piece, which I really am fond of. Yes, lots of bells and tuned percussion in this one. I had been wanting to use the samples for a while since the company had their big sale and I bought them. Thanks for your kind words, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Vic Holman	Vic Holman said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	excellent glassy, bellish & synthy. this whole piece evolves very nicely. i sure like this a lot! Check out my latest song called Darkest Skies

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)
	Gracias Mr. Holman I'm glad you liked how this one developed, which is a bit off the normally 'beaten' path, so to speak (I'm talking like Drakonis now!!) Appreciate you having a listen and sharing your thoughts. Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

PatriciaGirl

PatriciaGirl said 624 days ago (September 3rd, 2011)

Crystal clear :)
Isn't so fun to play with the arps that way. Reminds me when I created Germination how organically the arps can makes things sound. Love when the rhythms kicked in to give a tribal feel but in a crystal cathedral-sorry the mind is all over the place. Have to keep it in check or it just takes over-hehe

Nice job and thanks for sharing:)
pg

Check out my latest song called Derelict

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 622 days ago (September 5th, 2011)

Thanks Patricia
I had recorded a piece on tape from my old (old old) Roland U-20 many years ago using its arpeggiator and a piano sample but haven't played with that little tool since. This was a refreshing revisit to what can be done, albeit now recorded in a DAW and using much better quality samples.

I like your reaction you describe as tribal. I hadn't thought of that until you mentioned it.

Thanks for the kind words,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Henke

Henke said 622 days ago (September 5th, 2011)

Nice improv
The many simultaneous glasses in the beginning is pretty close to become distorted (from multiplying overtones) but I think you manage to keep it within "reason". I like the addition of those really cool drums. Together they work so well! Don't know how much improv it is, sounds like a good composition to me... Nice dynamics and, yes, quite liberating.

Thanks and take care,
Henke

Check out my latest song called Spring

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 622 days ago (September 5th, 2011)

Sample beat frequencies
I did hear the effect you were talking about and I think some comes from intermodulation and some from the overtones of the individual samples that seem to change over time. I can't remember if there was bowing going on after the recorded mallet strikes or not, but I don't think so.

I appreciate your words about this sounding like a composition. Here's what I did to make it, and why I called it improvised. I recorded the first section with the bells by playing the keyboard, then stopped, and started a few bars back recording the first drum passage. When I thought that was done, I went back, changed to the bells and recorded a track that reacted to what I heard in the drum track, and then kept going past the end of it, then went back and laid down the final drum track and finally played the bells in response to it. So maybe it is 5 improvs! I edited a tone or two in the bells at the end to make it like up timing-wise a little better and that was it.

I appreciate your coming around for a listen Henrik, and leaving detailed comments.

Thanks,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

SISTERS

SISTERS said 621 days ago (September 6th, 2011)

abusing the arpeggiator
someone had to - really glad YOU did!
imbibaphone?? Doug- you make that up? 8)
wasn't expecting percussion at 1:30 - neat change!
2:34's full stop very effective.
cool cascades of glass -its delicacy against the percussion at 3:32 is a real nice contrast. the changes in the percussion's tones is a delight to hear. i think your creation is wonderful. let the fiddling continue!
Anne

Check out my latest song called UNIVERSAL SONG w Astronomusic & 24 Soloists

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 621 days ago (September 6th, 2011)

Imbibaphone indeed
I wish I had been that creative on the naming but the guys from SoundIron deserve the credit. Some other classics from their repertoire of sample names: Phonehammer (sounds from a toy phone), Crowbar+car (taking a crowbar to a derelict car) and Nutsack (a bag of nuts). What they do with the results is just as amusing as the names.

Thanks for such a careful listen and evocative feedback. I will indeed keep fiddling.... :o)

Peace,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

egobandit	egobandit said 621 days ago (September 6th, 2011)
	atonal I wouldnt say so, some great groove you get with the drums, nice buildup experimentation is key the tonehammer samples have great potential This is a great bed, Enjoyed! Check out my latest song called walkin out my door

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 619 days ago (September 8th, 2011)

Drum Groove
Experimentation is great fun, and I find that when I get new sounds open up and stimulate all kinds of new creative possibilities. I'll endeavour to have another go with some of the other samples I bought in the same sale.

Thanks for having a listen and letting me know what you thought! I appreciate the support!

Cheers,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

MikeRobinson	MikeRobinson said 620 days ago (September 7th, 2011)
	This takes you to a bunch of unexpected spaces A very creative composition indeed, with (of course) excellent-sounding samples and a very unexpected musical journey. What I mean to say is... here, you are exploring sound, itself. Check out my latest song called Trading Places

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 619 days ago (September 8th, 2011)
	Exploring sound itself I really like that phrase. Thanks Mike, I take it that you are also an explorer too from what I heard on Trading Places. Unexpected turns and twists are all part of the journey. Thanks for your kind words! Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

Reinholt56

Reinholt56 said 620 days ago (September 7th, 2011)

Hi Doug.....
I heard this piece a few days ago and I've listened to it a number of times since then. Each time the soundscape takes me somewhere different. Tonight I'm in an underwater cavern with light shining onto the water through a hole in the roof.

Scintillating patterns on the walls of the cathedral like structure as well as through the water have my attention as sunbeams chase each other around the water molecules.

A wonderous journey indeed. All the various parts that went into the production work together so well. Where will I go when next I listen....

This is a most definite keeper!!

Take care.

Paul

Check out my latest song called When The Time Comes (An Ambiental Mix)

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 619 days ago (September 8th, 2011)

many rides from one ticket
Wow Paul, you seem to travel when you listen in ways like I do. Colour, structure, and feeling all combine. To be honest, I receive way more of a trip when I listen to your work than when I listen to this piece - different resonances I suppose.

Thanks for being an attentive listener through the years. It makes the work all the more rich when I know that people of your tastes and skill appreciate what I bring forth.

Best wishes,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

awigze	awigze said 619 days ago (September 8th, 2011)
	Doug Imbibe indeed. A aural pleasure of natural sound. Very cool! Check out my latest song called Dark Waters w/scofugate, ktb, Pickquickrecords, Ren-Tin-10

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 618 days ago (September 9th, 2011)
	Thanks Andy I love your succinct summation - aural pleasure of natural sound. It was the natural character of the bells and drums in particular that I found attractive and inspirational here. Here's a glass raised to you, sir! Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

ic42

ic42 said 615 days ago (September 12th, 2011)

imbibaphone? I'll have what he's having...
luxuriant ambience lulls the listener, who is then rhythmically and aurally massaged with all manner of alien crystallinstruments. Invigorating, this is, and refreshingly unique. Otherworldly Taiko drummers.

I named one of my soothing synth patch/creations a "libidiphone" long ago.

I cannot wait to hear your touches on MJCity. I have a little hand in it as well. Rik is an extremely creative character.

ttfn,
Drakonis

Check out my latest song called Synthopolis 0x02 (VIDEO!)

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 614 days ago (September 13th, 2011)
	I hear the Imbibaphone improves the Libidiphone Otherworldy Taiko - cool reference and image. It makes me think of one of the Animusic pieces with the robots on the space platform. Thanks for the kind words Eduard. It's always a pleasure! Cheers, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

TobinMueller

TobinMueller said 599 days ago (September 28th, 2011)

Cobblestones and dripping eaves
Really nice space created. Love the mix of bell and glass vibrations. The first rhythmic section comes with energy and interest, kind of ends more randomly, integrates less elegantly as the second section. The more "wooden" natural sounding second rhythmic section has an evocative film score feel. I was imagining a wet maze of cobblestone alleyways, as someone run just after a rain but perhaps with a sense of desperate intrigue.

Check out my latest song called Frozen Man (by James Taylor)

Doug Somers	Doug Somers said 590 days ago (October 7th, 2011)
	Cobblestones I often have some visual in mind when I hear a piece but for this one did not for whatever reason. I think that the scene you describe works well now that I know about it. Thanks for the careful listen to the improv Tobin. Be well, Doug Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

hackneybloke	hackneybloke said 423 days ago (March 22nd, 2012)
	bells i dragged this into GB and messed along to it with my guitar. it was fun. 'polyrhythmic'...what an amusing euphemism for 'tempo all over the place'. and i thought it was because i'd bin smokin' dat weed. nice track doug. Check out my latest song called Every People Know w/Rok41, KTB, Scofugate & Sisters

Doug Somers

Doug Somers said 423 days ago (March 22nd, 2012)

Tempos have been aggressively randomised
Well, euphemisms aside, the tempo does change and it also does a lot of just plain wandering in this piece, some unintended. Were I more scrupulous about the posted quality, and a better musician on a keyboard, I would have had the slower bits in better time. No weed or 'interpretive rubato' excuses on my end for this one. One capture and that was it.

To play along with a guitar on this one is challenging I would think just because the notes and tempi (tempos?) are so random. If you came up with anything in GB that you even half like I'd love to hear it since I'm now so curious about what would go with this mayhem.

Cheers Julian,
Doug

Check out my latest song called The Asteroid [Doom2012]

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Artist Info

Name: Doug Somers
Location: Ottawa Ontario Canada

I make music for pleasure, usually using a computer to create soundscapes around all kinds of music. I used to jam with a local celtic group, playing bodhran and 12 string guitar, but I find that my technical and live performance skills fall short o... [see more]

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Genre Info

Experimental music is any music that challenges the commonly accepted notions of what music is. There is an overlap with avant-garde music. John Cage was a pioneer in experimental music and defined and gave credibility to the form. As with other edge

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