"Spongy Viola Jazz (Instrumental)" : FAWM

Spongy Viola Jazz (Instrumental)

6 days ago by @danvaillancourt

Spongy Viola Jazz (Instrumental)

danvaillancourt

00:00

Liner Notes

The guitar in hand and percussion on feet in one take with no edits. Added viola.

#jazz #instrumental #viola #upbeat #dowecallitspongyjazznow?

Percussion is washboard with change on left foot (thanks to cellist Sonya Moomaw for that tip!) and shaker tambourine on right foot. And the floor stomping comes through on mic too.

I tossed a broken headphone down there that I use as a lofi microphone plus whatever the guitar mic picks up.

(Addition “percussion” is both the strumming style with a very thick pick and occasional rhythmic “chopping” technique in the viola with the bow.

Comments

@wynia 5d

What is the scrapey sound? I'm super duper impressed with the amount of texture you can get with just guitar and percussion with your feet. The viola sounds great! You've been getting better and better! The slides and bends and crunchy attacks, oh yeah! Neato chords in the guitar too, I like the sound, mmhmm hmm hmm!

@danvaillancourt 5d

Hopefully, it is good scrapey and not bad scrapey. Haha. Washboard under left foot with loose change has some scrape… the strumming technique with thick pick has some scrape… and the rhythmic “chopping” on the viola has some scrape… I’m doing it at the beginning and between some phrases.

I put a photo of my percussion and mic set up in the main liner notes if you are interested. Nothing fancy but strange enough to be interesting. Ha.

Thanks for the kind words in viola… some days it feels like I am really getting it and some days, it feels like all is lost! Haha. Sometimes, in the same day actually.

The think that I am learning about bowed instruments is that they are very “voice-like” and just like when I listen to recordings of my own voice… the experience changes for me dramatically listening back depending on if my ears/brain are fresh or tired. Haha. 😬

It has been a while since I’ve recorded acoustic violin (and viola is the first time) and I am remembering now what a challenge it is to actually capture the sound in the room with a mic.

@wynia 5d

It’s really nice scrapey! Cool setup! How do you “play” the washboard? Just tap it, or run the foot across it?

@danvaillancourt 4d

I sort of alternate feet up and down with a light stomp with a slight forward motion sometimes on the washboard foot to get a little washboard scape. The change on the washboard bounces and moves back and forth a little too. Also, there is just enough space between the metal part of washboard and the wood that kind of clicks. Plus the stomp on the floor picks up in the mic. So… it just all mixes together to make a rhythm and enough randomness happening to keep it interesting. Hahah.

@headfirstonlyTEAM 5d

I had to come and give this a listen to find out what spongy jazz sounded like. And now I know. I like it, too.

@davidtaro 6d

Is this all ad lib, you crazy sonic magician, you?! Sensational musicianship, you’ve nailed that swingy Jazz Age vibe. Love some of the glissando on the viola. Top jazz chordage. If I could dance (which I cannot) I’d be jitterbugging my way across the room right now…

@danvaillancourt 6d

Haha. Thanks man. The progression is basically Dm7-Cmaj7-G7 with embellishments. Just wanted something to solo over so I was winging it and playing around with the guitar/percussion part. And then yes, viola is all improv. The beauty of jazz is that there are no wrong notes. 😉 Still a lot of learn but I’m starting to figure out these bowed instruments a bit. 🎻

@paul_pedersen 6d

I saw the title and was immediately perplexed. Do we have a spongy viola or is jazz the recipient of the modifier? Of course, I had to listen, but got no answer. But I did enjoy the adventure.

@danvaillancourt 6d

Haha. There is a moth called the “Gypsy moth” that was renamed “spongy moth” a few years ago… so, it is just pondering the renaming of this style of jazz. 😉

https://entsoc.org/news/press-releases/spongy-moth-approved-new-common-name-lymantria-dispar

@paul_pedersen 5d

See! Listening to music is educational! Thanks, Dan.

Command Center