Break the Rules

Try writing a song with your ears as your guide. If something sounds right, then let it ride; follow the music to wherever it takes you. Disregard theory for just a moment and try something spontaneous. Incorporate other musicians, experiment with atonal music, and try to get a different perspective on music making. Do something unique!

Check out what Princeton University’s Music Department is up to in an article by Jamie Saxon:

“Through improvisational techniques, the students are creating group compositions influenced by sound, gestures, rhythm, poetry/spoken word and visual arts” (Saxon).

Improvisation course takes students out of their musical 'comfort zone'

Unique, huh? I once performed something of this nature with a previous guitar instructor as a warm up before a lesson. I was instructed to play around with sounds, disregarding notes and structure. So, I went off percussing, bending, scraping, anything that came to mind. The point was to let go and stop thinking. It can prove to be quite a liberating experience. 

I also encourage you to check out W.A. Mathieu's "The Listening Book," as it is a great resource for listening to the world in a new perspective.

-Austin

Looping to Create Interesting Textures

One piece of equipment I find of extreme value is a loop pedal. I feel it is a perfect tool of experimentation, allowing you to mesh different chords, riffs, base lines, and even drum beats together. There are so many different harmonies and textures worth exploring. Below is an old video of one of my first experiences with a loop pedal. Listen for the harmonic overlap in the riffs. 

In a nutshell, I took a chord progression, added 2 small riffs, and then played around with some improvisational ideas. It will provide you with hours of endless fun!

Happy Jamming

-Austin

DIY Pedalboard

As a musician, innovation should not apply to just music making, but rather all aspects of your life. When you are presented with a problem, be innovative and seek out a creative solution! You might find that in the end, the rewards of your creative efforts far exceed the results of taking the easy way out. This is why today, we will focus on building your own pedalboard.

Here was my problem:

In search of new sounds, my pedal collection quickly reached the point where I needed something to stay neat and organized. Horribly turned off by the prices of pre-fabricated pedalboards, I went looking for an alternative solution. I found that some people used wood boards, while other used lunch trays and other odd materials. I even saw one constructed out of an old suitcase. After stumbling across a couple DIY projects, I decided I would build my own pedalboard from scratch. 

You can construct your own for half or even a third of the cost (mine cost me about $40)

Here's the best part: you can make it look however you want!

This was my solution:

Not bad, eh? I used scrap wood to create the frame, which I cut, filed, and spray painted. I bought a 2"x15' box of industrial velcro to anchor the pedals down securely.

Here is a side view of my project:

 Here, you can see how I fastened a strip of 90 degree aluminum as a foot guard:

Handles were a breeze:

Rubber feet keep the pedalboard securely in place:

Another view:

If anyone would like further instruction on how to create their own pedalboard, I can lend more advice and tips. I build custom boards to order if anyone is interested, but they do cost the price of a new pedalboard...these things are a full weekend project! 

Enjoy, and happy building.

-Austin

Email: innovativeguitarist@gmail.com