The
Rage - Swiss Army
Bass
Copyright 2014 Jay
Wasco - Swiss
Army Bass/ vocals - Performed live/real time
(including drums) . All sounds (drums,
feedback/weasel/chud chunks /guitarishness
fracked crafted played, triggered/provoked
in real time -- (hh click)
The Fractal Harp
TM is
another instrument I;ve dreamt up and expanded on .It's built and a logical
progression from its predecessor
The
Egotar
(Egotar videos below) The Harp , features a central pivoting
slide that rests atop it's 24 strings and travels through 27
flexibly chromatic increments offering over two octaves of
notes for each position. ...(well duhh). The notes are laid out
as a pentatonic harp but can be addressed in limitless ways as an electric/acoustic guitar.
The instrument also has a group of strings that
function as a rudimentary pedal steel guitar (similar to the
Egotar)
Single or
two-handed play allow for the simultaneous
manipulation of other instruments and effects
The simplicity of it's design is remarkable when weighed with
the range of expression possible.
The
Egotar is a combination bass/ pedal steel guitar I first
got the idea to create, living in NYC back in the mid
90's. Frustrated with the shortcomings of midi
keyboard element of the
Swiss Army Bass,
(emulating slide guitar parts & sounds with keyboards is
a real bitch), I got thinking ,..."why not commit
a truly authentic act of self indulgence?". At that, I
set out to build the a prototype. The original rig was
really clunky but sounded great from the start. I
managed to toss it on the back of a cart and go play in
the subway and made a living for a summer when my band
was on the rocks and my
studio
slow.
My
approach to the instrument has been to find the
discipline & challenge to play numerous covers with
multiple chord changes in order to become more
proficient player as opposed to the improvisational
-"shooting fish in a barrel" - tripped out dreamscapes
that comes so natural to the instrument. I
particularly
enjoy playing old Elton John tunes on the Egotar because
of the wonderful chord inversions and familiarity to the
listener ... and yes... they're great songs
"Lockjaw". Johnny Skilsaw is my band
that's had many incarnations of great friends / cool dudes -
with different lineups and levels of success at freaking out
audiences over the years -- seen here With Nick Dicorato on
drums & Mark Hutchins on percussion, performing a happy
little tune from the
Stuffed & Motorized
LP ... no ducks were harmed during making of this
video..........
Be All - End All Rig
"The Wind Cries Mary " cover of the 1967
classic Jimi Hendrix classic -performed on the "Be
All - End All Rig" the latest stop on my journey to find new ways to
create and improvise fully realized music in real time. The rig includes
elements of the
Swiss Army Bass
the
Egotar
& the
Fractal Harp--
with various electronic percussion thangs taking root. -
Some recent innovations include drums
triggered by a guitar pick system I'm developing .. as well
as drums performed across the ranges of the both keyboards as well
as percussion pads --....also, a system of multi tiered triggers
above and below each keyboard. I've come up with an anti feedback vocal
gate system that is controlled by foot enabling hand free reverb rides
for the headset vocal mic . ,,,,,,ya dig?
"Effortlessly" -one of my own tunes ....... -- after
playing with some great drummers through the years as well as
being a consummate drum enthusiast/ programmer
(I've
concocted countless insane drum programs for many a
project including these for Foetus )
I finally went about getting a drum set and figuring out
how to get my neighbors to hate me even more . I
managed to lay drums down for this - This video is done as close
to "live" as I could get ,done in two continuous recording
passes ...until I figure out time travel at which point, I
will promptly go back to the 90s and beat the shit out of
myself.