He bows to the reel to reel like an orthodox Jew.


Reel to Reel?


Jew?



I think you see where this is going....

???

Was there a point to that?

Fripp's a good guitarist, don't get me wrong, but can somebody explain to me what was so special about a guy playing to a backing track?

It's because hes creating the backing in real-time

RandomLurker999: It's because hes creating the backing in real-time

No he isn't.At least not in that clip. The tape was a prerecorded synth track.

Irregardless: ???

Was there a point to that?

Bag of Hammers proves there was no point to that..

El Freak: RandomLurker999: It's because hes creating the backing in real-time

No he isn't.At least not in that clip. The tape was a prerecorded synth track.

At the start it was, but after a while it's all "real time". One loop of tape running through the record of one then the playback of another reel-to-reel machine. As the tape goes through a loop it adds another layer.

Yes that's true but, if you listen you can hear delayed harmonies of what he has played ending up on the backing track. Ive seen him start from scratch on a live vid. this is essentially the same thing but he had to make a backing beforehand due to the time constraints of being on a television program

That wasn't - by itself - groundbreaking. Hard to do that in the small time allotted.

However, that was a system that he and Eno had created. Fripp/Eno feeds the guitar input into the left reel-to-reel, and the tape feeds across a large amount of space to the right reel, where it's played back. That playback feeds directly out of the right machine into the left machine where it's re-recorded onto the tape. Which then spools across the large distance to the right machine where it's played again - and fed back again to the left machine.

As that initial sound is played, taped, played, taped - he's feeding in new notes and phrases onto the tape. Layering onto existing sounds, all replaying in a rhythmic fashion.

Then - when the repeating loop is sufficient to them - he steps out of the looping process and plays live over it, the melody over the rhythmic backing. As the backing decays, he steps back into the loop and adds more notes/sounds.

Now, you can do this these days with digital equipment, setting the controls as you'd want. However, THIRTY YEARS AGO, this method, using two simple reel-to-reels, was groundbreaking.

On the Midnight Special, where this happened, there wasn't time for him to develop the loops from nothing to the complexity that you heard. Yeah, he's simply soloing over them.

Fripp with Eno is lovely.

If you are interested (new window)

Bag of Hammers: If you are interested (new window)

Thanks. Didn't know that Terry Riley had developed it.

I have a boot of Fripp/Eno doing the No Pussyfooting/Evening Star material on tour. Not much different, to be honest.

You either 'get' Fripp or you don't.

Saw him play a Frippertronics/soundscapes set at Union Chapel in London about 10 years ago, he performed for about 8 hours straight with multiple long loops being created and manipulated, left to loop, ebb and flow... he would retire to a seat to drink tea and eat a cake, then adjust a few parameters, put the Les Paul back on, play something alien, drink some more tea...

Listen to the 4CD Great Deceiver box.

I have a Boomerang phrase sampler. It's great for composing, or for practicing your solos over a rhythm track.

http://www.loopersdelight.com/tools/boomerang/rang2features.html

Fripp and Eno on Fark? What's next? Robert Rich and Steve Roach?

How come when I pick up a Les Paul it doesn't sound as good?

The hell??? Is there no Fark YouTube player anymore?


First SuperDeluxe sells out to Adult Swim, now this?!


Drew must need money. Good thing there are so many people with an extra $5 laying around.

/not one of them, sadly (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it)

Shorty Longstrokin: The hell??? Is there no Fark YouTube player anymore?


First SuperDeluxe sells out to Adult Swim, now this?!


Drew must need money. Good thing there are so many people with an extra $5 laying around.

/not one of them, sadly (or fortunately, depending on how you look at it)

How could Superdeluxe selling out to adult swim be a bad thing? If they sold out to Fox News it would still be a slight improvement.

I would really like to see King Crimson in Philadelphia this August.

Was extremely fortunate to see (and hear) him do this live at the old Cactus Records in Houston around 1980 (maybe '79?). Awesomely mesmerizing... here he's already got the infinite delay loop with the Revoxes set and running -- I guess TV time constraints wouldn't allow him to build that part up on the air, but it's still a great clip.

dmax: That wasn't - by itself - groundbreaking. Hard to do that in the small time allotted.

However, that was a system that he and Eno had created. Fripp/Eno feeds the guitar input into the left reel-to-reel, and the tape feeds across a large amount of space to the right reel, where it's played back. That playback feeds directly out of the right machine into the left machine where it's re-recorded onto the tape. Which then spools across the large distance to the right machine where it's played again - and fed back again to the left machine.

As that initial sound is played, taped, played, taped - he's feeding in new notes and phrases onto the tape. Layering onto existing sounds, all replaying in a rhythmic fashion.


So in other word, it's like about 10 verses of Row Row Your Boat but all by himself.

theurge14:

So in other word, it's like about 10 verses of Row Row Your Boat but all by himself.

Yes, the same way a 1961 Ptrus is just grape juice.

He's no KT Tunstall...

Yes...I remember when musicians could make music, and fiddle about and renew wonder in the listener.

I still try, but pre-fab technology and corporate types get in the way.
There no room to TINKER!!!

Link (new window)

Les Paul.

I would just like to say that Robert Fripp is a farking inspiration. That is all.
/No, that is not all.
//If you don't get the Fripp, you are missing out.

i swear i tried submitting this once, but whatever... just glad that it's up here yay subby! [not bitter]

i dunno... that clip was good, but i've heard other better examples.... but still a live filmed example was pretty cool to see... yeah i think it was a pre-recorded backing track... [that is one of the numebered / yeared tracks from his albums... i think it might be from "let the power fall"...] the reel to reel was for the live frippertronics / guitar input itself i believe....
i think the last minute or two was a little less great than the first minute or two...

I have a double record of the Fripp and Eno Paris concert in 1975... it's pretty good, but i think i might've over paid a little... oh well...

i didn't think that i would ever hear the words "thank you rick james" come out of his mouth... ever... but now i have...lolz

craigdamage: How come when I pick up a Les Paul it doesn't sound as good?

Step 1: Plug Les Paul into a distortion box.

Step 2: Turn the treble on amp all the way up.

Step 3: Roll the tone on guitar all the way down.

Step 4: Wear a suit and tie and short hair, and adapt an inscrutable look to your face.

Step 5: Act bemused, and employ convoluted pseudo-intellectual jargon and a clipped manner of speech.

Step 6: Play your ass off like no one else can.

His soundscapes are nice, but I prefer to hear him shred.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ehMAvlMZCgU&feature=related

Huh, no automatic URL.
Link (new window)

Thanks Glenechocreek!



Now teach me how to pull off the solo on "Baby's on Fire"

craigdamage: How come when I pick up a Les Paul it doesn't sound as good?

You need the new one that just came out. It's way way better.

dmax: Recording the sounds for Microsoft

That is frankly the best part of Vista, with Texas Holdem poker a distant second.

Bacontastesgood: craigdamage: How come when I pick up a Les Paul it doesn't sound as good?

You need the new one that just came out. It's way way better.


Nonono. You need an older guitar, the tubes give it a warmer sound.

Liam Finn does this with guitar, vocals, bass and drums.

danduran: Liam Finn does this with guitar, vocals, bass and drums.

Thirty years later, and digitally.
It's easy to recreate what's already been imagined.

Fripp is the mang