Vinyl Guitar Duel

Vinyl Guitar Duel by John Robert Ferguson (Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University) and Paul Vandemast-Bell (University of Derby, UK).Assembled from improvisation with turntables, electric guitar, live sampling and live electronics, this work explores creative expression with digitally augmented instruments (electric guitar/turntable). Extended guitar techniques are deployed alongside gestural manipulation of recordings via turntables and digital means. At the foreground of the overarching aesthetic is a turntable technique called needle dropping i.e. dropping a stylus on a vinyl record as it plays on a turntable. This is used to initiate sonic narrative and create dialogue with the guitar, both elements are variously manipulated and/or looped by each musician via live sampling and effects manipulation. The materials selected are the most combative moments from improvisation that was recorded and (re)composed into a new form, but materials were allowed to dictate the nature of their assembly i.e. there was no attempt to represent the form of the original improvisations.Please note that a representative stereo mix is provided as an MP3, but the work was presented at NYCEMF in 8-channel format; this and/or alternative multichannel versions can be made available upon request.