2023·Ambient·Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts, USA
Jim Bouchard
Rattletrap Charm
AlbumAbout
I played banjo and made loops to manipulate them in some way. There was an organic relationship between the banjo and the computer, because I got into playing a tentative playing style as I was teaching myself a bit of Round Peak Style Clawhammer banjo, and sometimes I made the programming follow the banjo's pace, and sometimes I set a tempo in the software and made the banjo play along with that. I would record the banjo using a Shure MV88 mic on phone and then import that in adaptive mode to Logic Pro where I did most of the actual arranging, chopping and dicing in various ways. I played a bunch of bass and guitar and ukulele as well, and tried to keep it focused on the banjo while throwing a lot of variety in there sonically.
Favourite Moment
When I finished it and realized by sticking with one process for the whole project my RPM Challenge ended up with a very unified feel even though there's a lot of wacky and varied content.
Advice
a bunch of nerdy programming shortcuts, and how to record my banjo, and also getting acquainted with fretless banjo playing.
