I Swore I'd Not Go ECM

Sun_FortuneSun_Fortune 1,374 Posts
edited February 2006 in Strut Central
True story:I was working on a beat last night and I needed to add another layer to it. I accidently glance over at the ECM bin and I'm pissed. I know there's an isloated bowed electric guitar moment on this Terje Rypdal record that I could use so easily. But I swore I'd not go ECM. Why? Because it sounds cheesy, and becasue I used to use those records as a crutch when I needed a quick sound. Anyone ever set artificial limits on yourself? I remember I played my first beat tape to this semi established dude a long time ago. He said to make a rule not to use flutes or piano. It seemed kind of like wisdom at the time. Maybe I just need to challenge myself or maybe the unbroken whole of music is too overwhelming. I have no clue if setting limits has helped. Anyone else do similar neurotic/narcissitic shit?

  Comments


  • True story:

    I was working on a beat last night and I needed to add another layer to it. I accidently glance over at the ECM bin and I'm pissed. I know there's an isloated bowed electric guitar moment on this Terje Rypdal record that I could use so easily. But I swore I'd not go ECM. Why? Because it sounds cheesy, and becasue I used to use those records as a crutch when I needed a quick sound.

    Anyone ever set artificial limits on yourself? I remember I played my first beat tape to this semi established dude a long time ago. He said to make a rule not to use flutes or piano. It seemed kind of like wisdom at the time. Maybe I just need to challenge myself or maybe the unbroken whole of music is too overwhelming. I have no clue if setting limits has helped. Anyone else do similar neurotic/narcissitic shit?


    I don't make beats, but fuck a rule. No flute or piano, now I can see where using them too much would be a problem, but not using them at all seems very limiting. Just do what sounds good.


  • I don't make beats, but fuck a rule. No flute or piano, now I can see where using them too much would be a problem, but not using them at all seems very limiting. Just do what sounds good.

    Less a rule than a guideline. No I dont think rules are useful in any type of creative endeavor. But I think that maybe setting up challenges for yourself is good. Its all just an exercise anyway and the challenges keep me interested. But enough about me...


    Boring incosequential posts = the wave of the future.

    =

  • imposing self challenges is good, good to push and grow, always. But i never thought of ECMs as a 'type' of sound, theyre all just more records to me. i wouldnt worry about what records you look to for sounds or ideas, just try to find something you never thought to use before, instead of dipping into the same stash every time. My self rule is something like 'be careful you arent repeating yourself'. but it can be hard to not revisit something that worked well.

  • JLRJLR 3,835 Posts
    Keith Jarrett whining sample

  • Keith Jarrett whining sample



    "I dont play electric. I simply do not."

  • Keith Jarrett whining sample



    "I dont play electric. I simply do not."

    From a Down Beat article ca. '74-76: "I do not wish to deal with electronic instruments."

  • Keith Jarrett whining sample



    "I dont play electric. I simply do not."

    From a Down Beat article ca. '74-76: "I do not wish to deal with electronic instruments."

    Herbie said the same thing.

    But hey, it worked out pretty well for em didn't it??


  • True story:

    I was working on a beat last night and I needed to add another layer to it. I accidently glance over at the ECM bin and I'm pissed. I know there's an isloated bowed electric guitar moment on this Terje Rypdal

    stop right there.

    maybe your gut instinct to not sample from ecm was right.

    i say go with your gut.

  • DJ_EnkiDJ_Enki 6,471 Posts
    Anyone ever set artificial limits on yourself? I remember I played my first beat tape to this semi established dude a long time ago. He said to make a rule not to use flutes or piano. It seemed kind of like wisdom at the time. Maybe I just need to challenge myself or maybe the unbroken whole of music is too overwhelming. I have no clue if setting limits has helped. Anyone else do similar neurotic/narcissitic shit?

    I do set artificial limits, but I usually end up breaking them, anyway. The point of the limit is to force creativity and all that, to challenge yourself like you said, but sometimes breaking that rule will result in something really dope.

    No flutes or piano? Damn! I freakin' love flute jernts.

  • girgir 329 Posts

    Keith Jarrett + german church organ =

  • caicai spacecho 362 Posts
    True story:

    Anyone ever set artificial limits on yourself? I remember I played my first beat tape to this semi established dude a long time ago. He said to make a rule not to use flutes or piano.

    i made a rule not to ever use drums in my beats

    whenever i hear a beat with drums in it, i laugh to myself, secure in the knowledge that it is wack.

  • Do exactly what you vowed not to do - but to an extreme degree. Make an instrumental hiphop ECM tribute album with Meredith Monk/Keith Jarrett pain howls, Eberhard Weber bass twangs, ill Hilliard Ensemble vocal stabs, Dino Saluzzi bandoneon underlay and some Edward Vesala percussion sprinkles over a Peter Erskine drum break.

  • BAGGING ON ECM IS

  • GNZGNZ 68 Posts
    Do exactly what you vowed not to do - but to an extreme degree. Make an instrumental hiphop ECM tribute album with Meredith Monk/Keith Jarrett pain howls, Eberhard Weber bass twangs, ill Hilliard Ensemble vocal stabs, Dino Saluzzi bandoneon underlay and some Edward Vesala percussion sprinkles over a Peter Erskine drum break.


  • Hello Travellers,

    I once made a track all from ECM (with the exception of the drums in block 1 and bells you all know!) Track???s over a year old, don't think I've used ECM since? I had a soft spot for Terje's guitar tone/style for a while. Edward Vesala 'SATU' is lovely (I use to label it 'Kind of Blue' for the weirdo???s). Any ridicule/advice about track is welcome.

    LINK HERE

    Kinde Thoughts, alphabethead

  • SLurgSLurg 446 Posts
    True story:

    I was working on a beat last night and I needed to add another layer to it. I accidently glance over at the ECM bin and I'm pissed. I know there's an isloated bowed electric guitar moment on this Terje Rypdal record that I could use so easily. But I swore I'd not go ECM. Why? Because it sounds cheesy, and becasue I used to use those records as a crutch when I needed a quick sound.

    Anyone ever set artificial limits on yourself? I remember I played my first beat tape to this semi established dude a long time ago. He said to make a rule not to use flutes or piano. It seemed kind of like wisdom at the time. Maybe I just need to challenge myself or maybe the unbroken whole of music is too overwhelming. I have no clue if setting limits has helped. Anyone else do similar neurotic/narcissitic shit?

    I don't know if setting limits really helps, but I know alot of producers have their own rules. I once made a beat with a friend and I had planned to use a Funkadelic guitar lick and he was like 'oh non I swear I would never use a Clinton sample'. I'm sure he's not the only one who refuse to use James Brown or George Clinton samples because they're too common. A lot of producers don't want to use a sample that has already been flipped, or others would never use the same drums in two different songs. And I have this other friend who's golden rule is : never have two identical bars in a song.
    Those are the kind of limit that push them to work more, and the good thing about it is that no one care when they break their own rules

  • G_BalliandoG_Balliando 3,916 Posts
    what about sampling early ECM joints? isn't that still cool at least?



    and such?

    ? or ? you be the judge.

  • Keith Jarrett whining sample



    "I dont play electric. I simply do not."

    He played electric piano on Freddie Hubbard's Sky Dive, right?
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