# Cello improvisation



## Christof (Jan 16, 2016)

Inspired by a novel I was reading I decided to do a short improvisation, it's not perfect because it is not a composition, but I had fun doing it, hope you like listening to it:


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## Morodiene (Jan 16, 2016)

Beautiful! Are you thinking of composing based on that idea? I can see a lot of potential with it, if so.


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## Fer (Jan 16, 2016)

Beautiful! which novel is? : )


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## Penthagram (Jan 16, 2016)

Christof, this sounds really beautiful!. Thank you for sharing. Amazing expression. You are very talented!. If i will born again, i will play Cello  (My piano is looking at me angry right now)


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## LamaRose (Jan 16, 2016)

Lovely and deep. I think the composition stands as is. Nothing compares to the expressiveness of a cello. Maybe you should start a thread - "Guess which book inspired this piece."


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## Christof (Jan 16, 2016)

Morodiene said:


> Beautiful! Are you thinking of composing based on that idea? I can see a lot of potential with it, if so.


Yes, this might become a theme for one of the characters.



> Beautiful! which novel is? : )


The novel is called "http://www.amazon.com/Terminal-Rage-A-M-Khalifa/dp/1940387000/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top?ie=UTF8 (Terminal Rage)" by A.M.Khalifa.
Actually I did a whole https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00OIEJ5V4?ie=UTF8&refRID=1WSXG3JY2GR03TYXXV2G&ref_=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_3 (soundtrack) to this book.
While he was writing he sent me the chapters and I did music to it, so he was inspired and my music influenced his writing.
Now I am feeding the script writer with pieces like this improvisation for inspiration.


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## RiffWraith (Jan 16, 2016)

Very nice! 

Ah, nothing beats a nice instrument played well by a real person who knows WTF he is doing.


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## Christof (Jan 16, 2016)

RiffWraith said:


> Very nice!
> 
> Ah, nothing beats a nice instrument played well by a real person who knows WTF he is doing.


Well, at least no programming was involved...


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## Dracarys (Jan 16, 2016)

I enjoyed this a lot, what recording techniques did you use? I've also uploaded a live cue if you care to gander. 

All the best.


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## Christof (Jan 16, 2016)

Dracarys said:


> I enjoyed this a lot, what recording techniques did you use? I've also uploaded a live cue if you care to gander.
> 
> All the best.


No special recording technique, just close mic (AKG C-414 mono signal) and Lexicon Reverb, recorded into Logic X.The whole thing took me 10 minutes to do.Thats the advantage of using live performances.


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## Suganthan (Jan 16, 2016)

Beautiful! From 1:33, can I know what is going on behind the writing? Sounds like a carnatic scale for me.


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## Christof (Jan 16, 2016)

Suganthan said:


> Beautiful! From 1:33, can I know what is going on behind the writing? Sounds like a carnatic scale for me.


Thanks!
There is no writing, this is an improvisation.The artificial harmonics played at 1:33 seem to be a variation of the "main theme" (if there is one).
Actually I have no idea what a carnatic scale is, maybe you can tell me more about what I played there.


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## Dracarys (Jan 16, 2016)

Christof said:


> No special recording technique, just close mic (AKG C-414 mono signal) and Lexicon Reverb, recorded into Logic X.The whole thing took me 10 minutes to do.Thats the advantage of using live performances.



Sounds great, could imagine if you used a Neumann. Lexicon hardware? I hear you, took me over a week to program a solo violin that sounded terrible, musician did it in 45 minutes.


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## sleepy hollow (Jan 16, 2016)

Christof said:


> Actually I have no idea what a carnatic scale is


I think he's referring to Carnatic music in general, which I'd describe as a style or genre of traditional or maybe even classical Indian music.


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## Christof (Jan 16, 2016)

Dracarys said:


> Sounds great, could imagine if you used a Neumann. Lexicon hardware? I hear you, took me over a week to program a solo violin that sounded terrible, musician did it in 45 minutes.


Lexicon Native Reverb (plug in)


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## Christof (Jan 16, 2016)

sleepy hollow said:


> I think he's referring to Carnatic music in general, which I'd describe as a style or genre of traditional or maybe even classical Indian music.


Cool!I performed an Indian scale?


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## airflamesred (Jan 16, 2016)

That was delicious, thank you.


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## Alatar (Jan 16, 2016)

Very nice


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## Suganthan (Jan 16, 2016)

Christof said:


> Cool!I performed an Indian scale?


Not the whole. The artificial harmonics part(@1:33) followed by the part(from 1:42 to 1:54). It just sounded like some carnatic scale(not sure since I don't know that much about them for now, its my ears telling me). That is why I questioned you. Nice improv again!

PS: (Sorry for my bad notation)
@1:34
E G Ab G
C B Db C --> the part my ears telling me like that


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## Arbee (Jan 16, 2016)

Sigh, beautiful - thanks for reminding us of the magic of real musicians with real talent playing real instruments.


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## Jerome Vonhogen (Jan 16, 2016)

Excellent!

- Jerome Vonhögen


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## givemenoughrope (Jan 16, 2016)

Really nice. I just rented a cello, intending to buy one soon. I have zero bow/string experience but I feel like I just need to learn to play it. Why not? This little ditty made me drool a bit...I doubt I'll ever be that fluid...but it's kinda what I'm shooting for. Bravo!


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## Morodiene (Jan 16, 2016)

givemenoughrope said:


> Really nice. I just rented a cello, intending to buy one soon. I have zero bow/string experience but I feel like I just need to learn to play it. Why not? This little ditty made me drool a bit...I doubt I'll ever be that fluid...but it's kinda what I'm shooting for. Bravo!


If I had enough mental capacity and time, I would learn to play the cello. Good for you!


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## givemenoughrope (Jan 16, 2016)

Bad for anyone within earshot currently. Thanks for the encouragement though!


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## Silence-is-Golden (Jan 17, 2016)

Christof, let alone what you could do with this improvisation, to me this piece is what creating music is about.

Analysing and technically one could say all kinds of things regarding this piece of music: how the notes or phrases are allowed to 'hang in mid air' allowing tension or imagination to work.
The rest and quiet of the whole piece is beautiful, and suggests more depth of feeling to take place.
The different bowings and harmonics ( apperently indian influenced...) also create a moving patterning that to me makes this piece complete and stand on its own. Maybe according to 'classical' rules and guidelines there should be adjustments here and there, but I think it would kill the natural feeling and tonal frequency of the piece.

On your site there is also a piece called ' Amanda's speech' which I think is also an excellent piece of music, that is different to this but somehow has a similar nature.

If I were to make a request I would ask that if you would create more music that stands on its own and create a CD ( old fashioned nowadays but as an idea of putting it together) I will buy it instantly as a part of my ' good and real music' collection.

Please keep improvising and hopefully you will allow us to hear more of your music.


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## dannymc (Jan 17, 2016)

stunning, expression expression expression, pure human. thanks for posting Christof 

Danny


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## Phryq (Jan 17, 2016)

Very cool; makes it obvious how samples still fail. I can't imagine a sample doing this.

Sometimes an improv is better left raw. I like it as it is.


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## Gunvor (Jan 20, 2016)

Thank you for sharing!, this is beautiful!


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## Phil C. (Jan 21, 2016)

Hi Christof,
Nothing can beat a real musician with a real instrument, I have listened with a great pleasure.
Congrats !


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## Christof (Jan 26, 2016)

I am glad that you like it.
It's interesting what you can do in 10 minutes with a real instrument or a human voice.


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