Summary: | THE FOCUS OF THIS THESIS HAS BEEN TO INVESTIGATE AND CODIFY TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES USED WITHIN IMPROVISED DRUMMING AS A WAY OF EXPANDING MY OWN LANGUAGE AS AN IMPROVISER. THIS PRACTICE-LED RESEARCH CONSISTS OF A WRITTEN THESIS AND A PERFORMANCE PORTFOLIO. THE PORTFOLIO CONSISTS OF RECORDINGS OF THREE ENSEMBLES I PERFORM WITH AND AN E-BOOK OF EXTENDED TECHNIQUES I DEVELOPED DURING THE PROCESS. THROUGH THE EXPLORATION A 'ND DEVELOPMENT OF VARIOUS NEW TECHNIQUES THAT I IMMERSED MYSELF IN, I DEVELOPED A NEW WAY OF IMPROVISING WHICH ADDED TO MY EXISTING METHOD. As A DRUMMER SPECIALISING IN IMPROVISED MUSIC AND JAZZ, I HAVE A SPECIFIC INTEREST IN THE METHODS OF OTHER DRUMMERS AND THE TECHNIQUES USED TO CREATE THE DIVERSE APPROACHES THAT CHARACTERISE CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE PRACTICE ON THE DRUM- SET. THE AUDIO AND VIDEO RECORDINGS AND ACCOMPANYING' COMMENTARY ARE ORGANISED IN A CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER, AND PROVIDE AN INTEGRAL ACCOUNT OF THE PROCESS BY DIRECTING THE READER THROUGH EACH WORK. THE WORKS ARE EXAMINED IN DETAIL AND THE DISCUSSION ILLUSTRATES HOW THE TECHNIQUES AND APPROACHES OF THE METHODOLOGY DEVELOP WITHIN MY PERFORMANCE CONTEXT. THE WORKS ARE COLLABORATIVE IN NATURE THROUGH THE INVOLVEMENT OF OTHER MUSICIANS IN A VARIETY OF PERFORMANCE CONTEXTS. THIS THESIS DOCUMENTS THE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF MY METHODOLOGY OF EXPERIMENTAL DRUM-SET TECHNIQUES. THE PERFORMANCE PRACTICE OF THE TECHNIQUES THROUGH IMPROVISED MUSIC CONTINUES TO HAVE A LIFE BEYOND THIS RESEARCH. THE MAIN ACHIEVEMENT OF THE OUTCOMES OF THIS RESEARCH IS THE CREATION OF A NEW TERMINOLOGY TO ENABLE THE TECHNIQUES AND APPROACH.ES DISCUSSED, INCLUDING A NEW NOTATION SYSTEM. THIS NOTATION REFLECTS THE PRACTICE OF A NUMBER OF DRUMMERS, INCLUDING MY OWN. THIS PRESENTS A NEW STRATEGY THAT IMPROVISING DRUMMERS AND COMPOSERS CAN USE IN THE CREATION OF ORIGINAL MUSICAL WORKS.
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