1. Introduction
Can improvised ambient music work as a method for aurally illustrating the inner workings of the human mind during present moment awareness? If so, how does one reach such a conclusion? Previous studies conducted from various different angles show that improvisation and ambient music connect to one another through their common and complementary characteristics (Huggett, 2017) as well as through mindstates such as mindfulness and flow (Mayall, 2021) and by technological means (Siepmann, 2010). All of these angles are interconnected facets that are necessary in the real-time creation process of fully improvised ambient music, however, I have not been able to find previous comprehensive, meticulous practice-led research in this area. Therefore, this artistic research intends cover some of that ground by shedding light to the key points of how a mindstate might be influencing the creation process of the textural structure of improvised ambient music and vice versa. It is suggested in this study, that through a holistic everyday practice of ambient music, wholesome qualities can be implemented into the textural structure of the music that further contribute to wholesome benefits in the performer.
1.1 Context of the Study
As an electric guitar player, for as long as I can remember, I have wanted to find something that I can really call my own personal style. Something that flows naturally from me without having the need to push it. Something that feels right to me. In June 2023, I decided to create a practice routine for myself out of the things that I felt were meaningful for me, with the intent of eventually uncovering my own musical style and the creative approach to my music making. I wanted to make music that would reflect the things that I appreciate in life. Therefore, I planned out a 90 minutes long morning routine which included mechanical guitar warm ups, a period of sitting meditation and a recording session for an improvised ambient track. I eventually labelled these different sections as ”orientation, meditation, and improvisation”. I thought that if I would do these practices daily over a long period of time, my life would develop towards a more meaningful direction.
I decided that it is good to have the meditation session right before the recording session, so that my improvisation would then share the qualities practiced during the meditation. And to prepare my fingers for playing right after the meditation practice, I would do different guitar exercises before sitting down to meditate. The meditation period then worked as a relaxation period for my fingers, as they would always start to feel nicely warm and ready to play during the sitting. Before the routine started, I would usually do some physical exercises first thing in the morning around 5 or 6 am, then take a shower, make myself a smoothie, and have a cup of coffee. If I didn’t get to eat anything before starting my routine, my hands would get so cold during the improvisation that it felt horrible. Therefore breakfast, as well as the physical, musical, and mental exercises turned out to be essential for preparing my body and mind for the improvisation. This type of practice routine was then kept for 18 months, during which it also evolved and changed shape a couple of times, while maintaining the main elements in one way or another.
1.2 Research aim and questions
The central aim of my artistic research is to develop a form of improvised ambient guitar music through a reflective practice routine.
The research is guided by these core research questions:
1. How does one create balanced musical textures in improvised ambient music?
2. How is the mindstate linked to the creation of improvised ambient music?
I will now outline the structure of this written work and related multimedia elements.
1.3 Structure of the written work
The following sections will firstly cover a review of previous literature and other previous studies, followed by the conceptual framework and research design, including an analysis of the artistic data generated. In the final sections, I will reveal and discuss the key findings of the research, followed by final conclusions. Multimedia elements including video and audio excerpts are used along the way to further illustrate and understand the emerging discoveries.