Improv_Loops: Ambient Music as Everyday Practice by Juho Aaro Aapeli Tuomainen

Improvised ambient music making is a multi-dimensional process where the musical and the artistical skills are implemented into a dance between the mind of the performer and the creative use of technology. Both the mind and the machine together create a symbiotic relationship which over a course of a longer improvisational process produces a calming effect on the body and the mind, a sensation which in this artistic research is referred to as ”the slow buzz”. Over an 18-month period from June 2023 to December 2024 I practiced the creation of improvised ambient music by keeping a routine which included mechanical guitar warm ups, a meditation session and a recording session for an improvised ambient music track. This routine laid a solid foundation for my artistic work, generating all in all 360 improvised ambient tracks, which were all listened and analysed along the way. All the know-how and the musical style that emerged from this routine eventually led to the creation of a continuous, flowing form of improvisational live-ambient music. I then rehearsed, filmed, and analysed the resulting ambient music 40 times during the autumn of 2024 in order to gain insight into the mindstates that are affiliated with the creation of improvised ambient music. The final outcome of this artistic research process was then to be presented in the form of a solo concert during the Global Spring Festival, on the 15th of May 2025.

References

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Artistic references

Video files

Abstract noise.mov, 29th of Nov, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Adding noise.mov, 22nd of Oct, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Different scales.mov, 18th of Nov, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Peaceful ending.mov, 4th of dec, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Rule of three.mov, 15th of Nov, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Scene transition.mov, 16th of Sep, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Serene feelings.mov, 13th of Nov, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Textural chords.mov, 11th of Sep, 2024, Filmed by Juho Tuomainen.

Audio files

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0004.mp3, 7th of July, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0017.mp3, 8th of July, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0022.mp3, 19th of July, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0030.mp3, 31st of July, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0064.mp3, 25th of Aug, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0083.mp3, 8th of Sep, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0089.mp3, 15th of Sep, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0112.mp3, 2nd of Oct, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0115.mp3, 4th of Oct, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0119.mp3, 9th of Oct, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0124.mp3, 16th of Oct, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0135.mp3, 6th of Nov, 2023, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0165.mp3, 15th of Jan, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0191.mp3, 21st of Mar, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0203.mp3, 26th of Apr, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0205.mp3, 29th of Apr, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0229.mp3, 17th of June, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0235.mp3, 3rd of July, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0236.mp3, 3rd of July, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0240.mp3, 6th of July, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

Juho Tuomainen - Improv_0276.mp3, 5th of Aug, 2024, Recorded by Juho Tuomainen.

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Juho Aaro Aapeli Tuomainen - Improv_Loops: Ambient Music as Everyday Practice - 2025