Ten Planets Orbit Clicks


Ten Planets was created by improvising to a series of click tracks that modulated according to some really bad mathematical impressions of planetary orbit. Once one improvisation was done.  I listened to that improv while playing back a different click track (orbit).  I did this with 10 sets of modulating click tracks on a large circular percussion setup.  The mix (over 100 tracks as there were 10 mics to play with for each take) made sure everything was heard. I love the result. Play it loud. 
In the studio I lined all the clicks up to start at beat 1 of measure 1 but this table gives you an idea of how I created Ten Planets. You don”t have to wait for all the files to load in. If you wish, you can download each click and line them up in your own multitrack. I listened to only one click at a time and improvised to it. Then, on the same set of instruments, I listened to the improvisation that I just did and improvised again BUT this time, with the next click playing. Referencing both new improvs, I improvised again with the third click. I did this ten times (one improv for each click) while listening to the previously recorded layers. There were 11 mics on the circular setup so eventually I had 110 tracks to mix. Each click is derived from calculations involving orbit time, diameter, wobble and proximity of each planet. Each planet’s click changes 3 times (simulating a non-circular orbit). Experiment with the volumes and start and stop to hear rich polyrhythmic relationships.

 

 
Eris (2003 UB 313)
Pluto
Neptune
Uranus
Saturn
Jupiter
Mars
Earth
Venus
Mercury

 

 

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