RP Collier Thumb Piano Project
Experimental instruments and adventures in sound exploration since 1975.
17
songs
22.2K
plays
salad bowl 1 salad bowl 1
Distortion and reverse loops using a kalimba made out of a wooden salad bowl. photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/41969054@N00/1337759320/ how-to DIY: http://www.instructables.com/id/EN22NAFF5R8MST9
Furfur Furfur
track made using a faux fur kalimba see video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xnuChpEHrGc photos: http://tinyurl.com/24akmz
altoid jump altoid jump
short track using a thumb piano made from an Altoid - Curiously Strong Mints tin. There is a photo of the instrument here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/41969054@N00/257907748
Raw Metal Raw Metal
The Uncle Ben can & hairpin piano with heavy distortion. There is a photo of the instrument at http://www.flickr.com/photos/41969054@N00/254464192
UFO back down UFO back down
Solo thumb piano clip with an artifact of flutelike harmonics. UFO is the resonator shape, *back* is reversed, *down* is pitch shift. The instrument used can be viewed at http://www.flickr.com/photos/41969054@N00/254464189
Show all (17)
The songs presented here are made using thumb piano, also known as: kalimba, mbira, sansa, likembe, etc. No samples from other sources are included in these tracks but there is some computer manipulation involved.
The approach is a combination of conceptual and emotional; influences are wide ranging with strong inspiration from Jazz and African music.
Check out the Soundcloud page! http://soundcloud.com/rpcollier
2013 NEW Album!!! Iterations - http://rpcollier.bandcamp.com/album/iterations
2012 Platz - http://rpcollier.bandcamp.com/album/platz
2011 Future in Sepia - http://cdbaby.com/cd/rpcollier6
2010 Reagent - http://cdbaby.com/cd/rpcollier5
with 5 thumb piano tracks.
2008 all thumb piano audio CD: http://cdbaby.com/cd/rpcollier4
and http://www.doncampau.com/lw2007.htm
Tilting@Windmills album can now be streamed at Last FM http://www.last.fm/music/rp+collier
Brand new EP release Deconstruction of Twilight http://cdbaby.com/cd/rpcollier3
Some merchandise to support the Project at http://www.cafepress.com/yapruder
Photo set of experimental thumb pianos at Flickr:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41969054@N00/sets/72157594240725240/
Check out the ambient thumb piano videos now up at YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/tynego
Album tilting@windmills - is available at CDBABY: www.cdbaby.com/rpcollier
and iTunes:
http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=30686488
Eight of the tracks that use experimental thumb pianos, several tracks use synthesizer, guitar and toy keyboards. The album and individual songs are available at iTunes and several other online music providers. Reviewed in the June 2004 issue of The Wire (UK) magazine.
Experiments in instrument construction and explorations of sound since 1975.Your musical influences
Free Improvisation, Minimalism and loop-based music, Blues and Jazz. Harry Partch, Brian Eno, Fred Frith, Steve Reich, Chicago Art Ensemble, Keith Jarrett, Elliott Sharp, Hans Reichel. Also field recordings - especially those of Hugh Tracey.READ MORE
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Comments (2)
Amazing stuff! I'm just learning myself and your tunes are inspirational. I'm blown away that you've created so many variations with the basic instrument and what a range of emotion you've gotten. Please create some more!
I really enjoy your compositions.
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