Expert Sleepers Andrew Ostler: Four Drones for Saxophone and Modular Synthesizer

Late 2021, and lockdown has eased to the extent that it seems reasonable to organise gigs, albeit with some trepidation. After the big studio projects of “Crossing The Line” and “Rolling Like a Bullet”, this suggests a new approach for an album - a collection of tracks composed and rehearsed to be played live (at least in theory). To keep me honest, each performance destined for the album would be videoed and published on YouTube. Furthermore, in the interests of remaining a “mobile intelligent unit”, the setup should not involve too much gear - in particular, no laptop.

For me, a modular synth has always been an adjunct to a computer, so it was useful discipline to come up with a modular system that could be the entire foundation of a performance, albeit supplemented by my saxophone and ever-growing pedalboard. As ever, these new needs provided invaluable feedback into Expert Sleepers product development.

During this time I was becoming increasingly interested in just intonation and related tunings, and the pieces here reflect that. The more I learn, the more I realise how entrenched equal temperament has been in my own education and subsequent thinking, and I can only presume the same applies to many, even most, others of my generation and culture. This, I believe, is a great shame. As I write, there are signs of cracks in the previously unassailable hegemony of 12 tone equal temperament, but there’s a long way to go. It’s a journey I look forward to taking.

- Andrew Ostler, Edinburgh, April 2022

credits

released November 4, 2022

Andrew Ostler - tenor saxophone, C melody saxophone, modular synthesizer

Composed, recorded, mixed and mastered by Andrew Ostler.

Design by Carl Glover for Aleph Studio.