Is this experimental music?

Blackhorse Slim

Hi. I am a guitar player, I have been playing for nearly 20 years now, and I usually play rock, indie, blues-rock or blues.

About 7 or 8 years ago, I started creating some ambient electronic music, which was fun, and new to me, but not exactly ground-breaking.

In this spirit of experimentalism, I recorded a track in a somewhat similar vein using just my guitar, but without a set tempo, without any real rhythm, or notes, or chords... just sounds. A little while later I heard some guy from Radiohead talking about how their new album (at the time) was a new form of music, without notes or melody or tempo, and I got excited - maybe I was subconsciously part of some new movement? But when I listened to the Radiohead stuff it sounded just like music to me.

Anyway, below is a link to my track. I don't know whether it is music, or even whether it is new. The intention was to make a soundscape that mirrored the sounds of nature in form, which doesn't have tempo, rhythm, melody etc., but using a musical instrument.

Do you know of anyone who has experimented along similar lines?

Ionstorm

It's the first track, Ionstorm. Any thoughts appreciated. This is something I did a long time ago, but I didn't continue in that direction, I moved towards blues soon after this.

cornbb

I haven't heard anything quite like it before, so I'd call it experimental alright. It counts as music too, imo. Nice job. There have been plently of musical movements/genres which have sought to move away from traditional notions like rhythm, tonality, even the use of musical instruments. I'm having a hard time thinking of who to recommend to you based on your own musc, so thats also a good sign that your stuff is original i suppose! Maybe you could look up the likes of Iannis Xenakis, John Cage or Luigi Russolo.

Blackhorse Slim

Thanks. I once heard a track by Spectrum (I think it was Spectrum, anyway), Sonic Boom's (ex-Spacemen 3) band, that was somewhat similar, but much more electronic, where as mine is pure guitar and effects. I have never been able to track it down, so I don't know the title or where it came from - I don't think it was on an album.

I am aware of the work of John Cale, to an extent, and he is interesting. I also like Sun Ra, and EAR, but I don't think this is like any of them.

EDIT: I misread John Cage as John Cale - oops. Just Wiki'ed John Cage, looks interesting. My own music could well be influenced by zen buddhism too. I will definitely follow up on this recommendation!

cornbb

Hehe thats freaky, cos John Cale's stuff is well worth looking at too! He played viola with the Velvet Underground as far as I know and was big into drone-y music. I can't think of any guitarists who have experimented with the instrument in quite the same way as you, off the top of my head.

John

This song of yours Blackhorse reminds me a little of a guy called Oren Ambarchi who makes beautiful ambient music using just a guitar. He gets quite different results though. Good stuff, I like it a lot. When's the album out?

feckless

If you have to ask, then it probably isn't.

JLemmon

Hey if you like it and it satisfies you then it's music, call it soundscapes or ambient if you want as long as you get across your ideas and feelings in a way that gives you pleasure and satisfaction, if other people just happen to like it too well that's great, do you own thing, experiment.
you'll have good and bad results but in the end you may get something new and original. I don't think anyone who tries seriously to make some kind of new music sits down and says I'm gonna reinvent the wheel. They work at the areas they are interested in and explore every avenue and sometimes create something new and strange and then work from there, It's about progressing with your experience, knowledge and emotions to express yourself the best way you know how.
Do it for yourself not others, it will make you most happy in your writing.
Good Luck