Self Production

Instinctively I have always kept my own music making and producing separate from my research. However, in three recent presentations  I have tentatively drawn on my own self-production practice to consider firstly, how it has intersected with what has been a more conventional ethnographic research approach and secondly, to shine a spotlight on the creative process itself examining, in particular, on those ‘triggers’ in the production process that serve to evoke a fresh emotional response necessary for an acceptable recorded performance, particularly when the material is very familiar. Drawing on current practice, this article builds on this work to examine this notion of  ‘surprising oneself’ and to argue, that not only is it a key facet of the art form but is wholly necessary for the artist-producer to maintain a fresh approach in the compositional, performative and subsequent editing and mixing process.