killick hinds

Imbricate | Killick

IMAGE: Imbricate by Killick Hinds.

Most of us approach music through a learned set of cultural filters. We are anticipating melody, harmony, a sequence of chord progressions structured and arranged around twelve notes separated by semitone intervals spaced with rhythmic regularity.

Killick bypasses all that with Imbricate. I love the surprise.

It may be useful to reframe his music in context of visual artists. He is possibly most similar to Jackson Pollock, in intention to avoid conventional structure. Splashes of texture and color created with appreciation for coincidences inside improvisation.

There is the deliberate meticulousness of sculptor Andy Goldsworthy. Use of natural materials, organic acoustic sounds, placed within form-following human intervals of breathing and pulse. Sudden changes of direction, of attention, bird flocks responding to air currents.

Sometimes shiny kitschy repurposed cultural artifacts like Jeff Koons. Atari guts cross-wired to dismembered Buzz Lightyear, bleeping MIDI and following the main action, commenting arcade-speak.

Instrumentation:

Track 1: Demi 8-string multiscale fretless

Track 2: Symbiote 8-string bass harp (seen in Imbricate music video)

Track 3: Walrus 6-string multiscale fretless with MIDI

Track 8: Demi 8-string multiscale fretless with MIDI

Recently this last year, Killick helped co-found Habitable Records, bringing his exceptional editing and production skills to the new label.

Killick | WUOG Live Radio

VIDEO: Killick Hinds live improvisation on WUOG (90.5 FM) Athens, GA. Two of my builds get a workout via his vast array of techniques: 8-string fretless multiscale and Walrus 6-string multiscale. Watch and listen to the evolving soundscapes he creates organically, exploring string harmonics. Fascinating and beautiful. Recorded live 9.21.2021 at the college radio station.

Killick Hinds & Henry Kaiser

VIDEO: Killick Hinds & Henry Kaiser live video improvisation duet. Killick is playing his multiscale fretless 8-string guitar.

KILLICK HINDS: I ran the fretless eight string to the Schroeder DB7 with a volume pedal (that I seldom used). I also subtly added sustain with a Gamechanger Plus pedal and Collision Devices’ Black Hole Symmetry in its effects loop. The main signal was split before these pedals, with one half going to a volume pedal and then activating Plogue’s Chipsounds via Jam Origin’s MIDI Guitar 2 in the computer. The Schertler piezo on Demi’s headstock ran into an Elite Acoustics StompMix mixer (which contributed occasional delay) into a Henriksen The Bud amp.

It was good working with Henry on this…our sensibilities match extraordinarily well. Playing with the video felt the closest to playing a concert since March.

I’ll add it was recorded with my cellphone against a makeshift green screen made of a picnic tarp and an old clothing rack. The assembly is not quite big enough for the task, so framing was a little tricky, but it worked out very well.

I’m really pleased to share this (as I know Henry is) and am very grateful he suggested the project. I thank Cuneiform Records for their continued support of new and exciting music. And most importantly, thanks to everyone for watching and listening.

RICK TOONE: Cool! He has software that works with green screen?

KILLICK HINDS: Yes, I think Final Cut Pro. I have iMovie and that works with it as well. This was my very first green screen experience.

RICK TOONE: Quite awesome. So you were in Athens and he was…?

KILLICK HINDS: Yes, I was in Athens and he was in California.

RICK TOONE: Could you hear each other during recording?

KILLICK HINDS: I played to the movie first. Then Henry played to my audio and the movie.

A Portrait of the Artist

IMAGE: Eight string fretless multi-scale guitar portrait of Killick Hinds. Swamp Ash, carbon fiber, aircraft aluminum.

This was a new experience for me. I’ve never done a portrait of another human being using guitar as mixed media. Why not, though?

Killick Hinds and I have been friends for almost a decade. One of the first things he sent when we met was his autobiography of sorts, perhaps a proto-biography. As I read, I thought: “Here is an honest soul.”

Many thoughts and visits exchanged since then, and my love for him as a person only continues to grow. For those of you who are new…within fifteen minutes of meeting Killick in person I stopped noticing his skin is a mosaic of artwork. Again, over time, I appreciate his commitment to his singular path as an artist.

VIDEO: Killick Hinds and Rick Toone on Blood Mountain after recording “Magnets & Wires” album/documentary in November, 2019. Friends!

In building this guitar for Killick, I wanted to generate a glimpse of him in tangible, material form. We discussed the technical attributes extensively, however the aesthetics were left entirely to me and delivered to him as a total surprise.

I do believe it works.

It’s not even a guitar…it’s something totally new. The resonances/overtones are unfamiliar to my sensibilities. Bowing with the Pickaso yields entirely new textures & audible rhythms in addition to the fundamental/overtones. It’s instantly rewarding and challenging. This instrument is a perfect ergonomic fit and is truly the electric guitar’s metamorphosis. It’s a surreal time to welcome beauty and homework into the world. Thank you completely! (Killick Hinds)

IMAGE: Listen to “Shifting In Reverse”
IMAGE: Listen to “Seagreengrass Walk”
IMAGE: Listen to “Lake Nonlinear”

Killick | Alfred University

Killick Hinds performs live with Walrus 6-string guitar at Alfred University on February 24, 2020. Many of his unusual and innovative techniques are on display: playing behind fretting hand, neck contact mic, external friction devices, string damping, combined with foot-controlled software and organic tube amplification via his custom Schroeder.

This was part of a Sound Design seminar on February 24th, 2020 at Alfred University in Alfred, upstate NY. I also have video of my performance with the Ergo bowed instrument and all the class discussion as well. For some reason the video soundtrack features a non-stop hip-hop drum loop instead of what transpired. (This is inexplicable, although I’m going to sample the loop for a new piece.) I had my field recorder running and that’s what you hear on the Walrus section. The Ergo speaker was too close to the field recorder so that sound isn’t usable, and the class discussion is nearly inaudible at times. The good ones always get away!

It was a delight presenting my craft and artist practice experiences with the students and instructors…I learn a ton through such interactions. With the Walrus I was running the humbucker output and a contact mic each through volume pedals and then directly into the computer to occasionally add some 8-bit sounds via MIDI Guitar 2. The guitar sounds and chipsounds were summed to mono and broadcast through amp and speaker. At the beginning I’m using my fretted and fretless wedges—based on Hans Reichel’s dax—and then at the end I’m indeed using a full sized stripper pole. (Killick Hinds)

www.chrisbuono.com

Chris Buono is a good personal friend as well as one of my best test pilots. For the last decade he has fearlessly played anything I’ve built — often sight unseen…and before a live audience. The only exception I can think of is the Harp Guitar (but we are also in the midst of a pandemic).

With the possible exception of Steve Sjuggerud, Chris has certainly played the greatest range of instruments I’ve built, which makes him uniquely qualified to make comparisons and discuss preferences. If you ever want an objective opinion about my work from a working professional…contact Chris.

I’ve never (ever) asked any of my artists to be exclusive to the guitars I’ve gifted or sold them. I believe in free markets and free association. If an instrument is a good match, it will naturally become an honest favorite. Chris owns a Goshawk™ which seems to appear on a high percentage of his work since it arrived to him.

A good sign.

Chris is a master teacher. Hit him up to take your playing to next level.

chris buono
IMAGE: Newly revised: www.chrisbuono.com
toone ensemble
IMAGE: Magnets & Wire album is featured on his discography. Love these guys!

Magnets And Wire | Album & Documentary

“Hey!” I asked, “Would you guys be interested in recording an album? I have an idea in mind.”

A flood of yesses flowed in before I had a chance to explain…

I had developed independent friendships with each of them as individuals, but most had never met one another in person, just basic awareness as fellow artists via my website. All of them have been loyal long-time supporters of my craft. I knew this mix of personalities would be synergistic and supportive.

Even working professional musicians find it difficult to gain enough time and space to be able to record an album. The pressures of touring, teaching, writing, and performing are intense. And so many of my clients are passionate amateurs — in the purest sense — they make a living unrelated to music, yet dedicate their free time to playing. Many are highly skilled but have no outlet to record.

I want to change that.

To keep our focus tight and set logistically achievable goals, we established several criteria. Each participant will be featured on at least one song. Choose someone(s) to collaborate with or perform solo if you wish. Most importantly, recordings will be first or second take…looking to capture spontaneous magic.

Steve Sjuggerud contributed his time and resources with incredible generosity. He hosted us at his location Sugar Pointe, surprised everyone with custom t-shirts and a coastal waters sunset cruise, plus brought in supremely talented photographer Adam King (check out those photos!) and drummer Dan Ostrowski to add depth to our mix. Thank you, Steve. Thank you also to Steve’s wife Kassy, and his business partners Chris & Kelly Manus.

Killick Hinds generously contributed his audio recording and production skills, first in tandem with me on location, then in his studio mixing and mastering. His deft touch transformed the raw audio into a coherent whole — a difficult task because each song was an entirely different arrangement of room, mics, musicians.

I gratefully thank Chris Buono, Todd Haug, Ken Kinter, Gabriel Levi, and Ede Wright for flying or driving to Florida to contribute their beautiful art.

PS: This album is dedicated to SB. You have inspired many more lives than you could ever know.

magnets and wire toone ensemble
ALBUM: Listen at https://killick.bandcamp.com/album/magnets-wire (photos: Adam King)
VIDEO: Documentary recording the album Magnets And Wire at Sugar Shack in Florida, November 5-6, 2019. Guitars and basses designed and built by luthier Rick Toone. Filmed entirely on iPhone. (41 minutes)
PHOTO: Toone Ensemble. Clockwise from upper left: Steve Sjuggerud, Ede Wright, Killick Hinds, Todd Haug, Dan Ostrowski, Ken Kinter, Gabriel Levi, Rick Toone, Chris Buono. (Photo: Adam King)

Killick | Lacunae (University of Colorado)

Saturday evening Killick txted me: “Livestream tonight…my part starts in 15 minutes.”

I followed his link, not knowing what to expect. He was, in actuality, live improvising (with Walrus) the soundtrack to Lacunae modern dance MFA performance at University of Colorado, Boulder.

The show will use the spiral, gesture and drive of bodies to craft a collision of apocalyptic, upside-down fairy tales, feminist ruminations on neurological difference and site-specific experimentations involving questions of intimacy, connectedness and the unknown.

Killick truly finds the most interesting paths.

It was about four months of remote back and forth collaboration under choreographer Kelley Ann Walsh’s direction…for each of the 3 shows there was 25 minutes of pre-recorded music (all original plus building on a theme from a project of mine with Federico Balducci) over top of which I improvised with the fretless Walrus. I was responding to the parameters from the playback material, the audiences, and primarily to the energy and movement of the dancers, all brilliant and completely ON! throughout. (Killick)

SCREEN CAPTURES: CU Theatre & Dance opens “Lacunae,” choreographed by MFA Dance candidates Kristen Holleyman, Gretchen LaBorwit and Kelley Ann Walsh.

Live | Arto Artinian, Killick Hinds & Adam J. Wilson

Live at the 2019 NYC Electroacoustic Improvisation Summit at New York City College of Technology. Both guitars are fretless (multiscale). Adam J. Wilson on fretless Spearfish™ 6-string. Killick Hinds on Walrus 6-string. Arto Artinian is playing a Haken Continuum surface.

Prior to this live performance, the trio recorded Body Systems studio album.

Besides the three of us, we’re improvising with some software I wrote, an algorithmic agent I’ve taken to calling “Skronkbot.” Skronkbot is always listening and always playing; when I press pedals on my pedalboard, I’m turning Skronkbot’s output on and off and directing it to use different synths and samplers. (Adam J. Wilson)

One of the ways I approach playing with Adam & Arto is to activate densities wrapped in a web of harmonic infinity…something like lungs filling to steady the next exhalation. There’s an unceasing propulsive quality from the sum of three people (plus robot!) inserting pantonal panrhythmic melodicisms with consummate attention towards making the group soup a good eat. This is a truly a fretless trio: fret less and listen more. It’s always a pleasure to work with these beautiful souls and adept technological marvels who too have their own say. (Killick)