“Sampler and Zither”  is basically an acoustic work based on improvisation, thought as instant composition. It features 2 main sound sources: the  sampler and the zither, exploring their peculiar timbres and matching possibilities.

The sampler (a virtual sampling software played on a midi keyboard) is intentionally limited to plain or treated piano sounds assigned to each key of the keyboard through the different octaves, as a way to create a sort of meta piano exploring all its intense and diverse possibilities of expression.

Difondo “Sampler and Zither” on Soundcloud (mastered tracks by Giuseppe Ielasi)

The zither (German term referring to a specific type of table cittern) is performed using extended techniques. It is thought as a sound body considered in its physical components (strings, wood surface and string metal tie-rods), stressed from time to time by different types of beating devices (bow, hands, plastic sticks, home brushes and combs) or prepared by using various objects such as rubber bands, rulers and little pincers.

The aim is to create a sort of chamber music where, through the improvisation as a way of instant composing, it is developed a constant interplay based each time on the developing of a timbrical idea.

Difondo “Sampler and Zither” on Soundcloud (original improvisation)

“Sampler and Zither” took some years of work through a range of improvisations performed from 2012 and 2014 from which 8 compositions available in this release came out. We chose to select the best ones in order to save their spontaneity, basing our selection on their interplay intensity and efficiency.

In 2015 we focused our attention, respecting the original material overall nature, on: the editing, made possible thanks to Christian Marchi’s precious help, the mixing and, then, the vinyl and cd mastering through Giuseppe Ielasi’s fundamental professional input.

Released in February 2017 by the Italian Experimental Label “Setola di Maiale”.

Musicians:
Sergio Camedda: sampler
Giampaolo Campus: zither