Exposition

A new face of the cello (2020)

Belén Ruiz Vega
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About this exposition

As a cellist, I always enjoyed the classical repertoire but since I started to play this instrument I have tried to reproduce my favourite songs in the cello. Once I developed my cello skills, I started to write transcriptions of the songs played by my favourite bands such as Metallica or Scorpions. Years later, I had the opportunity to spend time researching this topic. So I decided to base my master research on arranging and performing heavy metal songs for cello ensemble. In order to develop my research, I contacted experts related to this topic either for being in contact with heavy metal and rock or for being a cellist outside of the classical world. I listened to hundreds of songs and versions of those songs to take ideas and inspire myself for the arrangements and performances. Finally, I did experiments in order to get different sounds or techniques from other instruments such as slap from the bass or death growls from the singers. As a result of my research, I did three arrangements from different styles within the heavy metal, heavy metal itself, thrash metal and melodic death metal. Throughout this research, I developed my arrangement and performing skills, starting from a basic arrangement from cellos and drums to three cellos; and ending with an arrangement from a standard heavy metal band with new techniques included, to four cellos. During this journey, I could improve step by step my skills and show all the progress in the last part of my research combining all the knowledge acquired through the process. As this topic was unexplored, my research could be a base for musicians interested in arranging and performing heavy metal. With it, I wanted to bring closer the cello to all the people. Nowadays, classical music is losing audience and this new point of view can be a tool to have an impact on a new public. Since the last century, the cello has been included in a lot of popular songs, from The Beatles to Pink Floyd. Bands increased the use of the cello to the moment that ensembles of cellos, such as Apocalyptica or Break of Reality, decided to do something new and bring this instrument to different styles of music and showing the versatility of the cello.
typeresearch exposition
keywordsCello in heavy metal, Heavy Metal, cello rock
date16/06/2020
published22/06/2020
last modified22/06/2020
statuspublished
share statusprivate
affiliationCodarts, Hogeschool voor de Kunsten
copyright(c) Belén Ruiz Vega
licenseAll rights reserved
languageEnglish
urlhttps://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/934150/934151
published inCodarts
portal issueCodarts Artistic Research Reports.
external linkwww.codarts.nl


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