'Search' means listening for and identifying all the musical elements in the environment. 'Reflect' means attempting to reproduce as nearly as possible the form and sound quality of the identified figures ('sound- shapes').
This piece develops our skills at being able to listen to others while playing at the same time. It is in several stages. Resist the temptation to move quickly from one stage to the next: each is self-contained and can be treated as a piece in its own right.
STAGE 1
I ARRANGE the musicians in a circle with their try not to put two of the same instrument instruments next to each other if possible.
II GO around the group one by one, each trying to produce the shortest sound possible, playing it at an even pace. Everyone is aiming to produce the shortest, most precise sound ('click'] within the environment.
III ONCE the first person has started, the second person will determine the pace of the piece by the amount of time they leave before coming in with their click. It is suggested that you keep a slow pace to allow time (as in archery) to aim for your click (bullseye) and fire.
IV GO around the group a few times, making sure that the pace is even. Even if a click is fluffed or missed, the next player in the circle must come in on their beat.
V TRY to establish an internal balance within the group. The quietest instrument must play audibly. Similarly the louder instruments must adjust their volume to the quietest instrument. Check any tendency to speed up
STAGE 2
GO around the group as before, still keeping a steady pace, but this time everyone tries to copy exactly the sound that the person immediately preceding them has made. The mistakes become positive - that is, if someone fluffs a click which they are trying to copy, the next person must copy that fluff. For instance, if a sax player misses a note altogether, and the only sound is that of breath, the person after them must get as close as they can on their instrument to the sound and shape of that breath.
POINTS TO WATCH
As the mistakes develop, there is a tendency to predict the sound that the preceding person is going to make, because of the linear development which you have followed around the group. The temptation is to follow the linear development, as opposed to concentrating completely on the person who precedes you - who may stop this development by making a new 'mistake'. The responsibility is always to emulate the person directly preceding you in as full detail as possible, whatever sound-shape they make.
STAGE 3
FOLLOW the same procedure but this time try to emulate the rhythmic mistakes (ie unevenness of tempo) as well as the sound-shape mistakes. For example if someone rushes their beat, or drags their beat, try to reproduce exactly the space they have left between beats.
CHECK
You could stop the piece here, and ask everyone to recall and reproduce the last sound-shape they made, put it in a rhythmic context for themselves (over a count of 1 2 1 2) and play it as a repetitive ensemble figure (everyone coming in at the same time). See 'Feather Flock'.
STAGE 4
CONTINUE copying the soundshape of the preceding person, but this time go around the group as rapidly as possible. The overall sound should be of a continuous line, each person entering immediately with their reflection .
STAGE 5
NOW go back to the clicks - the whole group comes in 'conducted' (by a nod or other cue from someone). This re-establishes the clicks in the ensemble. In that group sound, try to identify the dominant click. You are practising listening to the ensemble. Refer to the group what sound did they hear as dominant! If everyone hears the same instrument as the dominant sound, then the internal balance of the group is at fault, and should be put right. Repeat this a few times.
STAGE 6
I WORKING as a group, play your clicks in your own time. Come in altogether (as in Stage 5) on the nod. You are playing for the benefit of the others in the group, sending out signals from your instrument.
II WHILST repeating your clicks listen to all the other clicks in the group and identify each of the instruments, until you have picked out and heard all of them.
III CLOSE YOUR EYES AS SOON AS THE GROUP HAS ENTERED: THIS IS AN AURAL EXERCISE!
IV CONTINUE to play even when you have identified all the instruments, as someone else in the group might not have identified your click yet.
V REFER to the group - has everyone identified all the instruments/sounds in the environment? If not, continue this procedure until everyone has heard everyone else.
CHECK
It is important to maintain your shortest possible sound, while concentrating on listening. Check any tendency for the clicks to get longer.
STAGE 7 REFLECT
I BEGIN altogether [as in Stages 5 - 6) playing a click. Pick out the most dominant sound and immediately reflect it. While reflecting that sound search for another sound to reflect. Reflect everyone's clicks in the environment as rapidly as possible.
II IF you get stuck on one instrument (which you hear as dominant), don't worry, just keep reflecting that instrument while searching out other sounds, until you hear a different sound to reflect. Often it is not lack of volume which stops you from hearing a click, but the pitch. The length of a click is also important precise, sharp click is easier to hear than a longer blurry one.
III WHEN you have searched out and reflected everyone's clicks, carry on reflecting the most dominant sound until the process is stopped.
IV REFER to the group - did everyone find and reflect everyone else? If not, continue until they have.
CHECK
Sound balance is a problem here; when clicks are played together, some instruments get lost, especially classical guitar. Everyone should be aware of this and adjust their own volume as necessary. Stop the group if it is impossible to hear someone - rearrange the seating etc.
STAGE 8
I FOLLOW a similar process to the above, this time with 'flurries' instead of clicks. A 'flurry' is a short smear of notes lasting no more than a beat. It's like scribbling in the space of one beat.
II FLURRIES should be played with comfort and without being thought about. They can be different every time, as they are too imprecise to be accurately repeated.
III GO around the group, each person playing a flurry in turn. Keep an even pace as in Stage 1. The flurry is started on the beat.
IV NOW the whole group flurries - again, this is cued in by a nod. Identify the dominant sound in the environment - ask people what they heard. This checks the sound balance again. If it is a large group with' a wide range of dynamics, it is often difficult to get a good sound balance. The 'Mouth Piece' (page 62) can often be useful at this stage, to show people how quietly they can interact, and to re-establish a good internal balance.
V GO through Stages 1 - 6 using flurries instead of clicks.
STAGE 9:
I EVERYBODY enters together with a flurry, nodded or conducted by a movement of one of the players. As soon as the group has been cued in, everyone must shut their eyes.
II WHILST playing this first flurry, listen to the group and IMMEDIATELY your first flurry has ended, reflect another flurry that you have heard in the ensemble sound.
III REFLECT means attempting to play someone else's flurry, allowing the form or timbre of another instrument's flurry to shape your own. You may be a bass player, but will 'become' the flute, tuba, etc. for the duration of a flurry.
IV WHILST playing this second flurry you are already listening for another instrument to reflect, and so on, so that the process of hearing and reflecting is as instantaneous as possible.
V CONTINUE until you have reflected all the flurries in the group. Continue to play even after having identified all the other flurries, as some else might not have identified your sound yet. VI STOP the group, and ask people how they got on - could they find and reflect everyone else's flurries? If not, carry on until everyone has done so.
CHECK
Be sure to reflect instantaneously: don't wait to reflect, or someone who is listening for you won't be able to find you. This is more important than reproducing the flurries exactly. There should always be something to reflect - if there isn't, the piece isn't working. After sorting out any problems (such as over-long spaces between flurries), the group should re-enter as above. You may find that you are forced to reflect the same instrument many times, as it seems to be the most dominant. If necessary stay with that instrument while trying to listen through it to identify another flurry. Keep watching the sound balance (see Stage 7).
AS A PERFORMANCE PIECE
Having been satisfied that everyone has searched for and reflected everyone else, 'Search and Reflect' can now be played as a performance piece.
I WHEN you have searched and reflected everyone , continue to flurry, reflecting any dominant sounds in the environment.
II IN the process of doing this, try to detach yourself and hear the overall ensemble sound (in a similar manner to the Triangle piece, page 77). You are still reflecting anything which suggests itself but no longer searching for and reflecting individual sounds. Your attention should be directed away from your own sound. While retaining the sound balance and general activity which went before, each person is listening to the overall group sound, (excluding themselves), and reflecting it in an ad hoc, subconscious way.
III ALLOW yourself to become aware of your own sound and activity within the ensemble. Don't leap in or you miss the point of going through the procedure of the piece.
IV AT this point you are ready to adjust what you play according to what suggests itself from the overall group sound. Try to keep a perspective on the overall sound and contribute freely to the group conversation.
V AT this point, if everyone has maintained the discipline and sound balance required , the group should be involved in a meaningful free group improvisation where everyone is sensitive to everyone else, and aware of the overall group sound.
CHECK
The attraction should be, even within the freedom of choice that exists, towards the collective as opposed to the individual. No one in the environment should be redundant - everyone's contribution should be heard and appreciated by the group, even if they are playing a quiet instrument.
Feel free to drop out when you want to, but stay aware of the group sound - you may feel attracted to come in again. If one or two individuals are keeping the music going on their own, then there's an imbalance in the group.