JaME spoke to the artist at the 'Presences Electroniques' event in March.
Sachiko M is an artist who has explored the processing of sinusoidal waves for many years. Her work is entirely spontaneous and relies on the meticulousness of the quality of the sounds, their texture, amplitude, displacement, appearance and fading. Silence is of equal importance in her work and is treated in the same way as the different signals that she handles, reminiscent of the composer John Cage. Sachiko M has also played alongside numerous musicians from various genres - pop, jazz and more experimental.
We spoke briefly to Sachiko M on the second day of the Presences Electroniques event in France about her career, collaborations and techniques.
Hello. We would like to start at the beginning of your career. How did you become interested in the technique of sampling?
Sachiko M: To start with, I was a sound engineer for a theatre company, where I worked essentially with cassette recorders. Afterward I discovered sampling, and I started to use it myself because it was really easy to create sound effects with it. That’s how my interest in sampling started. Later, I stopped using this technique of sound recording, then I discovered that it was possible for me to place the sinusoidal waves directly on to my sampler.
When did you start to work only with sinusoidal signals?
Sachiko M: I think it was around 1997.
After the disbandment of Ground Zero?
Sachiko M: Yes.
We would like to know how you worked in the Ground Zero period. Did the samples that were selected have a particular significance, according to the tone or theme of the music, or instead did you chose them randomly with a total freedom of choice?
Sachiko M: When I took part in Ground Zero, I worked with Yoshihide Otomo, and I had to work to his instructions before concerts. There was a certain competitive spirit of always wanting to excel oneself.
Sometimes he came to see me with his own sound sources that I had to edit. I also at times had the freedom to chose my own sounds, but the most important samples always came from Yoshihide Otomo.
In what way is your present work, the handling of sinusoidal waves, different from your sampling work?
Sachiko M: It isn’t really the same thing. Sampling must be composed largely around a meaning, conveying a message, where as sinusoidal waves are nothing more than sound. I think also that this is the reason that I quit sampling, as it was too difficult and trying.
You have worked with numerous artists on many very different projects, for example with Toshimaru Nakamura, Hoahio, and again with Otomo Yoshihide New Jazz Orchestra. What is it that attracts you to take on such diverse music genres? And according to you, what can you bring to them?
Sachiko M: Usually, I prefer to play solo because I don’t need any other sounds but my own. It depends; playing with other musicians allows me to obtain something of theirs, something that isn’t purely musical. It all depends of course on the people whom I play with, but it’s essentially for this reason that I continue to take part in many different projects. Sometimes I don’t feel completely satisfied because it is difficult to know how to place my sound into certain musical styles. But I would like to continue to work with other musicians as long as I enjoy doing it.
Generally, do you ask to play with other musicians? Or do you wait to be asked?
Sachiko M: I think that it is not that easy to play with me. My style is quite straight and rigid. I never change. I just play my own music, that’s how it’s turned out. It’s happened that I’ve declined offers from other artists whom I feel it would be difficult to collaborate with. But as I always say, I generally prefer to play alone, I don’t need other external sounds. Of course, I can also take pleasure in playing with others, but I have this habit of always saying no. (laughs)
Do you except invitations more readily from friends?
Sachiko M: Not especially. It depends.
OK. Thank you very much for giving your free time for this interview.
Sachiko M: Thank you.
JaME would like to thank Laure de Lestrange, the press associated with GRM, and Sachiko M for her kindness and time.
