Chuck Hammer

Chuck Hammer is an American guitarist and Emmy nominated digital film Composer, known for seminal guitar-synth with Lou Reed, David Bowie, and Guitarchitecture. He was born in New York City. As an artist, Hammer is best known for his Guitarchitecture recordings, though he is also widely regarded as an influential soundtrack composer.

Hammer toured extensively with Lou Reed from 1978 through 1980. During these concerts Hammer utilized new guitar technology, known as guitar-synth, to orchestrate songs from "Berlin", "Street Hassle", and "The Bells". It was during this time that Hammer developed an approach to composing and recording known as Guitarchitecture. Hammer recorded with Lou Reed on Growing Up in Public, January 1980.

In March of 1980, Hammer recorded guitar-synth tracks for David Bowie on the album Scary Monsters (and Super Creeps), including multiple textures across "Ashes to Ashes", "Teenage Wildlife" and "Up the Hill Backwards", all of which marked the earliest use of guitar-synth in Bowie's catalogue. The actual instruments utilized on these tracks included a Roland GR-500 with an Eventide Harmonizer. Textural tracks such as those on "Ashes to Ashes" exhibited a multi-layered, orchestral approach, to recording and composing with the guitar.

Hammer's recorded work is known as Guitarchitecture, a process which he developed in 1978. Guitarchitecture involves a broadening of the guitar's vocabluary by altering it's temporal characteristics and context. This approach often utilizes extended sustain, reshaped timbres, discreet vibrato techniques, and textural event layering. The term Guitarchitecture applies to both Hammer's soundtracks in the digital film medium, as well as his recorded guitar work. Hammer was accorded pioneer status alongside an eclectic yet select group, including Robert Fripp and Allan Holdsworth, having been attributed with leading a new era of development in the global guitar community, influencing instrument capabilities, form and functions in music.

In 1983 Hammer began composing film soundtracks with a Synclavier, adding a Digital Guitar Interface in 1984. Later that same year he worked with Laurie Anderson, attempting to trigger extended samples, from her Mister Heartbreak multitrack recordings live, utilizing the Digital Guitar Interface. In 1985 he recorded "Glacial Guitars", a series of Guitarchitecture pieces that explore cello like timbres and string controlled sampling. in 1986 Hammer recorded "Cathedral Guitars", a series of solo acoustic pieces. In 1987 he collaborated with choreographer David Gordon, composing "The Seasons", for the Next Wave Festival, which premiered at the Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM). While recording this Musique concrète piece. Hammer utilized a synthaxe as a primary contoll component to reshape audio elements.

In 1989 Hammer designed AVA studios in New York City, a multi media production facility in Chelsea, that focused on film and television music scoring. Between 1994 and 2004 he composed soundtracks for an extended series of non fiction documentaries; collaborating with National Geographic, Discovery, New York Times Televison, and A&E. These soundtracks were widely broadcast and highly influential, in effect, darkening the tone of soundtacks that followed; merging textural scoring to picture, and digital sound design. During thei period Hammer began developing the process of composing with non-processed acoustic and electric instruments; combining the hi touch sonic artifacts of non-processed guitars with higly processed soundscape undertones.

In 2006 Hammer composed the soundtrack for the film "Crazy Eights" which premiered at the Cannes Film Festtival.

In 2007 he composed the soundtrack for the film "The Wreck".

He is currently developing a new series of Guitarchitecture soundtracks.

Digital film and television soundtracks (partial)

Trauma: Life in the E.R.
The First 48
Paramedics
Police Force
Maternity Ward
World Birthday
Science Times
Breaking News
Women and the Badge
Crazy Eights
The Wreck

Guitarchitecure recordings

Guitarchitecture

Glacial Guitars

Acoustica v1, v2

Guitargraphy

Cathedral Guitars

External links

References

Welch, Chris - David Bowie: We Could Be Heroes (Thunder's Mouth Press) ISBN 1-56025-209-X
Bockris, Victor - Transformer: The Lou Reed Story (Simon & Shuster) ISBN 0-684-80366-6
Prown, Pete and Newquest, HP - Legends of Rock Guitar (Hal Leonard) ISBN 0-7935-4042-9
Boleyn, JR - Far Way to Even (Abernathy & Smyth) ISBN 1-4196-2930-1
Clapton, Diana - Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground (Bobcat Books) ISBN 0862760569