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| Photo credit: Bill Goodman |
Singer Holly Pyle walked into an open mic one Friday night with a set of cables, a microphone, and a loop pedal. When her turn to take the stage arrived, she stood silent before the room, focusing on the beat in her mind. One hand ready on the pedal, the other hand began to wave back and forth, her head nodding to her own beat. She sings the beginning of a rhythm and loops her own voice with the loop pedal, each measure adding another layer of her voice to her track. Her stylish, improvisational jazz captivates the room, and the crowd applauds at the end, pleading her to stay for another.
"The loop pedal is a brand-new adventure," Pyle said. "Growing up, I recorded my voice into the computer, and I loved harmonizing with myself. In college, I used Garage Band. I had the idea of using a loop pedal, but I just didn't take the leap. But once those kids encouraged me, I went for it and bought a loop pedal. I went to an open mike in Tempe. I messed up the first time, but they loved it. They invited me to do an artist spotlight - that day."
A complex relationship with music
Pyle has had a complex relationship with music for many years. She calls it just that - a relationship - because it has ran through a wide range of emotions, from love to hate, and everything in between. But she loves that it takes work to nurture her craft.
"There are those points in music, in the relationship, where I have a great moment, where it is all bright and happy, and I think I'll love it forever," Pyle said. "And then there are moments when everyone critiques and gives their own opinion, influenced by their own relationship with music. I tried to conform to other people's wishes, so my own love with music started to feel less real."
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