About:
Paul Bell is a studio composer and turntabist. He completed an HND in music production in 2002 then went on to gain a bachelors degree and then a masters degree, majoring in studio composition and improvisation.
He is currently undertaking a practice-led Ph.D in music at Newcastle University under the supervision of Dr Will Edmondes and Dr Bennett Hogg.
Paul studied DJ performance for three years under the tutelage ofRaj Pannu,which
helped lay foundations for doctoral research into turntable improvisation.
The core of his research centres on exploring the dialectical relationship between recording and improvisation whereby recordings
become a resource for creative manipulation rather than simply existing as 'fixed' works. This is increasingly significant within contemporary DJ culture having witnessed a monumental shift from analogue to digital systems that offer innovative ways to access and control digital audio.
A number of solo and collaborative projects inform his researches
including his Live Cinema project where he brings together DJ and VJ practices, a DJ Motion Capture project offering unique insights into turntable performance,
and theTron Lennonproject. Paul is also collaborating on an inter-disciplinary project atCulture Labto help
develop new, tangible tools for Live Cinema/VJ performance.
Paul undertakes occasional teaching work on studio
composition modules at Newcastle University and lectures in
areas relating to DJ culture and improvisation.
Paul will be resident atSTEIM(the studio for electro-instrumental music) in Amsterdam 4th-17th November 08.
