Questions to the musicians: Huw Warren

How do you manage to play two time signatures at the same time ? (Graham, London)

I had a curious fascination with colliding patterns from a early age and would often mess about with these kind of sounds instead of working on my classical pieces. This of course means that my Beethoven sonatas are pretty ropey, but I am strangely at ease with anything in twenty one eight. I try to concentrate on one of the parts whilst enjoying the rhythmic pulls and pushes that the resultant effect gives.

How do you achieve the effects on the piano? (Carol, London)

On Infinite Riches, the piano effects are either done with preparations (things stuck inside the piano basically) or with effects processing such as looping, delays, backwards etc. I usually say that piano preparations are trade secrets - but anyone who has seen me play live will clearly testify to wood, metal, paper, coins, percussion instruments (ie. anything you can get your hands on that makes an interesting noise) being placed on the piano strings to modify the sound. One of my favourite sounds from Infinite Riches is the rhythmic part from Xibaba - This was made, as so often is the case, with objects lying immediately to hand in the studio. In this instance it was two really heavy cardboard boxes (originally storing studio gear) damping the strings to give that rattley sound.

What music do you listen to? What would you recommend to others? (Ted, Orpington)

Quite a lot! One of the side effects of living with a large family is that as well as your own favourite sounds, you get to hear all kinds of music. A sample of just the last few days would include Dr Dre, Bill Frisell, Slipknot, Frank Bridge Piano trio, first Human Chain album, Bartok piano music, Latin Dance Party, Late Junction, Egberto Gismonti, Chilled Ibiza, Karen Tweed, Karen Street, Zakir Hussain and Shakti . I imagine the next few days will be completely different....... Listen to what you like (and whatever you like), there's a lot of music out there.

Your name is the Welsh spelling. Is this correct, and, if so, what effect has Welshness had on you? (Djanyla, Clapton)

A fairly high tolerance to alcohol and a sudden obsession with rugby when the Six Nations start.. Oh Sorry! You mean in music? Certainly my upbringing and earliest music experiences in South Wales have had a major effect on the way I make music today. My school , although comprehensive, had a long tradition of turning out fine musicians, and there was music and enthusiasm just about everywhere. As well as playing in orchestras and the like I also worked in the workingmen's clubs of South Wales between the age of 14-18, and this was certainly a crash course in practical musicianship! Like many of my contemporaries, all this was absorbed and somehow spat out again in the search for new sounds and new ways of making music. I suppose my Welshness is something personal which I carry around with me. Definitely a Welsh musician, but part of a loose group of people based mostly in London, who are in turn part of a European Jazz scene. You are known for playing with a wide range of musicians and styles.

Do you have to have a different approach when you are playing with classical, jazz or folk musicians? (Charles, Lewisham)

Not really, it's usually just a question of language or terminology. I'd like to think that an inspiring musician is an inspiring musician, whatever the style.

Huw Warren's own homepage