At the age of four, Andrew Bird had a hunger for fame. He satisfied his appetite with a passion for music.

The folk singer, who is well known as a former member of the bands Squirrel Nut Zippers and Bowl of Fire, has chosen the solo route and toured the United States and Canada. From San Francisco to Toronto, he has performed all over. This week, he will be returning to Ames and making his second solo appearance at the Maintenance Shop.

In contrast to his performance in Ames earlier this year, he says the audience can expect to hear something different.

“I’ve got some new songs,” Bird says. “I mix it up a lot. Experiment. Try to make everything different. Me playing the violin through multiple amps looping the strings live. Pizzicato, whistling, glockenspiel, then guitar.”

By looping the instruments, he can incorporate many sounds into a complex song, creating a very unusual type of music. Most of Bird’s songs that will be performed haven’t been released yet.

Bird says his style of music can be thought of as a one-man pop act. The term “glockenwhistle” is what he describes as whistling while playing an instrument. Playing the violin as a guitar through the use of amps and thwacking it as if it was a percussion instrument is another example of his diverse methods of making music.

“I’m trying to write good melodies,” Bird says. “Ones that sound new and lyrics that aren’t lame.”

After keeping busy with touring on the road for more than a year, Bird says he got to work on his forthcoming album, “Weather Systems,” which is a result of “delicate and atmospheric” songs.

Although he’s performed with other band members in the past, Bird enjoys playing as a soloist. His performances are never the same. To him, slipping into autopilot is a big mistake, and each and every performance should be unique. Writing music and lyrics that are surprising is one of Bird’s goals.

“I don’t work off of a template,” he says.

“Over the years, styles and references have been phased out. I don’t play with other musicians as much because they’re mostly playing licks from their favorite records, and that is a step backwards.”