From nevileb Sent Tue, Jul 21st 1998, 22:19
From nevileb Sent Tue, Jul 21st 1998, 22:19
> In this situation, there develops a virtuosity that lives outside the > real time virtuosity of traditional musicians. What are we giving up? > Is there any inherent advantage of 'humanness' to live playing in real > time that is unachievable via computer-mediated musicianship? I'm not aware of any type of synth/computer based music that has achieved a connection emotionally with the creator of the sounds the same way more "real-time" instruments have. What I mean is this: when Miles Davis (or you can substitute whoever you most admire here) picks up his trumpet and plays, I'd guess that most of what we hear is base emotional instinct. That's a lot of what makes good live music interesting, and that's most of what makes seeing a real virtuoso perform the kind of experience that it is. In a form of music like the blues, for instance, everything is mapped out in advance. There are no surprises. It's not thinking music at all; even the lyrics are typically simple and straightforward. What makes B.B. King worth listening to is that the noise you hear from his guitar is pretty much as close as humans have come to a pure emotional statement, not clouded with language or intent. Sometimes I miss that in idm. The noises are fascinating, and some of the melodies can almost make me cry, but it doesn't feel as emotional to me. Maybe I'm just missing something. bbn