From hichakhok Sent Sun, Sep 19th 2004, 12:08
From hichakhok Sent Sun, Sep 19th 2004, 12:08
On 18 Sep 2004, at 14:40, Kurt Stengel wrote: > So here we have a so called accomplished keyboard player that feels he > has > to put everyone down for not being able to play just so he can praise > the > all mighty VOyager. Well it does not take an advanced keyboard > player to > decipher sound. Where did I say that? I never mentioned anything about being a keyboardist. I think a keyboard is a rather inefficient way to control a synthesizer. > It takes a creative programmer and a good ear to tell if a > synth has what he needs. I believe Colin is a pretty damn good > keyboard > player but maybe he is not the Rick Wakeman you propose to be. All i said about my playing is that I practice piano frequently and am "up to speed" on a mere three synths, meaning I know their quirks idiosyncrasies and tendencies well enough to hear a sound in my head and create it. Someone brought up Annette Peacock here, re reading her description of Bley's relationship with the Moog illustrates my points. I have no idea who 'Colin' is and have never heard him play. > like the TONE of a synth and that is what we are talking about. And oh > by > the way I guess that touch pad is in the perfect position for the real > keyboard players out there. I agree, It is awkward. But every instrument has 'interface resistance' often a badly designed or a less than elegant technical layout can out of necessity lead to unexpected inspiration for the performer. Regarding "tone" many people complain about the dx7. If they listen to what Eno can do with it, they would change their views. He is a total master of it. > Being a wiz on keys had nothing to do w/ the sound of a synth > and if it is more or less pleasing to the ears... Most vintage electronic instruments are capable of amazing expressive music and are often used to 10% of their potential. But again you assume "play" equates with 'play synth via keyboard' and 'practice' as keyboard orientated. 'Pleasing to the ears' is usually dictated by fashion. My 'venomous' (breathless maybe...) defence of the voyager is because I believe it one of the best playable modern synths in recent years when coupled with the full range of moogerfoogers and cv breakout (and my 4 cv control theremin array:)- It is a amazing performance instrument which deserves more than just a silly one word "sterile" dismissal from people (not you of course!) who often collect and trade instruments rather than learn how to play them. (a comparison between traditional musical knowledge and its requirement to create electronic music would be an interesting thread and closer to your 'play' argument and more relevant to your misinterpretation of my post. Compare people like Henry, Schaeffer with Babbit Tcherepnin or Tudor with Xenakis Ligeti. Or when a classically trained musician is confronted with a 100m for the first time.I get tired of hearing the same old crap about "soul" "vintage" "vibe" "raw". Ornette Coleman played a plastic sax and changed music history. best, leonm