one of the most insightful postings i've ever seen on this list... prime example, this past monday @ tronic (weekly techno party in nyc) we had arranged todd sines to open up the night. he was running late and didn't arrive until the middle of surgeon's set. now in an old setup (ie. non-laptop) it would have been impossible for him to setup an entire rig, etc. while surgeon was up in the booth mixing. with his laptop though he was able to just pop an output of his soundcard into a channel on the mixer and start his live set and mix into surgeon's... and what a great set it was ! todd had loads of new material that i hadn't heard him play @ DEMF this year....
-pete -----Original Message----- From: Dale Lawrence [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Monday, October 22, 2001 2:15 PM To: 313@hyperreal.org Subject: Re: [313] fuel to the fire : was "hawtin hawtin everywhere" I have to agree with you. It seems whenever a new technology is introduced, the status quo immediately feels threatened by it and does everything in its power to slag it--methodically. The funny part is that usually the bigger the stir about something new, the more you can count on it becoming an accepted new medium for creation. It happens in both the audio and visual arts. A simple example would be the camera. When the camera first came around the painters of the world united and screamed "Blashpemy! That 'device' is doing all the work! All they do is press the button and the image is recorded!"... Now how many people on this list believe that the camera does all of the work in the creative process of photography? Those painters were fools... Back to recent modern times. How many people here use drum machines? How many of our favorite songs use drum machines? Would our music not exist without the drum machine? But when they were first developed the 'real' musicians, who had been doing it 'the correct way' since 'back in the day' screamed "Blashpemy! That 'device' is doing all the work! Just press the button and the beats just come pouring out of it!" Where is the creativity in that? Is it the device, or what you do with it? Next on the electronic musical timeline: The Sampler. Oh no! Here is a piece of equipment that all you do is press record, and it allows you to replay whatever it was that you recorded, spread out across your keyboard-- including other people's music. Hell, you don't even have to program beats anymore. In fact, even the users of the drum machine, who's rhythm devices had just recently gained acceptance as a justified creative musical instrument were screaming, "Blashpemy! That 'device' is doing all the work! Just press that button and it plays back whatever they recorded from somewhere else!" Now, eventually everyone realized that while the P.Diddy's chose to capitalize on the misuse of the technology, the majority of sampler users were keeping it real, and expanding their creative realm the old fashioned way, through inspiration. Except, maybe by now it was 10% inspiration to 90% perspiration, compared to the old 1%-- terrible odds huh? After the sampler what happened? A sh|tload of PC's started appearing in everyone's home and software based music creation avenues soon followed. You could get a program that did almost anything, simulated analog keyboards, simulated digital keyboards, simulated drum machines, and *gasp* samplers even. This wave is very recent over the past few years, but do you think it was a smooth evolution? Absolutely not. Who screamed the loudest? Come on, fill in the blank right here _______. That's right, the owners of the samplers and drum machines. After all, they had just invested all their hard-earned money-- thousands and thousands of dollars-- into their gear, and now any kid with a home computer could jump on hotline and have a complete musical studio set up inside their PC within hours? They had just recently --finally-- been recognized as the true innovators and then the next wave comes along and threatens their livelihood. "Blashpemy! That 'device' is doing all the work! Just press that button and the computer writes the entire arrangement from start to finish! Where is the creative process in that!?" This is a cycle that will never end. It is human nature. The irony here is that this music was inspired by technology-- in fact, they called it "Techno", and for a reason-- yet, when a new technology is developed to further the music, the former Techno 'pioneers' seem to be the first to try and hold it back, but not because it isn't the future, but more simply, because it is a direct threat to them, and to their livelihood. It's as simple as that, and that is how revolutions happen. That is how the nobody's, who start out with nothing can step in and rise to the top of their game, because those who already have, refuse to evolve. They refuse to push forward and are eventually passed right by... and left behind... Because honestly, do you really think the people that embrace the new tools, are simply trying to recreate what the people with the old tools were doing 12, to 20 years ago? Absolutely not. If that were the case, just go buy a drum set, or learn to play the guitar, or even buy an 808 or 909 drum machine... A 303 perhaps? No. Those that embrace the new tools are trying to create what has never been done, they are trying to make what, until they do, *couldn't* have been made before. *That* is the critical difference. Dale Lawrence At 12:55 PM 10/22/2001 -0400, you wrote: >Why is it that seemingly innocuous inquiries sent to this list invariably >lead to embittered polemics? I remember when this particular strain began >with a simple question on my part as to the general opinions circulating on >Mr. Hawtin's newest creation. Then came the inevitable Richie bashing. >What is it about the gent that stirs such negative emotion? Is it that he's >white or not a Detroit native or that he has gained a relatively large >following outside of the techno "underground" thanks to numerous >publications? I personally love the guy; his work touches me in a profound >manner. By this I don't necessarily mean his work has changed my outlook on >life, but his particular brand of techno (which I believe to be very >singular) appeals to that creative, imaginative, and (dare I say) >intellectual side of my being. And this doesn't even take into regard the >satisfaction my rhythmic nature finds in Richie's bare bones approach to the >essential beat. His work reinforces my love of techno, dammit! > >Anyway, without digressing extravagantly, I think the argument centered >around the progression of technology as it relates to the creative process >has been steered the wrong way. Too many purists IMO. Where does techno >fit if technology is to be shunned and feared? (Yes, I'm well aware that >the whole of this list doesn't fear technology as a primitive would fear >fire.) It's all about how the technology is used and especially how the >material goods of our time are directed towards an end goal of individual >expression as it relates to current cultural trends and mindsets (both local >and global). Art should reflect the present and not be regarded separately, >for the key to its purpose lies in the questions, ruminations, ponderances, >and affirmations that result from it. Plus, don't forget that technology's >goal is to make life easier for us, to facilitate the tasks that we may >needlessly exert our limit energies towards accomplishing. If a new piece >of equipment opens doors to a whole new slate of artists who heretofore >haven't possessed the means or ability (or desire or time . . .) to express >themselves, all the better. The innovators will be singled out and >recognized, that is a guarantee. Besides, imitation comes before >innovation. > >I don't know my thoughts are at all cohesive or if I'm rambling, but I'm >trying to cram multiple thoughts into this lunch break of mine. Time to get >back to work. (I can't wait to see what kind of an acerbic response I'll >get to this.) > > Rusty > aka DJ MaybeIhavenocluewhatI'mtalkingabout > >_________________________________________________________________ >Get your FREE download of MSN Explorer at http://explorer.msn.com/intl.asp > > >--------------------------------------------------------------------- >To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For additional commands, e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
