MMMDayMixup comments

Wow, I think Dave's piece makes a wonderful smooth invitation
into the mysterious world of microtonality, and then the hit into
Herman Miller's masterpiece is so satisfying. Jacob Barton's
contribution reminds me of something I'd do if I had two grand
pianos at right angles... Graham's piece really surprised me.
Graham, if this is a one-off, I'd love to hear a two-off. Or
even just another one-off. But the biggest surprise for me was
Jon Szanto's piece. Jon, similar comments as for Graham apply.
Dzam! This is much more than "Do Something". I think it's one
of my favorite parts of the compilation. You rock glitch beats
like a 20-year-old from LA! It was great to hear the rest of
Rick's symphony. Who knew he could orchestrate like that?

There's so much talent here. And, comparing this to the tape
swap or even the Tuning List CD, it's immediately obvious how
far music has come. The timbres and sounds heard in this
compilation were simply unimaginable in 1997. And the
instruments are so much more flexible when it comes to retuning.
Bravo to the digital realm, and to sticking with it. Here's
to another 9 years!

http://lumma.org/music/MMMDayMixup.mp3
/makemicromusic/topicId_12886.html#12886

-Carl

Carl Lumma wrote:
<snip>
> ... Graham's piece really surprised me.
> Graham, if this is a one-off, I'd love to hear a two-off. Or
> even just another one-off.

Why thank you! It's a one off using instruments I've prepared for a suite of 5 simple pieces. Because it uses tunings close to 5-equal with sympathetic timbres, and I didn't bother with the subleties of phrasing, harmony or timbre, I could knock it up fairly quickly.

After over a year's work, I'm still on the first of the 5 pieces I originally planned. This is how it stands now:

http://microtonal.co.uk/music/workinprogress.mp3

I don't know if I'll reuse any riffs from the MMM Day piece.

> But the biggest surprise for me was
> Jon Szanto's piece. Jon, similar comments as for Graham apply.
> Dzam! This is much more than "Do Something". I think it's one
> of my favorite parts of the compilation. You rock glitch beats
> like a 20-year-old from LA!
<snip>

I don't know why you're surprised! But yes, it's a nice little piece. I heard it from my laptop's built-in speakers, and it sounds like he's got the Hollywood-style production down to a tee.

I certainly like the idea of throwing something together on the day, and now worrying about the details. It makes the process more fun and needn't stop your listeners enjoying it either. Hence I'm worried this is called "MMM Day 2006". It suggests we won't be doing it again for a while.

I took my MP3 player down to Tianbu on Sunday, but the battery ran out very quickly, so I haven't done any spreading of the word yet.

Graham

>Why thank you! It's a one off using instruments I've prepared for a
>suite of 5 simple pieces. Because it uses tunings close to 5-equal with
>sympathetic timbres, and I didn't bother with the subleties of phrasing,
>harmony or timbre, I could knock it up fairly quickly.
>
>After over a year's work,

Well, you've moved continents at least once in that time.

>I'm still on the first of the 5 pieces I
>originally planned. This is how it stands now:
>
>http://microtonal.co.uk/music/workinprogress.mp3

I won't spoil it for myself.

>> But the biggest surprise for me was
>> Jon Szanto's piece. Jon, similar comments as for Graham apply.
>> Dzam! This is much more than "Do Something". I think it's one
>> of my favorite parts of the compilation. You rock glitch beats
>> like a 20-year-old from LA!
><snip>
>
>I don't know why you're surprised!

He's always had great production. I've always enjoyed his stuff.
But this is the longest piece I think I've heard, and it's in a
genre (stutter beats!) that seems far removed from his past stuff.

>I certainly like the idea of throwing something together on the day, and
>now worrying about the details. It makes the process more fun and
>needn't stop your listeners enjoying it either. Hence I'm worried this
>is called "MMM Day 2006". It suggests we won't be doing it again for a
>while.

Sorry I called it that, then. We should do it every-other month,
perhaps.

I definitely need to get some instruments set up, so I can do
something more spontaneous too.

-Carl

>>I certainly like the idea of throwing something together on the day, and
>>now worrying about the details. It makes the process more fun and
>>needn't stop your listeners enjoying it either. Hence I'm worried this
>>is called "MMM Day 2006". It suggests we won't be doing it again for a
>>while.
>
>Sorry I called it that, then. We should do it every-other month,
>perhaps.

Looks like Prent called it that, too.

-Carl

Carl Lumma wrote:
>>Why thank you! It's a one off using instruments I've prepared for a >>suite of 5 simple pieces. Because it uses tunings close to 5-equal with >>sympathetic timbres, and I didn't bother with the subleties of phrasing, >>harmony or timbre, I could knock it up fairly quickly.
>>
>>After over a year's work,
> > Well, you've moved continents at least once in that time.

Four times -- I came back for a month. But Csound's easy to carry around. Just install it and copy some text files over. I've even got a laptop for it now!

>>> But the biggest surprise for me was
>>>Jon Szanto's piece. Jon, similar comments as for Graham apply.
>>>Dzam! This is much more than "Do Something". I think it's one
>>>of my favorite parts of the compilation. You rock glitch beats
>>>like a 20-year-old from LA!
>>
>><snip>
>>
>>I don't know why you're surprised!
> > He's always had great production. I've always enjoyed his stuff.
> But this is the longest piece I think I've heard, and it's in a
> genre (stutter beats!) that seems far removed from his past stuff.

What's stutter beats? Yes, his production's good, but he seemed to be apologizing for it. I heard the second podcast from bigger speakers, and the surfaces are generally good. It's probably time to stop complaining about microtonalits' presentation.

>>I certainly like the idea of throwing something together on the day, and >>now worrying about the details. It makes the process more fun and >>needn't stop your listeners enjoying it either. Hence I'm worried this >>is called "MMM Day 2006". It suggests we won't be doing it again for a >>while.
> > Sorry I called it that, then. We should do it every-other month,
> perhaps.

Sound's good to me! Then I'll be on holidy but still in China for the next one I think. And an annual compilation of good tracks from people who are doing serious work would be nice as well.

Then next one can always be 2006a

> I definitely need to get some instruments set up, so I can do
> something more spontaneous too.

Spontaneity's good. I only have cheap instruments now and I'd have to record them with my laptop's built-in microphone so the results could be ... interesting. But I spared you that this time.

Oh, yes, I worked out the melodies on a diatonic keyboard, and they sounded fine in 12-equal, so the microtonality's purely for convenience and pretentiousness ;)

Graham

Graham,

Where in China are you? I will be in Beijing in June and beginning of August. If it's a coincidence then perhaps we can meet?

- Magnus

On Wed, 12 Apr 2006, Graham Breed wrote:

> Sound's good to me! Then I'll be on holidy but still in China for the
> next one I think. And an annual compilation of good tracks from people
> who are doing serious work would be nice as well.
>
> Then next one can always be 2006a

On 4/12/06, Magnus Jonsson <magnus@...> wrote:
> Graham,
>
> Where in China are you? I will be in Beijing in June and beginning of
> August. If it's a coincidence then perhaps we can meet?

Is the whole list going to China? I'll be there for the first 3 weeks
of May, province-hopping most of the time.

--TRISTAN
(http://dreamingofeden.smackjeeves.com/)

Rozencrantz the Sane wrote:
> On 4/12/06, Magnus Jonsson <magnus@...> wrote:
> >>Graham,
>>
>>Where in China are you? I will be in Beijing in June and beginning of
>>August. If it's a coincidence then perhaps we can meet?

I'm in Haimen, on the Yangtze delta. It's nowhere near Beijing! I might travel in June and my flight home's booked for the 20th.

> Is the whole list going to China? I'll be there for the first 3 weeks
> of May, province-hopping most of the time.

We've got the usual holiday in the first week of May. All I've got planned is my friend's wedding, in Nantong, on the 3rd. You're welcome to visit Haimen!

Graham