Re: [MMM] The Courage to Encourage

Thanks Jacky,

This is a really beautiful post, one of the very best I've had the
pleasure of reading in the three years I've been here.

To my mind you really hit the nail square on the head, and you've done
a much better job explaining a lot of what I was trying to get at in
the initial "three years at the tuning list" post. You also have, as
both you and Jon Szanto have before off-list, given me a much needed
shot in the ass when it comes to getting my act together and mastering
some simple audio to computer techniques--it can't be that hard,
right? In fact that settles it, my new year's resolution is to make
the leap out of simple 80s' recording technology and into whatever's
simple now--thanks!

thanks again,

--Dan Stearns

----- Original Message -----
From: "jacky_ligon" <jacky_ligon@...>
To: <MakeMicroMusic@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Wednesday, January 02, 2002 8:48 AM
Subject: [MMM] The Courage to Encourage

> The Courage to Encourage
>
> .........................
>
>
> I like Dan Stearns was active for about a 10 year period in what was
> then called the "Home Taper's Scene". A partner of mine and I ran
our
> own creative underground cassette label between 1985-95, which had
> over 70 releases of music with a wildly wide range of styles
> represented. There was microtonality, comedy, rock, dance music,
> jazz, electro-acoustic "classical" styled, free-form improvisation
> etc.
>
> All this was going on during a time in which the technology to
record
> our own CDs was still out of reach, so being unable to do this, we
> harnessed the power of the venerable cassette to network with other
> artists and "zines". The exciting vibe about the flourishing taper
> scene, was that of total unchained creativity, and it showed me that
> what we see/hear coming through the popular media hardly represents
> the true ground of creative work that one likely would never become
> aware of through the usual popular means.
>
> The underground cassette review "Zine" was a vital part of this Home
> Taper Scene, and this is where one would hope to get their music
> reviewed, and would offer ways to network with others doing
> interesting creative work. This is where I first became aware of the
> fantastic music of Dan Stearns. Truly some of the best that was
going
> on. What a delight it was to come to this internet community to find
> Dan here - and also learn that his deep creativity extended into the
> field of microtonality.
>
> Now with the power of the internet and mp3, things happen much more
> quickly than for the Home Tapers. One can create music, and the same
> day deliver it to those who wish to hear it. It is like a dream come
> true really, to be able to network this way. No more snail mail -
> just instant gratification. And with the ability to publish to the
> web, what are the online equivalent of the Zines, the opportunities
> for the microtonally inclined are also greatly increased. Not to
> mention exciting forums like Make Micro Music, where we all have the
> wonderful opportunity to come together to share our diverse
> approaches to this beautiful art form.
>
> While all of this may be taken for granted if it's all one has ever
> known, when one has had to work with much less, then it is easily
> apparent how things have changed for the better.
>
> While on the one hand I hold in highest regard the effort to create
> microtonal CD works, I'm still even more at heart an advocate of
just
> playing for the pure joy of it. I feel that it is not always
> necessary for us to have to be making some kind of imagined "high
> brow art" in order to just have fun and great pleasure from what
> microtonality offers us. This simple pleasure of "just playing" for
> enjoyment, is what keeps me going through the years, and not
> ironically, casual playing has taught me more about microtonality
> than all I've been able to "read" about it. The emotional impact and
> power of musically exploring the rich palette that microtonality
> brings to the curious composer/musician is in large part ineffable.
> Basically this is because sound/tuning has a somewhat symbolic
> emotional impact, and as one might guess, the words we use to
> describe "things" are not the things themselves - in this regard,
> there is an *understanding* coming through the music that defies our
> ability to always and in every case define it. Musical experience of
> and with microtonaltiy is the way to really begin to grasp its
> powerful nature in music. When one sits down to their chosen
> instrument and begins to play and explore the new sound patterns,
and
> directly experience the emotional impact of new tunings outside of
12
> tET, this is where the ineffable "magic" is discovered.
>
> Back during the Home Taper days, I got to hear many different kinds
> of new music - some rough - some brilliantly polished, and I always
> made an effort to deeply listen and appreciate what the musician was
> trying to say, no matter how roughly recorded the music was. It was
> just the excitement of being able to network and share music in this
> creative scene that kept me interested in what other creative people
> were doing for the better part of 10 years.
>
> This is the same hand and set of ears that I like to apply to what I
> encounter in this forum. While it's easy for some to say things
> like "I don't care for much microtonal music that I hear being
made",
> it takes Courage to Encourage, and even more Courage to Create. To
> me, there is no "lesser vision". I'm excited about new listening
> experiences - I'm constantly wishing to hear new creative work,
> especially if I know the artist(s) who are doing the creative work.
> Everyone's unique take in this art form is where my direct interest
> lies.
>
> That's what I'm extending to the members of this vibrantly creative
> group. I will listen attentively to every single piece of music that
> anyone at all posts here, and make an effort to comment. It matters
> not to me if it's played on a single keyboard timbre, or a symphony
> orchestra - it matters not if it's got noise, clicks and pops - it
> matters not to me if it sounds like 8 bit audio played through a
> Victrola. I'll listen to anything and be interested, because it is
> here in this forum, where individuals have gathered to finally turn
> the theories into realities, that I've found an environment that I
> like to call "home". Tuning alone does not good music make, and it
> is a honor to be in a place where others are up to the ultimate and
> larger challenge of making it live in music.
>
> May 2002 bring abundance to all, in music, joy and life.
>
> In Peace,
>
> Jacky Ligon
>
>
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