Re: [MMM] My opinions about imitations and their limitations

[Kalle:]

> I believe we shouldn't use synths and computers only to
> imitate existing instruments because we can do so much more
> with them.

Oh!

Then I am in 200% agreement -- yes, electronic
instruments are the most expressive of all instruments
known -- you can make a wider variety of sounds and
control more aspects of the sound expressively than any
other instrument that has been known. But few have
dared to grab hold of this potential and almost no one
has utilized electronics to even approach the
expressiveness of a violin. But eventually people will!

(Perhaps the problem is that electronic instruments
make it *too* easy to get satisfying results without
putting any time into developing skills so people
get lazy about it.)

- Jeff

So true

spigot@... wrote:

> stuff about synthetic imitations of real instruments --
> reminded me of something i read just yesterday:
>
> "... how determined people seem to be to aim for exactly the same
> target again and again. a charitable interpretation: by doing so
> they evolve better tools for everyone else, creating vocabulary
> out of metaphor. like those pathetic computer artists who
> are so thrilled when they've finally produced a picture of a daffodil
> with a drop of dew upon it -- indistinguishable from a real photo.
> to me this would represent a total failure, but in fact it's
> probably those people who propel the evolution of tools."
> -brian eno
>
> --
> . . . p f l y . . .
> http://www.neuron.net/~pfly/duckapus.html
> ...the debut pfly CD...
>
>
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

X. J. Scott wrote:

> (Perhaps the problem is that electronic instruments
> make it *too* easy to get satisfying results without
> putting any time into developing skills so people
> get lazy about it.)

There are four problems as I see it:

1) You can get passable but mediocre results by using straight samples or
presets.

2) Electronic musicians tend to rely on sequencers, and so don't
develop the musicianly skills to really make best use of the materials.
Good synth programmers don't necessarily make good musicians, and vice
versa.

3) Electronic instruments try too hard to imitate "classic" instruments,
which these days includes other electronic instruments. The result is a
loss of flexibility that holds them back when exploring new territory.

4) The instruments keep changing, so you don't have time to become a
virtuoso on any particular instrument.

5) Because of the problems above, already good musicians don't see the
benefits in using electronics creatively and so don't. Okay, five
problems.

Graham