more awesome sound-making stuff from cameras ..

[Martin Naef]

Hi James

James R. Coplin wrote:
>> some sounds, but doesn't cover a very wide range. Until we find new
>> interfaces, electronic instruments will never be more than a piano with
>> a strange sound.
> 
> What's wrong with this?  Are you suggesting a piano lacks depth of
> expression?  Is the piano a soulless instrument?  Ill suited to live
> performance?  Surely not...

No, I'm not diminishing the piano. But electronic music has infinitely 
more potential in terms of sound, yet the interface (keyboard) reduces 
the dimensionality to something much closer to a piano. While there's 
absolutely nothing wrong with treating a synthesizer as an extended 
piano, it leaves a large space unexplored.

> The electronic keyboard already has far more dimensions of expression over a
> piano.  Aftertouch alone is a major expressive tool.  Add in modwheels,
> knobs, etc. and a keyboard should be far more expressive than a piano.

Should be. Theoretically. *Is* it? If not, why not? Maybe because those 
modwheels are not the "right" modality?

> However, there is no single piece of electronic music I've ever heard that
> moved me as much a Rachmaninoff piano concerto.  In fact, the more

Piano generally doesn't do it for me personally, as I'm more a "sound" 
person. It's woodwinds and celli that can bring me to tears. But that's 
besides the point - it means I essentially agree with what you say...

> "expressive" and gesture based interfaces that get added, the less
> expressive and emotive I find music.  I think there is fundamental mistake
> in thinking that gesture equates to musical expression.  There is a physical
> aspect to music to be sure, but gesture is more mechanical as regards music,
> it is physical expression, not musical expression.

Gesture alone doesn't mean expression or musicality, indeed. But gesture 
is required in order to make a sound in the first place, and to control 
it. With traditional instruments, the physics, the construction of the 
instrument, defined the gesture. But with electronic music, there's no 
such link; hence we have total freedom and, in essence, little clue how 
to use that freedom to go beyond the piano.

That's where all these little project go: They explore the space beyond 
the piano. Now, 99% of these end up utterly pointless, but unless you 
actually go and try, there's little hope to find the 1% that's useful.

Bye
Martin

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