more awesome sound-making stuff from cameras ..

[Tony Scharf]

In all of this discussion, back and forth..back and
forth...regurgitated ad nauseum on about a twice a year schedule...why
it never comes up that perhaps the key to musical expression isnt
finding more sounds, but really really learning how to play just one
really well.

its why i think mono synths are still relevant.  woodwind/brass
players never seem to complain about only having one note on which to
impart expressions...

So where *is* the music?  where has the discussion of notes, chords,
melodies and rhythm gone?  Ultimately, with the current discussion, we
may as well all be arguing about weather or not we like the mac
interface or the vista one better..or weather or not we prefer office
2007 to office 2003.

I dont care about the interface a musician uses to make music.  I care
about the music.  I guess that why its called 'musician' and not
'interface manipulator'.

Tony

On Fri, May 30, 2008 at 12:45 PM, Jay Vaughan <jayv at synth.net> wrote:
>> Well, yes, granted. I was thinking more specifically about putting
>> little cubes on top of a display and turning them around.
>
> Great for kids, learning music.  Great for professionals who want to
> put on more than a laptop show.
>
>> You're going to have this problem anyway with electronic instruments,
>> except when there's a direct physical connection between what your
>> hands
>> (or feet, or whatever) do and the sound that is produced. So you don't
>> have the problem with a theremin, but you do have it when the movement
>> of your hands has to be interpreted first, before a sound is produced.
>>
>
> There is a gradient scale of interactivity in synthesizers.  Some
> actions result directly in audible results, some require offline
> processing.  We have known this for years; since the days of the a3k-
> list.
>
>>
>> Well, personally, I would like to narrow it down to 'all *sensible*
>> different directions'. A lot of the stuff I see here has a high gadget
>> value, but very little in terms of musicality.
>>
>
> A lot of the stuff you see posted to the -bar is bleeding edge.  Never
> forget that.
>
>> Especially those cubes do *nothing* for expression. They just sit
>> there.
>
> No worse than a USB mouse.
>
>> Multi-touch: good idea, but what use is it if you can't give
>> expression
>> by pressing a bit harder, or wiggle your fingers? You just need a very
>> large, pressure-sensitive, multi-touch capable ribbon controller. Then
>> at least you can put expression in.
>
>
> Another point: it better be interesting to watch.  Ever shoulder
> surfe'ed a game of chess?
>
> ;
> --
> Jay Vaughan
>
>
>
>
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