On Wed, 10 Jan 2001, christian adam hresko wrote:
Very interesting message...
quoted 3 lines and maybe this is why IDM is quite emotionless. (at least i think it> and maybe this is why IDM is quite emotionless. (at least i think it
> is. and that's actually one of the reasons i enjoy it...) you're
> listening to a concept. a process. a method.
This is the case with all music IMHO. It's just that some processes are
more ingrained in popular technique than others. There's nothing more
processed based than your average pop song... They're just all using the
same process.
I think the problem with process based computer music, is where musicians
use other people's process and take credit.
The idea that you can use Autechre's patch and then create fantastic music
is false. Software that creates music is not a tool, it's a music score!
So all you're doing is playing Autechre's music, or performing Autechre's
music, or remixing Autechre's music. But you're starting with a score,
not merely a tool.
This comes down to one problem: people have trouble seeing programming
computers as a creative, expressive act. A computer can do nothing
without humans, and writing code is an act of human expression. And so if
you're using software written by someone else, and that software is having
an influence over how you are creating, then you are in grave danger of
creating derivative works.
Unless you use your imagination, and use the software in ways in which the
original programmer didn't predict, then you are not being creative, in my
opinion. Of course, this leaves a great deal of scope for creativity with
good software.
But too often you can hear the cubase, or the rebirth in a piece of music.
I don't have any particular problem with this until I think about how
little credit the original programmers are getting. But perhaps this is
an opinion borne out of my heavy use of free sofwtware.
When I'm writing electronic music I am very conscious about how the
software is defining my creative 'search space', and highly respectful of
the people who contribute towards making my individual expression
possible. This includes the operating system, microcode, device driver
hackers, because all these things are essential to me and are important
creative acts in themselves.
I feel that only programmers can create truly original pieces of
electronic music. MAX is a visual programming language, but if you use it
by piecing together other people's patches, then you should give those
people credit.
Alex
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