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From:
Josh Bown
To:
Philip Sherburne
Cc:
'idm@hyperreal.org'
Date:
Tue, 10 Apr 2001 11:16:25 -0700
Subject:
[idm] Re: definitions
Msg-Id:
<3AD34DF9.4D1300B0@undertone.com>
Mbox:
idm.0104.gz
ok, well by "raw musical tones" I meant to exclude DJs since they work with pre-composed phrases, parts etc... and just layer and rearrange them rather than working with raw tones as their building blocks.... Not that DJs aren't both artists and performers, they just aren't by default musicians... unless they also happen to play an instrument.... For all of you out there who want to call DJs musicians, please come up with a word that applies only to the types of musicians I am trying to describe. I am talking about those people who practiced scales, arpeggios, keys, modes, etc... and have an understanding of music theory etc... and then perform live in real time on an instrument utilizing that knowledge and practice to impress a croud. To me a musician must have all of that and most DJs don't. DJs are DISK JOCKEYS... they are like the guy on the radio choosing selections to fit the mood and playing other people's stuff.... How can that be confused with being a musician???? Radio DJs aren't musicians! they're commentators and record collectors... or more like interior designers except they set a mood in sound... A few of them (probably the best ones) also compose and play instruments and probably spin their own compositions and such, but these are the few and the proud and the brave, and their musicianship comes from these other activities, not from spinning..... Philip Sherburne wrote:
quoted 16 lines Musicians: performers whose expertise is in manipulating raw musical> > >Musicians: performers whose expertise is in manipulating raw musical > >tones in real-time and who combine them to form original music by > >playing an instrument. > > Hey, works for me, given that that includes DJs, spoon-players, > saw-strokers, Stockhausen and Francisco Lopez. But I'm guessing that you > didn't intend to include those sorts in your definition, so you might want > to rework it to fit your narrower terms. A few subdefinitions you'll need > to clarify: "manipulate," "raw musical tones" (each of those could be > unpacked), "real-time," "original," and "instrument." Heck, you should > probably spell out "expertise" and "performer" while you're at it. But I > think your prepositions are sound, and unlike Clinton, we all know what the > definition of "is" is. Take heart, you've almost got it! > > Philip
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