IDM Mailing Archive

Re.>Check Talvin SInghs solo CD 'Drum n Space' as well as anything by Zakir

quoted 2 lines Hussain.

>Hussain. >BTW Talvin toured Australia with Massive Attack as well.

Talvin has worked with Bjork before - he played tabla and directed the strings on the Debut album. I saw him playing a drum 'n' bass style set with Marque Gilmore of Project 23 (see this month's Jockey Slut for more on them) at the Rocket a few months back. The PA was fucked up but those deep bass tones can really push air. Check out Anokha (monday nights @ the blue note, hoxton square). As far as I know, Talvin runs the place.

quoted 4 lines I'm curious to know if there are any 'classically trained' idmers

>> I'm curious to know if there are any 'classically trained' idmers >> out there, 'cos almost everyone seems to come from a non-music >> background. I'm hoping it's not because musical 'training' closes >> peoples' ears/minds...

I think it can do...There's this stereotype of the trained musician who can't 'understand' dance music and there is an element of truth in it. But I'm into basic channel, aphex, doioing, reload, stuff on emissions, probe, tresor, paper etc. etc. etc. and I guess I'm what you'd call 'classically trained'. I have a music degree and studied piano at music college, but, despite the fact that I just told everyone on this list, in general I keep quiet about it 'cos people tend to brand you as a fuckin' muso. I suppose there's a myth that exists that somehow learning how to play and how to listen to classical stuff will pollute your mind so you can only hear things from a dislocated analytical point of view and lose the ability to feel what you hear. I think it's simply that if you grew up listening to and playing classical music, communicating with other people doing the same, you'll probably relate to that sort of music more readily than others, and, given that classical music in general holds a perceived higher ground than other musics (for educational, historical and cultural reasons) it's easy to elevate it into a higher art form and dismiss other stuff for facile reasons - "where's the tune?" etc. I don't feel like that, but then I never felt my heart belonged in the classical scene (it can be beautiful, powerful and downright boring, just like all sorts of music, and I have certainly been moved by it, but 'now' music rocks my boat more...). What you gain from studying music is a language and a technique. The only qualification for being a good listener is to listen a lot but it's useful to be able to translate what you hear into a common language. Which can be anything from 'sforzando cello quaver arpeggios' to 'midi note on pitch=63 velocity=125' to 'the break from this over the b-line from that'. As for closed minds, what about your average sample/drum-machine/synth-spotting techno geek? If that isn't dislocated and analytical, what is? But these guys will argue that all they're doing is enhancing their enjoyment of the music. Fair enough.

quoted 3 lines in IDM, but music in general. In related news, I think the MC303 is a

>> in IDM, but music in general. In related news, I think the MC303 is a >> bad idea, because it encourages more of the "I don't need to know >> anything about making music in order to make music" mentality...

Everyone knows something about making music - even brian eno ;-) but anyway that's not the point. All the mc303 is, is some old Roland kit repackaged in a single box. If the person operating it comes up with a good result, then it's a good result, full stop. Nobody needs to know how it was done.

quoted 8 lines IDM people, are SO underutilized in the music. Listening to Wendy

>> IDM people, are SO underutilized in the music. Listening to Wendy >> Carlos' stuff and then comparing it to most IDM leaves me wishing that >> more artists would get some classical training. > >Check out Cosmic Baby 'Thinking About Myself' for techno on the >classical tip. I read somewhere that he's quite the accomplished >pianist. You can here it in a lot of his songs. Some good stuff, but >might not grab you right off. Defenitely worth a listen.

OK, I'm asking for trouble here, 'cos I haven't heard the track and it may be the most wicked tune ever cut, but 'techno on the classical tip' is just about the last thing I want to hear. Puts me in mind of 'Hooked On Classics" LPs or some dodgy geezer with a home organ playing 'the theme>from 2001' with a back beat. I'm sure it ain't like that, but do you know what I mean? Anyway, enough noodling...See Ya.