IDM Mailing Archive

1994-06-01 21:43fms@MIT.EDUThe message of a few days ago about a concert that Autechre played at solidified in my min

From:: <fms@MIT.EDU>
To:: <idm@techno.Stanford.EDU>
Date:: Wed, 01 Jun 94 17:43:26 EDT
Subject:: Sounds and Music and Autechre and Stuff

The message of a few days ago about a concert that Autechre played at solidified in my mind that I really think that the sounds that a group uses to make idm are more important than the song itself. There are exceptions of course, but in general when i hear a new song, i'm listening for neat noise, not for intricate rhythms or progressions. Of course an intricate rhythm can itself be a neat sound so the line between music and sound blurs at some point. I think I like Autechre (my favorite of the AI bands despite how people are always ragging on them) because of the instruments they use and not so much for their musical content. Though I think they're great all around :) [fletcher]

1994-06-02 17:50djkcfletcher writes: > when i hear a new song, i'm listening for neat > noise, not for intrica

From:: djkc <djkc@blkbox.COM>
To:: <idm@techno.Stanford.EDU>
Date:: Thu, 2 Jun 1994 12:50:48 -0500 (CDT)
Subject:: Re: Sounds and Music and Autechre and Stuff
Reply to:: Sounds and Music and Autechre and Stuff

fletcher writes:

quoted 6 lines when i hear a new song, i'm listening for neat

> when i hear a new song, i'm listening for neat > noise, not for intricate rhythms or progressions. > Of course an intricate rhythm can itself be a > neat sound so the line between music and sound > blurs at some point. >

OK, there's rhythms, then there's everything else. That is, there's drums (percussion of the track), and synths/samplers/etc (the chords, melodies, sound effects, samples, atmosphere, of the track). Then aside from the programming of drums & synths (aside from composition), there's texture. Texture = tone-color (timbre). Composition = melodies and chords (progression). So you're saying you listen for neat noises, or textures. This is, I think, very common. Since the beginning of electronic music, an obsession for timbres has developed. For me, timbre is more important, too. But I also look for intricate rhythms; and if the percussion used in the rhythm has awesome timbres, that makes it double plus good!

quoted 6 lines I think I like Autechre (my favorite of the AI

> I think I like Autechre (my favorite of the AI > bands despite how people are always ragging on > them) because of the instruments they use and > not so much for their musical content. Though > I think they're great all around :) >

Yep! Definitely. The track I was trying to ID is either "eggshell" or "doctrine". I love it for the drums. It may be long & repititious, but those snares just sound awesome! Oh, and the first track on the INCUNABULA is extremely extra-terrestrial. -djkc

Sounds and Music and Autechre and Stuff