IDM Mailing Archive

Anika & Johan wrote:

quoted 7 lines I think Autechre's music is very boring since most of their tracks are

> > > I think Autechre's music is very boring since most of their tracks are > > nothing more than a bunch of loops smeared out forever. > > Don't want to say anything in perticular about Autechre but the fact is, a > track consisting of the same loop over and over again, more or less > unvaried, can be very good. It's called minimalism.

If you have a problem with loops, you are not only on the wrong list but you are probably going to be challenged by most contemporary music that you hear (hip-hop, rap, house in ALL of it's incarnations...). As someone that writes electronica music, I can tell you that loops are an essential pert of the writing proccess. Loops are present in even the most complex compositions. A lot of sequncers and drum machines that are prefered by the people who write the music discussed on this list require the composer to use loops as the fundamental structure of composing. Analog sequencers are boxes that spit out a stream or pulse of control signals that can be controlled by tempo or other simple control means and sent to analog synths that receive the signal and make it audible as voices that are pre-designed by the composer. Vintage and contemporary drum machines are usually programmed by design in a per measure fashion. Measures are later strung together and/or looped to form breaks are a rhythmic structure. The most simple loops can contain the most beautiful statements (this is meant to be a simple statement). John Cage was greatly influenced by zen buddhism and by presenting buddhist philosophy in simple forms. Steve Reich, Terry Riley and Phillip Glass all learned from this technique and worked with the evolution of the minimailist or simplicity in loops writing technique. It is not a simple task to write a simple loop that is a good groove or challenging and complex in the simplicity. A lot of "idm" is writen by writers for writers. The loop writing method has evolved to the point that a lot of loops suggest statements about loops or parody loops. Autechre has done a lot of this. These are not always the ideas that composers take with them to their sequencers, drum machines and computers but I think that they are an integral part of our musical vocabulary and are similar to word games or the arrangement and deconstruction of syntax. There are a lot of inside jokes that might not be appreciated by all listeners but I think that if people think of loops as being todays non-linear or abstract sound haikus or koans, they might develop greater appreciation for them. As a side note, I beleive that a lot of the interest in drum & bass comes from the fact that it is composed of broken loops that are then looped. It allows for redefinition and another petal on the lotus blossom- kind of ironic. Steve ************************************************************************** "Let's rock the planet, let's rock the planet- baby" Loops used

On 05/29/97 10:43:47 you wrote:

quoted 11 lines samples that someone culled for them and someone making a track from any of

> >>samples that someone culled for them and someone making a track from any of >>those sample-loop cd's that are advertised in all the keyboard >>magazines...does the fact that its "trent reznor" justify it in any way? > >Funny one should bring this up. I have two tacky loops discs, _Loopzilla_ and >_Industrial and Dance Loops and Beats_. My pal Earl, who lent them to me, >identified samples taken from these commercial loop discs in _broken_ and >_downward spiral_. > >

I think you would all be very suprised to find out how many drum parts on your favorite records are taken off sample CDs. ROB **********LOGIQ'S NEW CD**************** BIG ON MARS 11 Tracks of Electronic Bliss http://www.sinless.com/logiq ****************************************

ROB wrote:

quoted 3 lines I think you would all be very suprised to find out how many drum parts on your favorite re

> > I think you would all be very suprised to find out how many drum parts on your favorite records are taken off sample CDs. >

A-ha, now i know why I could never program a drum machine to sound like my favorite songs!!! Actually I knew this all along and I just prefer programming myself. Seems strange to even have a drum machine in the first place if you wanna sound like "all the other boys". Maybe this is why I prefer the bleepy side of IDM like Velocette, Single Cell Orchestra (DR660 GOD), and various other Apollo/FAX/Rephlex/Rephlective releases. You can just hear the programming. If you know how this music is produced it's eZ to tell when it's looped samples or when the artists are really doing the programming. I am not against samples, but being a drummer I hate hearing sampled drum beats, any other samples I'm cool with, esp when they are manipulated in an Ae sorta way. Yeah, I hold double standards, but fuck I ain't telling you what to believe 0

quoted 12 lines samples that someone culled for them and someone making a track from any of

> >>samples that someone culled for them and someone making a track from any of > >>those sample-loop cd's that are advertised in all the keyboard > >>magazines...does the fact that its "trent reznor" justify it in any way? > > > >Funny one should bring this up. I have two tacky loops discs, _Loopzilla_ and > >_Industrial and Dance Loops and Beats_. My pal Earl, who lent them to me, > >identified samples taken from these commercial loop discs in _broken_ and > >_downward spiral_. > > > > > > I think you would all be very suprised to find out how many drum parts on your favorite records are taken off sample CDs.

maybe in your record collection..... i detest sample CDs.. they just have the worst drums ive ever heard, over produced rubbish, the day i use a sample CD is the day i do something i wouldnt normally do. -- k.F "I tried unloading banana trains and for while I had a job collecting horses hooves for a sausage skin and glue manufacturer. They also gave me a job after that, throwing cows heads into a bone crushing machine.I soon realised that these jobs weren't really what I wanted to do." -Lol Coxhill Quote.