i can certainly understand the assertion that a lot of today's computer
music is utter shit. Honestly though, it's not much of a groundbreaking,
new or even interesting statement to make. a lot of the music of any genre
and any time period is utter shit. it may not be an opinion which i'm brave
enough to embrace as being my own, but it's worth looking at the possibility
that perhaps things are about the same as they have been since the first
developments of human culture and art. there is a lot of shit and a little
bit of interesting stuff going on. when it comes down to it, it's the
honest effort to do something interesting that seems to make the difference.
i'm almost tempted to think that the main difference is in trying to do
something which is interesting to one's own attentions rather than trying to
do something which one would assume could be interesting or pleasing to a
potential audience. (the stunningly pure attempt to keep yourself from
being bored.) aside from that, in terms of breaking new ground... i think
willingness to experiment and misuse current technology and structure is
key. once again, just a viewpoint... not necessarily one which i agree with
completely... (disclaimers, disclaimers... lack of confidence can lead to
more expansive vistas...)
i'm sure everyone knows analog purists.
i had a discussion with an analog purist recently.
a friend of mine.
a good part of the gist of his argument seemed almost to be a righteous
indignation at the fact that all the experimentation he did for years...
hooking two four tracks together, making loops, playing things backwards and
at altered speeds.. etc. etc. etc. ad nauseum... all these things can now be
emulated by the a few keystrokes or mouse clicks on a computer...
i also went through years of experimentation on the analog front... using
cheap cassette four-track recorders hooked together in odd configurations
with guitar pedals... i think the difference is in doing what you can with
the technology and in trying to do more than you can do or should be able to
do with the technology. to try to misuse it to interesting or intriguing
effect. you can do the same thing with computers... just on different and
new levels. thus experimentation evolves with new and old technology. (in
my opinion.)
granted, a lot of this can be considered to be pre-compositional.
which gets us into the context which i think eno was in with his statements.
sonic experimentation is very musical by itself.
but it is not what everyone considers to be cohesive "music".
traditionalists (of which, in this context, Eno could definitely be
considered) demand that "music" has to have "macro" compositional aspects...
certain gestures (cliches?) which indicate compositional development...
almost like structures in poetry... sonnets... haiku... or structures in pop
songs... verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, etc... repetition almost
always seems key in this definition of music.
this is why perhaps eno wouldn't like otto von schirach's "8,000 B.C."
or any number of other records for that matter.
rarely is Eno described as a traditionalist.
i've never spoken with Eno.
but the description seems fitting here.
on a certain level.
perhaps, if one were to desire to achieve merit in both worlds, one would
have to experiment long enough and thoroughly enough that the
experimentation becomes an integral part of the compositional process. i
think this happens on its own. unless someone is simply trying to emulate
the sound of another artist. which happens frequently.
very frequently.
i also don't think there is anything wrong with set structures.
many people view them as a "cop-out"
i can understand that viewpoint and even agree with it in a lot of
instances...
but i think structures can also be viewed as a challenge.
taking an idea which is individualized and experimental (thus somewhat
volatile) and applying a preset format or structure to it can have
incredibly interesting results.
maybe it's just this:
the less important thing is HOW you make music.
the more important thing is THAT you make music.
interesting music.
selfishly interesting music.
or maybe i've got all my hypotheses entirely backward.
either way, it's all bullshit rhetoric, opinion, and philosophy.
anyway.
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