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
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"Let's rock the planet, let's rock the planet- baby"
Loops used