IDM Mailing Archive

I seriously doubt he plays those instruments himself though, but it sounds like a wicked album indeed. I didn't find it on my last visit to the recordstore but I picked up "Horse and Goat" and "Winnipeg Is A Frozen Shithole" instead :) H&G is getting used to, Winnipeg is just plain wicked gabber/breakcore bizzniz!!! On 4/13/05, ed c <echurch86@yahoo.com> wrote:

quoted 7 lines This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a week ago and this

> This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a week ago and this is the first cd in a long time thats hard to put down. I heard he plays all of the string instruments himself. There is some incredible Drill 'n' Bass on this cd. The best part of it would have to be the Billie Holiday sample. It is very VS and very very good. > > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! >

-- "progress doesn't come from early risers progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things" http://n3wjack.blogspot.com http://www.jungletrain.net - 24/7 dnb radio station Plenty of gmail invites left, let me know if you want one. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

From what I've heard (check the interview in wire this past month) - The strings on the album are a combination of sampled things and Phrases that he recorded himself (after many trials). Definitely a great album. - cutups -----Original Message----- From: n3wjack [mailto:n3wjack@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, April 13, 2005 5:22 PM To: idm@hyperreal.org Subject: Re: [idm] Rossz Csillag Allat Szuletett I seriously doubt he plays those instruments himself though, but it sounds like a wicked album indeed. I didn't find it on my last visit to the recordstore but I picked up "Horse and Goat" and "Winnipeg Is A Frozen Shithole" instead :) H&G is getting used to, Winnipeg is just plain wicked gabber/breakcore bizzniz!!! On 4/13/05, ed c <echurch86@yahoo.com> wrote:

quoted 1 line This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a

> This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a

week ago and this is the first cd in a long time thats hard to put down. I heard he plays all of the string instruments himself. There is some incredible Drill 'n' Bass on this cd. The best part of it would have to be the Billie Holiday sample. It is very VS and very very good.

quoted 6 lines ---------------------------------

> > > --------------------------------- > Do you Yahoo!? > Yahoo! Small Business - Try our new resources site! >

-- "progress doesn't come from early risers progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things" http://n3wjack.blogspot.com http://www.jungletrain.net - 24/7 dnb radio station Plenty of gmail invites left, let me know if you want one. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On 4/13/05, n3wjack <n3wjack@gmail.com> wrote:

quoted 8 lines I seriously doubt he plays those instruments himself though, but it

> I seriously doubt he plays those instruments himself though, but it > sounds like a wicked album indeed. I didn't find it on my last visit > to the recordstore but I picked up "Horse and Goat" and "Winnipeg Is A > Frozen Shithole" instead :) > > H&G is getting used to, Winnipeg is just plain wicked gabber/breakcore > bizzniz!!! >

The more I listen to Winnipeg, the more I love it. Esp. the last track. Speaking of Billie Holiday, anyone else out there hear the new Verve Remixed 3? The Carl Craig remix of the Hugh Masekela is killer. np:Riow Arai --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

quoted 7 lines I seriously doubt he plays those instruments himself though, but it

>I seriously doubt he plays those instruments himself though, but it >sounds like a wicked album indeed. I didn't find it on my last visit >to the recordstore but I picked up "Horse and Goat" and "Winnipeg Is A >Frozen Shithole" instead :) > >H&G is getting used to, Winnipeg is just plain wicked gabber/breakcore >bizzniz!!!

I wouldn't doubt that he plays some of it. I've been in his studio and seen the array of instruments he keeps around, and he played in bands before he started doing the Venetian Snares material. There's a natural desire to experiment with things, and he's part of a circle of people that do just that. Greg (of Greg Hates Car Culture fame) used to have these weird parties and there were all these instruments lying around. Bass, trombone, a set of drums, trumpet, saxophone... all sorts of things... and people would just jam - and the only real rule was the first time you join in - you have to pick something you don't know how to play... and just try to get the feel of it. I mean, hell... if you've heard the track Made Of Mark - that entire track is just samples of a guy named Mark... manipulated to get different textures (the samples, not Mark)... I'm pretty sure he could get a lot of usable sounds out of actual instruments. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

quoted 2 lines This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a

> This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a > week ago and this is the first cd in a long time thats hard to put down. I

quoted 1 line heard he plays all of the string instruments himself.

> heard he plays all of the string instruments himself.

It IS incredible. But nah, he plays a small amount of violin, and you can tell because it's not very well-recorded or played. Most of the strings and orchestral stuff is sampled. This doesn't detract from how awesome the album is, though :) I think it's great that he took the time to learn some violin and clarinet, and the beat programming is as good as he's ever done, plus the other sampling and compositional stuff is brilliant too. P -- Peter Hollo raven@fourplay.com.au www.frogworth.com/blog Utility Fog: on FBi radio www.frogworth.com/utilityfog FourPlay Electric String Quartet www.fourplay.com.au Raven: experimental electronica www.frogworth.com/raven "Of course, dance music can be a music where you lie on your back and your brain cells dance" - Michael Karoli of Can, quoted in Wire mag. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On 4/14/05, Peter Hollo <raven@fourplay.com.au> wrote:

quoted 13 lines This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a

> > This new Venetian Snares CD is fucking incredible. I just picked it up a > > week ago and this is the first cd in a long time thats hard to put down. I > > > heard he plays all of the string instruments himself. > > It IS incredible. But nah, he plays a small amount of violin, and you can > tell because it's not very well-recorded or played. Most of the strings and > orchestral stuff is sampled. > This doesn't detract from how awesome the album is, though :) I think it's > great that he took the time to learn some violin and clarinet, and the beat > programming is as good as he's ever done, plus the other sampling and > compositional stuff is brilliant too. > P

that's what I was thinking, the violin isn't an instrument you just pick up, and just jam on a bit and get something that sounds decent on if you haven't spend a serious amount of time mastering it, and frankly, that's probably the case with any instrument... VS just doesn't seem like the violin playing guy, but then again, Aphex knows how to play the piano as well doesn't he, so why not a violin... -- "progress doesn't come from early risers progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things" http://n3wjack.blogspot.com http://www.jungletrain.net - 24/7 dnb radio station Plenty of gmail invites left, let me know if you want one. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On 4/14/05, n3wjack <n3wjack@gmail.com> wrote:

quoted 4 lines VS just doesn't seem like the violin playing guy, but then again,

> VS just doesn't seem like the violin playing guy, but then again, > Aphex knows how to play the piano as well doesn't he, so why not a > violin... >

Actually, RDJ can't play piano, or read music. From http://www.warprecords.com/artists/news.php?filter=afx&ti_id=516 Nearly sixty years later Richard James was in a BBC studio taking part in a Radio 3 programme called 'Mixing It'. His music was being played along with the usual fabulous eclectic mix that this programme offers every Sunday night. One of Cage's prepared piano pieces was played and Mr Aphex's ears were drawn to the extraordinary sounds. He enquired about the prepared piano and how it was all done. Many other techno artists would have probably prepared a piano and sampled some of the sounds, but not Richard James, he knew this simply wouldn't work and that any results of this process would be crass. He bought a grand piano that can be played by computer. It's called a 'Diskclavier' and it's made by Yamaha. It's exactly like a straightforward grand piano but the keys can be controlled by a computer via MIDI – the musical instrument digital interface. Richard James cannot read conventional musical notation and he cannot play a keyboard so, in order to make the piano and prepared piano pieces that appear on 'Drukqs' he prepared his Diskclavier according to the principles established by John Cage and programmed the playing using a computer. The results are there for all to hear. It's a real piano on Drukqs, not a sampler or a synthesizer. Richard James has brought the sound of the forties into the 21st century.

On 4/14/05, Alan Lucas <alucas@gmail.com> wrote:

quoted 30 lines On 4/14/05, n3wjack <n3wjack@gmail.com> wrote:

> On 4/14/05, n3wjack <n3wjack@gmail.com> wrote: > > VS just doesn't seem like the violin playing guy, but then again, > > Aphex knows how to play the piano as well doesn't he, so why not a > > violin... > > > > Actually, RDJ can't play piano, or read music. > > From http://www.warprecords.com/artists/news.php?filter=afx&ti_id=516 > > Nearly sixty years later Richard James was in a BBC studio taking part > in a Radio 3 programme called 'Mixing It'. His music was being played > along with the usual fabulous eclectic mix that this programme offers > every Sunday night. One of Cage's prepared piano pieces was played and > Mr Aphex's ears were drawn to the extraordinary sounds. He enquired > about the prepared piano and how it was all done. Many other techno > artists would have probably prepared a piano and sampled some of the > sounds, but not Richard James, he knew this simply wouldn't work and > that any results of this process would be crass. He bought a grand > piano that can be played by computer. It's called a 'Diskclavier' and > it's made by Yamaha. It's exactly like a straightforward grand piano > but the keys can be controlled by a computer via MIDI – the musical > instrument digital interface. Richard James cannot read conventional > musical notation and he cannot play a keyboard so, in order to make > the piano and prepared piano pieces that appear on 'Drukqs' he > prepared his Diskclavier according to the principles established by > John Cage and programmed the playing using a computer. The results are > there for all to hear. It's a real piano on Drukqs, not a sampler or a > synthesizer. Richard James has brought the sound of the forties into > the 21st century.

odd, I was pretty sure RDJ had a classical piano background, but maybe that was someone else, and the piano parts in Drukqs just tricked by brain into creating a faulty neural path and make be believe so.. I'll have to check out those piano parts again sometime though, they sound really good for someone who can't read notes, or knows how to play the piano, there may be hope for me after all!! :) that piano part in Epsilons No Try makes me jealous for not knowing how to write a piece like that for instance, it makes my spine tingle every time I hear it -- "progress doesn't come from early risers progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things" http://n3wjack.blogspot.com http://www.jungletrain.net - 24/7 dnb radio station Plenty of gmail invites left, let me know if you want one.

quoted 12 lines On Thu, 14 Apr 2005, n3wjack wrote:

> On Thu, 14 Apr 2005, n3wjack wrote: > > > On 4/14/05, Alan Lucas <alucas@gmail.com> wrote: > > > From http://www.warprecords.com/artists/news.php?filter=afx&ti_id=516 > > > instrument digital interface. Richard James cannot read conventional > > musical notation and he cannot play a keyboard so, in order to make > > odd, I was pretty sure RDJ had a classical piano background, but maybe > that was someone else, and the piano parts in Drukqs just tricked by > brain into creating a faulty neural path and make be believe so..

You know, I remember reading this article when it came out and thought that this part had to be a RDJ piss-take. "Actually *play* the piano? Oh, no, that'd be far too easy -- I rigged up a disklavier to play it for me!" It just seems like there's parts of afx melodies (from heliosphan onwards) that would naturally flow from plunking around on a keyboard but be hard to "find" on a sequencer/laptop setup. But what do I know. -- - Eric Sorenson - N37 17.255 W121 55.738 - http://eric.explosive.net - - Personal colo with a professional touch - http://www.explosive.net - --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On 4/14/05, Eric Sorenson <eric@explosive.net> wrote:

quoted 21 lines On Thu, 14 Apr 2005, n3wjack wrote:

> > On Thu, 14 Apr 2005, n3wjack wrote: > > > > > On 4/14/05, Alan Lucas <alucas@gmail.com> wrote: > > > > > From http://www.warprecords.com/artists/news.php?filter=afx&ti_id=516 > > > > > instrument digital interface. Richard James cannot read conventional > > > musical notation and he cannot play a keyboard so, in order to make > > > > odd, I was pretty sure RDJ had a classical piano background, but maybe > > that was someone else, and the piano parts in Drukqs just tricked by > > brain into creating a faulty neural path and make be believe so.. > > You know, I remember reading this article when it came out and thought > that this part had to be a RDJ piss-take. "Actually *play* the piano? > Oh, no, that'd be far too easy -- I rigged up a disklavier to play it > for me!" > > It just seems like there's parts of afx melodies (from heliosphan onwards) > that would naturally flow from plunking around on a keyboard but be > hard to "find" on a sequencer/laptop setup. But what do I know.

I thought so to, and so I've started looking for some interviews on google that might give the answer to whether RDJ did get a classical musical background or not. According to hints I find in this interview here, I think he hasn't. It clearly states the difference between Philip Glass, a classical musician, and Richard "I build my own synths" D. James. http://www.glasspages.org/apxtwin.html Even though I had this idea in my head it doesn't really surprise me that he didn't have a classical background, and in fact, I wonder if he would've been making the music he has if he would have had it. Once your head is full of the classical music rules I think it's hard to let go and make something innovative on a laptop (for example). I had a lengthy discussion about music once with my gf, who plays the accordeon, and it surprised me how strictly she thinks about music because of that musical education. I played the flute when I was 12 in school, and that's about it, and I regard breakcore, drum'n'bass and gabber just as much as music as one of Beethovens symphonies. So many things done in electronic music are simply wrong in musical terms. I mean seriously, Autechre sounds like your CD is skipping sometimes... but that's what makes it cool... if you can look passed the fact that's it's wrong of course... -- "progress doesn't come from early risers progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things" http://n3wjack.blogspot.com http://www.jungletrain.net - 24/7 dnb radio station Plenty of gmail invites left, let me know if you want one. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

n3wjack wrote:

quoted 7 lines Once your head is full of the classical music rules I think it's hard

>Once your head is full of the classical music rules I think it's hard >to let go and make something innovative on a laptop (for example). I >had a lengthy discussion about music once with my gf, who plays the >accordeon, and it surprised me how strictly she thinks about music >because of that musical education. > >

i know many good electronic music producers who are classically trained (samwatson.com and spish.ev01.net spring to mind). im not so sure it really predisposes you against using laptops, maybe most classically trained composers stick to using orchestras and chamber groups... because they can :) i certainly cant... good thing i've got more than enough creative headroom in this here laptop. -- ________________________________________________________________ experimental electronic music -- bluevitriol.com interactive music machine -- improbableorchestra.com blogging the vitriol -- vitriolix.com --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

On 4/14/05, Josh Steiner <josh@vitriolix.com> wrote:

quoted 15 lines n3wjack wrote:

> n3wjack wrote: > > >Once your head is full of the classical music rules I think it's hard > >to let go and make something innovative on a laptop (for example). I > >had a lengthy discussion about music once with my gf, who plays the > >accordeon, and it surprised me how strictly she thinks about music > >because of that musical education. > > > > i know many good electronic music producers who are classically trained > (samwatson.com and spish.ev01.net spring to mind). im not so sure it > really predisposes you against using laptops, maybe most classically > trained composers stick to using orchestras and chamber groups... > because they can :) i certainly cant... good thing i've got more than > enough creative headroom in this here laptop.

Well, I'm sure it works, but personally I just go by what I think works or sounds good, and since I hardly know any music theory I probably break a few rules now and then without even knowing. On the other hand I'm mainly drawn to interesting sounds, and melody is of minor importance to me, and by listening to all sort of music over the years some rules subconsiously stick in my head as well I guess. I think a lot of innovative, groundbreaking music didn't come from people with a real theoretical/classical musical background, but rather by people who screwed around with their instruments, samplers or computers and came up with something that made them go "Hell yeah!" I read and interview with the Chemical Brothers once where the said that though with their years of experience and their current technical skills in making electronic music, they made less errors in the writing process, which in fact took away a lot of accidentally discoveries of new sounds. Something that did happen frequently when making their first records. -- "progress doesn't come from early risers progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things" http://n3wjack.blogspot.com http://www.jungletrain.net - 24/7 dnb radio station Plenty of gmail invites left, let me know if you want one. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org

--n3wjack <n3wjack@gmail.com> [050414 06:39]:

quoted 3 lines odd, I was pretty sure RDJ had a classical piano background, but maybe

> odd, I was pretty sure RDJ had a classical piano background, but maybe > that was someone else, and the piano parts in Drukqs just tricked by > brain into creating a faulty neural path and make be believe so..

It might be Richard Devine you're thinking of. He has a classical piano background. --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: idm-unsubscribe@hyperreal.org For additional commands, e-mail: idm-help@hyperreal.org