At 08:57 PM 5/19/98 -0500, thatcat@ix.netcom.com wrote:
quoted 1 line it is far easier to record a keyboard part into a sequencer than to>it is far easier to record a keyboard part into a sequencer than to
step-enter or otherwise program the notes.
quoted 1 line now, i'm not saying that ae are recording everything live at once,>now, i'm not saying that ae are recording everything live at once,
obviously they are recording many tracks of things into the sequencer and
editing. but unless ae are doing something far different (and far more
tedious) than other musicians, it all starts with playing live keyboard
parts into the sequencer. as for techno artists getting crisp and
rhythmically precise beats, one can quantize a played part into an exact
pattern. another element of liveness in ae's recent works that is often
overlooked is the fact that not all the percussion is looping throughout the
tracks...often things playing a fairly steady rhythm will slip up or mutate
into something else. take for example the remix they did for spacetime
continuum, the kick and snare parts do not always fall in the same place; it
sounds a bit live and sloppy.
It really depends on the composer. Step time isn't any more tedious than
playing live if you're experienced (I find that older people have more
trouble with step-time because they didn't grow up w/ computers).
I sometimes step things in, sometimes play things in, it all depends how I'm
feeling.
I used to own a recording studio in partnership with Chris Brann of Wamdue
Productions, and we were in several bands together. Chris is an incredible
keyboard player, far more skilled than I'll ever be. However, when
composing Chris would step EVERYTHING into his sequencer. I asked him why.
He said that it was faster - he could capture what he felt the first time.
His sense of timing was such that he knew how many 1/384ths of a measure to
put between notes. Unfuckingbelievable. Chris started using a sequencer
when he was 12, so it was as natural as playing a keyboard to him.
I don't think you can use your own experience to predict how Autechre use
their equipment. My guess would be that they do some things in unorthodox ways.
Che