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Looper's Delight
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Now, there is a clear distinction between electric and electronic instruments. Unfortunately those names are not very clear: An electric instrument picks up a physical vibration while the electronic instrument generates electronically. I think we have to make further distinctions of types of electronic instruments. Samplers are, IMO, poor examples of expressive electronic instruments (they assume too primative a model, assuming interpolation is going to work). Some theremins are quite impressive (Pamalea Kursten is one of my fav players). I think one big problem is that, because of the flexibility on some electronic instruments, they have been pushed into an immative role to large extent : "My synth can sound like a flute" syndrom. Immitation always leaves something to be desired...Guitarists often try to cop a bowed sound : "I sound like a 'cello" syndrom...it only sounds like a 'cello to someone who doesn't listen to much 'cello. I think a lot of richness has been designed out of electronic instruments in a misguided attempt to increase stability/reliability..to try to make the response linear. This sort of breaks the regenerative cycle between instrument and player. Sadly, we see this effect in other areas...sometimes the poor use of synthetics or plied tops in instruments (there have been good, but also bad), some very brittle active pickups, guitar amplifiers that are too dry, tinny sounding early digital effects. It reminds me of when one first learns to design a simple single-transistor amp stage. At first it is very simple and clear, then the whole network of corrections is added. now you have successfully created a system that behaves in a fairly linear manner. But, that means somebody surfing a signal through it, can't really tell where they are, you can't play that response "curve" that you find in a good instrument be it musical (such as a good bow), or skis, a motorcycle suspension, or a fly rod _________________________________________________________________ MSN 8 with e-mail virus protection service: 2 months FREE* http://join.msn.com/?page=features/virus