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Man, I love this discussion. Here's a little
secret about my preference of gear. If I could find a two space hardware device
that could hook up to my MIDI controller, and I could run max/msp, reaktor, any
VST (including Mobius, etc), I would probably buy it and then I'd be back to
hardware. And I don't mean some portable computer devise that has shit handing
off of it and a flimsy display, but a real solid rack unit that with pro
durability. The Muse Receptor would fit the bill, but it has its own lack of
flexibility that I can't cope with. If it ran max patches and any VST, that
would be cool.
For me it is about options and flexibility. That is
the bottom line. I didn't go to the computer because I disliked hardware, but
because I was sick and tired of being boxed in (no pun intended) by a limited
set of features, or having to build a 20 space rack to get the features I
wanted. A traditional hardware looping devise to me is like a one trick
pony (or a 10, 20, or 30 trick pony). That fact that it has limitations bothers
me. With the computer and max/msp, the only limition is my own adequancy to
program what I want....and I'm pretty damn inaduate at programming max/msp. I
borrow a lot of stuff and patch it together. I go with the computer
not beacuse I like the computer, but because I love what I can do with it.
Otherwise, since I work on the computer all day, I hate the damn thing and with
I didn't have to use it to make music. That's way I make these random looping
and effect patches...so I can get away from the blasted compouter when I play. I
loath it on stage. I just want to get away from and play my instrument.
My dream hardware box is a solid black box with no
dials or buttons. Only a guitar input, and two balanced XLR outs. I plug in,
walk away, and it performs like a virtual human looper/effector
accompaniest...makes decisions, is creative, reacts to what I do, etc.
:)
Kris
----- Original Message -----
I
think Kris has made an interesting point here, and one that I have thought
about myself when wrestling with the notion of swapping from hard to software.
My music has been very heavily changed by specific pieces of kit, the echoplex
being the most pointed. (it was like a sex pistols moment for me, changed my
whole way of playing forever). However, Im not sure that Software always leads
one to experimentalism. There is not doubt that the sheer AMOUNT of options
availble to one as a laptop musicain, is simply staggering, and one that I
personally HAVE found overwhelming. For a few years after a bad accident I
used only laptop to produce music, and although much of it WAS experimental, I
DID keep coming back to songs, structure and arrangments. But I never felt
that this music was EVER really finished, because I had to hear that mix with
a new plugin or maybe backwards, or or or or... Just the other day a piece of
mine ended up on a program segue here on Norwegian TV, and when it took me
till the end of the slot before I went... "Wait a minute!!! THAT ME!" I dont
even rcognise my own track!
With hardware, which I still prefer, I work
with that one piece of kit, till it is part of me, like a guitar.. I know
everything it does and can tame it, and use it for my own evil, and
experimental ends!!! If Im feeling sad, I may play a whimsical sad tune, if Im
feeling weird, Ill be weird, same gear, different mood.
I am blown away
by the posililities of Mobius, and playing with it occasionally, but I feel
more conceptual, Like Im thinking what I want to do, then trying to write some
code, testing it, playing for a bit, then back to analysis, and more
programming... less "hands-on" and already Im getting the feeling that Ill
never master it...
As a for instance, as an Art Director by day, I have
recently given up actually DOING the work, rather tell the young and eager
designers and directors in my charge what to do... You see Photoshop 5 I
knew... well... but with Adobe bringing out new versions every 5 minutes, I
cant keep up!! CS3.... FORGET IT!!!
As far as the festival was
concerned... I guess it was just a fluke... wish I had been there, IŽd of
shown those namby pamby tunester looper kids what us old noisy fucks can do
with hardware!!!
M
On Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 5:45 AM, Krispen Hartung <info@krispenhartung.com>
wrote:
>
kris.....does one need to use a laptop to be
"avant-garde"?.....hmmmmmm.....michael
I hope not, otherwise I'd
be saying that I wasn't playing avant-garde back when I was using only
hardware. Jeeesh. :) I wasn't suggesting that using the laptop
was a necessary condition to be avant-garde, only that it was one of
many possible sufficient conditions. I am just exploring a a possible
coorelation for the last several festivals in light of Rick's
comments.
K-
--
www.markfrancombe.com
http://vimeo.com/user825094
http://uk.youtube.com/user/markfrancombe
http://www.myspace.com/markfrancombe
www.looop.no
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