Re: Academic/musicological research on looping technique?

["Mark Showalter" <folkstone57@operamail.com>]

> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Sean Echevarria <fuckthespam@creepingfog.com>
> To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> Subject: Re: Academic/musicological research on looping technique?
> Date: Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:07:37 -0800
> 
> 
> At 2010.11.09 10:14 AM, Mark Showalter wrote:
> > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > From: Toby G <carpet8@mac.com>
> > > To: Loopers-Delight@loopers-delight.com
> > > Subject: Re: Academic/musicological research on looping technique?
> > > Date: Mon, 08 Nov 2010 18:58:09 -0800
> > >
> > >
> > > It's a valid question if you're aware of Steve Reich's work.
> >
> > What is the question & who is being asked?
> 
> The question is the one that you answered below.
> 
> 
> > > > Can you elaborate on how looping is a technique of electronics
> > > > and not performance?
> >
> > If a performer electronically loops a phrase, say a 2 measure 
> > idea, the performer is no longer performing that part. It exists 
> > as an electronic sample that is just being repeated by a loop 
> > pedal or sampler or whatever electronic device is being employed. 
> > It differers in a compositional sense because there is not a 
> > musician there reading a piece of music & playing the same bit 
> > perfectly & repeatedly. Any variations on that bit must be 
> > accomplished by electronic means, not by a performer i.e. the 
> > musician who originally played it. Keep in mind we're talking 
> > about this in regards to music theory & composition that one 
> > would learn in school. "Looping" in regards to how this emails is 
> > discussed does not get covered in a class on theory & composition 
> > because it isn't relavent there. In a Music Studio programme, of 
> > course, this is very common, all the way back to the use of tape 
> > loops in all types of music.
> 
> And with that kind of thinking, it will stay out of school!  
> Someone comes to the list because he is writing a "paper on various 
> aspects of digital looping used in live performance" - and you're 
> suggesting that looping means something different in an academic 
> environment than in the real world.  Come to think of it, in 
> general, that does seem to be a common complaint of academia.  
> Looks like Patrick (author of OP) made a mistake venturing out of 
> the academic environment.

I think you're missing my point here. I am not saying that 
electronic looping will not be covered in school, it WILL, in 
classes on studio technique. As I pointed out it is a very common 
technique used in the studio, for instance, the cash register FX on 
Pink Floyd's "Money", which was a tape loop. Electronic looping, 
however, was not covered in my theory & composition classes simply 
because it isn't something that any of the people who wrote the 
books & curriculum covered.... since it was something covered in 
classes on studio technique. This is not to say that in the years 
to come, looping will not be covered more thoroughly in music 
theory & composition classes, but as far as I know it isn't 
currently & wasn't when I was in school.
Also, keep in mind that the point of studying theory & composition 
in school is to learn the techniques of interpreting & writing the 
music of the past, like Beethovan, Bach, Mozart, etc. "Looping" 
simply doesn't fall anywhere into that group of composers. One of the 
reasons music students must study theory & composition 
is so that understanding & interpreting the music of the past is not lost.
Clearly, "Looping" doesn't fall into this category, 
especially when a lot of the performance is improvised & then 
erased. This isn't the point of studying music: a composer 
generally would not write a symphony,perform it & then tear 
it up, burn the shreds & move on. This is simply a matter of two 
completely different approaches. It isn't academic snobbery any more than 
a major event in history that happened yesterday not being immediately 
included in a History class is any form of snobbery.


Mark Showalter
Minden Jot!

myspace.com/folkstone57
http://www.last.fm/music/Mark+Showalter
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