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Re: [microsound] responding to Greg, peripheral musing




> I read a review by composer Warren Burt of the Immersion Festival in
> Australia (http:://www.omroep.nl/nps/radio/supplement/99/0726/review.html)
> recently, a festival in which Parmegiani took part, where Parmegiani noted
> in his talk that (this is Burt's paraphrase of the translation, since
> Bernie P was talkin' that Francais jive) "the precision of digital sound
> editing can occasionally lead to unproductive obsession, and that one has
> to be open, even in this most perfect of mediums, to imperfection when it
> occurs."

Enter the "glitch" or whatever you want to call it.

> Greg, you might think about transforming your guilt into a new way of
> thinking about this entire process....as a 23 year old, I know what it
> means to be part of the short attention span nation, a frame of mind not
> particularly conducive to the meticulous requirements of finely-detailed
> electronic constructions(but not bad for sprawling gestural imrov, you
> motherfuckers....maybe it's time to drag my ass to Tokyo) Perhaps one of
> the uses, ultimately, for these strange musical pursuits is to actually
> mold ourselves ("composer, compose thyself"), extend our powers of
> concentration, hearing, perception, etc.

Well the relatively recent field of computer improvision (itself manifest
through technological advancement) is an interesting point... here we can
distinguish between the composer-musician (including Ferrari, Permegiani et
al) and the improviser (of which most names seem to be recent faces out of
Europe/US, from 1990 onwards if we don't include some important pioneers
like MEV, AMM or Voice Crack, and even they were borderline "electronic")

> In all seriousness, though, the problem Greg describes is one of the
> reasons why I prefer to use dedicated, non-computer equipment. I'd rather
> be surrounded by 1,000 cheap gadgets, effects, toys, guitars, and metalic
> and wooden objects with contact mics at this stage of the game. It's more
> fun, more engaging to watch, more spontaneous, and easier on the eyes. I
> like electronic music that combines the idea of playing in a band with
> being an electronic musician. Hmm....I think this is fodder for a
> manifesto!

I would say then you come from an older school of improvision like those
names I mentioned above. I mean, I listen to people like AMM or Musica
Ellectronica Viva and it blows my mind... we're talking electronic
improvision from the 1960's here.
Being here in New Zealand, there isn't a lot of computer/laptop improvision
going on, which is a shame. I believe some things are happening in Europe
(weren't some of those guys from Mego and the wonderful Metakime labels
involved with Keith Rowe's MIMEO project?).
Could Merzbow's latest stuff be considered laptop improv? Any more
suggestions from other artists? The Fennesz/Rehberg/O'Rourke record sounds
like there is some spontaneous combusion happening too.

As for a manifesto... i might get cracking on one!
Ola
G.