tools-mediums-questions++ - was: Re: [microsound] Csound/DirectCSound/PD

[Michal Seta <mis@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 10/18/01 2:51 PM, Andrei @ andrei@xxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
>> in fact, once you get going with PD or jMax there will be no need to use
>> Max/MSP (unless it's for being "cool").
> 
> Unless you wanna run nato.

unless you wanna run GEM.
unless you wanna run framestein.
unless you wanna run video-for-jmax.
unless you wanna use pipes and other useful stuff.

> 
> I'm not a Max user, but I get the impression there are more objects
> available for Max/MSP than Pd or jMax.

Yes.  and about 70% of them you will never use.  At least not in the first
couple of years.
Besides if more is better than Max/MSP is the solution.  For about anything,
in fact.

I have used Max before MSP came around and then I used it with MSP for a
couple of years.  Now I use PD and so far I don't see a reason going back to
Max/MSP (other than the platform but as I'm getting much more comfortable
with Linux I appreciate it more and end up using my Mac mostly for email and
sometimes ProTools Free (which I dislike increasingly with every use) and
occasionally SoundHack).

Don't get me wrong, I'm not _against_ Max/MSP.  It's a wonderful
environment.  But there are alternatives and I'm _for_ them.  You can
accomplish as much with PD (and perhaps jMax - I never used it) as with
Max/MSP (unless you're into heavy-duty MIDI manipulations - Max has a better
provision for that).  And then, it's not how many objects you have (compare
Audiomulch with Buzz and I get an impression that more people here use the
former) but how you use them.    And then I like the "open source"
concept...  

Which raises up an interesting question:  How many "microsound" people are
willing to use open source software/experimental tools, which often are much
more open-ended (in terms of "imposable" functionality) to do their music
(which _supposedly_ is different from mainstream) rather than mainstream
tools/software.  As "medium is the message" has been discussed here earlier
I think it is appropriate to ask: 1) what kind of message do you send by
using mainstream tools/technology/medium in what is to be considered a
post-<insert-your-favorite-adjective-here> music/art.  2) does it matter
what message?  3) do tools matter?  4)  and how about the techniques
(composition, material manipulation, performance), are they important?

Does _ANYTHING_ matter?
(not according to Metallica, anyways)

../MiS


PS. go ahead.  Rant!  But please, no mindless software/platform wars, we've
been through that.

-- 
../MiS
-----
    Linux is like a wigwam.
    No windows, no gates and an apache inside.
                                    - Someone
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