RE: [microsound] the clueless leading the blind

[David Fodel <DFodel@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

anechoic wrote:"> also, lumping these artists into the glitch movement
(whatever that is) is
> perplexing...what makes their music "glitch"?"


Seems to be a lot of this going around. People call it "glitch" if it has
those crackly, clicky sounds in it. Even if they got those sounds from some
Sample CD called "The Sound of Glitch" or "Son of a Glitch Sampler". In
fact, for me, if someone was playing back a traditional piano arrangement as
a MIDI sequence and their computer locked up and that traditional
arrangement all of a sudden were transposed into another key or time
signature (but still sounding fairly similar and melodic) THAT would be more
"glitch" than what someone intentionally arranged from "glitchy sounding"
sources.

What is interesting about the use of the term, is that it has become more
and more associated with a particular sound, than with a process... (or lack
thereof). What I enjoy most about "glitch" is it's apparent
unintentionality, sense of natural novelty (as opposed to contrived novelty)
and naive and raw beauty.


David Fodel
Publishing Systems Manager
Wild Oats Markets
3375 Mitchell Lane
Boulder, CO 80301
Direct: 720-562-4831
Fax: 303-938-8474


> ----------
> From: 	Bill Jarboe
> Reply To: 	microsound
> Sent: 	Monday, June 10, 2002 11:08 AM
> To: 	microsound
> Subject: 	Re: [microsound] the clueless leading the blind
> 
> on 6/10/02 8:24 AM, anechoic at kim@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:
> 
> >> called Matthew Herbert makes dance music entirely out of the sound of a
> >> McDonald's meal being unwrapped and consumed. They are both part of a
> >> trend
> >> sometimes known as "glitch," which is music made without any
> >> instruments,
> >> entirely of found sounds, which are then arranged into musical
> patterns.
> >> 
> >> Glitch is primarily about what fun can be had with samplers and
> >> computer-editing programs, but it is also about bridging the gap
> between
> >> pop
> >> music and conceptual art.
> > 
> > 
> > I have listened to both Herbert's and Matmos' material and what is
> really
> > funny is that all this "new sampler hijinks" was being done when the
> > technology first became available back in the 80's...I cannot tell you
> how
> > many demo tapes I got back then that were done with all sorts of "wacky"
> > sound sources...
> > this opens a discussion that I have been trying to let germinate for the
> > past couple of years concerning this style (Matmos/Herbert) of music and
> > it's inherent "novelty quotient" which always makes for "interesting
> copy"
> > for newbie journalists who think they have "discovered something"...
> > (quotes are meant to be "finger flexions" i.e., denoted sarcasm)
> > also, lumping these artists into the glitch movement (whatever that is)
> is
> > perplexing...what makes their music "glitch"?
> > 
> > any thoughts from some of our more media critical members?
> >
>  
>   At the (profound) risk of appearing foolish I have a few things to say
> on
> the subject:
> 
>   The main difference I see between the above mentioned (and fairly
> recent)
> projects and what I was subjected to in my early formative years around
> "'82" is that is that advances in consumer audio products have made the
> pieces of music somewhat more credible from a 'sound as survival '
> standpoint.
> 
>   I'm thinking of the original emulator demo record , pop albums by the
> likes of kate bush , clan of xymox , annabelle lamb , laibach , that used
> the sampling technology in a sort of theatrical way. There was something
> noirish or limited about the sound. I think standardization has made the
> sound exploration of a product on a consumer level more  interesting and
> open. 
> 
>  Since I'm talking of the timeframe; I recall playing old crumar
> synthesizers at the music store and marvelling at the sounds  programmed
> in
> them . You were responsible for some of those , am I right?
> 
> 
>     
>                                 Bill
>   
> 
> 
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