Re: [microsound] microsound as pop music

[MVFarley@xxxxxxx]

In a message dated 7/16/02 4:52:39 PM, pharmanaut@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:

<< Stockhausen had a very direct

connection to a number of "pop music" artists in the high point of SF

psychedelic culture.  >>

That's "crossover" and it's been happening for centuries (remember, Bach was 
at times a "dance" composer in some of his suites).  

I think one of the big differences between academic and pop electronic music 
is the reliance on the "hook."  Academic music seems to eschew the hook (are 
there any members of SEAMUS out there who got those sample CD's?  Pretty 
tough going - ever listen to one more than once?)  However, even the most 
challenging stuff that doesn't come from the universities usually has a 
rhythmic, timbral, or some other kind of hook, and that makes it more pop to 
me.  Sometimes it's a very subtle difference, but I think a lot of 
microsounders started out and, more importantly, did not entirely disengage 
themselves from the satisfaction of strumming the chords of a Beatles song 
they learned by ear very early in their music-making careers.

michael

michael