Re: [microsound] good instruments vs good music

[ben nevile <bbn@xxxxxxxx>]

okay, I promise this will be my last post on the subject since what I 
really want to do is build instruments, not babble about them.

> Oh sure, it's always been easy.  Just make your instrument sound like 
> whatever you can imagine and build with physical materials.  What's 
> that you say?  There are limitations to wood and wire?  Whew, good 
> thing computers have no limitations.

you say that with tongue in cheek, I am guessing, but consider this:

IF
like most of us the final format of your finished work is digital - say 
a CD, or a DAT to be sent to a pressing plant, or a stream of output to 
your sound card to be played over a PA system

BECAUSE
the data is made up of 16/24 bit audio
the CD/performance has an upper bound on its duration - say 80 minutes, 
or whatever length of time you have been allotted by the promoter

THEN
the computer is capable of producing every single possible combination 
of numbers.  in other words, given your chosen method of artistic 
expression the computer has no limitations.

a final note:
computers allow us to decouple the physical gestures of a performer and 
the noise that is created.  I would submit that there exist really good 
tools to create whatever noise you want, but that the gestures have 
lagged... perhaps because of the economic incentive to create good 
product provided by our consumer culture: hollywood, TV, big record 
labels, etc.  but the gestures will catch up.

bbn

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