Re: [microsound] translation:

[Michal Seta <mis@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 12 Nov 2002 11:52:55 -0800
Kim wrote:

> > Sorry, am I not understing this correctly or are you saying that
> > physical actions that are needed to operate a laptop are more directly
> > connected to musical ideas and no 'translation' is necessary?
> 
> you're turning part of the argument around by re-stating it in the
> negative...

I fail to see how this is negative.  Assuming that I think along the
lines of music as an intellectual, mechanical and physical (not
necessarily in terms of physical involvement of the performer but in a
scientific kind of way) process I could see it rather as positive.

> but I'm saying essentially that the laptop offers a way to embed
> intellectual property directly into software such as Max/MSP, PD etc which
> obviously removes the need of instrumental prowess when expressing ideas in
> sound (musical or otherwise)

I agree.  And in a way, the laptop musician thing is quite analogous
to the early-to-mid romantic phenomenon of composers/performers so
popular in the French (and not only) salons.

> ...of course 'translation' is still necessary but not on the same
> level as 'mastering' (i.e., agreed upon skill-set needed to perform
> music professionally) the guitar or piano...

I might be understanding this part in a negative way...  However, I
think that while composing/performing with a computer is not as
physically demanding as other instruments ( I saw the other post about
physical skill vs. computer performance) and some aspects of
composition/performance are not as easy to track as in the case of
traditional instruments I still see a need for mastering of this type
of musical (or otherwise) involvement.  While this is not a physical
skill (so, theoretically, it should not be a problem that many aged
performers of traditional instruments can relate to) it is an
intellectual skill.  But then, maybe that's your point exactly.

-- 
../MiS

Michal Seta
CreaZone		http://www.creazone.com
No One Receiving	http://www.noonereceiving.32k.org

upcoming release:
NOR - "The Release of the Wandering-Eyed Girl"
	http://www.grainofsound.com

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