[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [microsound] laptop as a performance device.



i run a series of performances at my house, mostly of the improvised
electroacoustic nature. although this was a byproduct of the space, it
became an interesting feature: most of the time, the performer is not
visible to the audience. visual stimulus is reduced (no tv, dimmed
lights) to encourage active engagement with the sounds.

i bring this up because i found some of the comments and reactions
from a few audience members interesting. mostly, it seemed to concern
some folks that they were not able to see the performers, even if they
sat unmoving behind a laptop for 45 min.

im not necessarily advocating for one position or another (since i had
little choice where to situate the performers according to the space),
but i found the reactions to this setup more interesting, insofar as
the anxiety audience members had about not seeing what was making the
sound, or who was making it.

it seems that people had a hard time separating the performance aspect
from the music, sounds, etc. perhaps one of the concerns is that the
audience will discover in the end that a machine was responsible for
the performance, not a person? or the fact that there isnt a
performance aspect with the music somehow devalues the entire thing?

im more inclined to think that people expect some sort of visual
complement to the audio, even if its to assuage the nervous audience
that yes, live humans are responsible for the noise. if you remove the
visual element and force people to listen intently (which is the main
goal of my series), well i think it is a relatively new experience for
them, to focus on the sound (music and environment), not other people
or whats on tv later or how this performer reminds them of someone
else they just saw/heard.

i think the performance aspect, in many instances, is a way to
commodify something, to give it a tangible quality. its harder to sell
sound (live) alone, even though the performance aspect may add nothing
at all to the overall quality.

i try to make people aware that they are coming to LISTEN, that visual
stimulus will be 'incidental' (ie, their immediate surroundings).

> > i am not sure why we keep coming back to the whether laptop is a
> > viable instrument for performance.
> > its a device that people use to create therefore why should it
> > neccesitate having to be translated into some grand dramatic gestural
> > dance?
> 
> I think the issue surrounds how a performance is framed.<SNIP>


-- 
v'

---------------------------------------------------------------------
To unsubscribe, e-mail: microsound-unsubscribe@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
For additional commands, e-mail: microsound-help@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
website: http://www.microsound.org