9603c

=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 13 Mar 1996 14:04:17 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Jon Crystal 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

Yet another suggestion, verging on the "academic" but with wonderful
timbral emphasis:

Denis Smalley  "Impacts Interieurs"



Jon
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 13 Mar 1996 15:22:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         John Niven Greenland 

ere" or "Soft Robot", 2 CD's by John Greenland.  Very dramatic,
not good for background/wallpaper use.  Srtavinsky meets Reich meets Kronos
meets Lennon.  Yikes. VERY original sounds.
They're hard to find because it's hard to get distribution for non-Rock etc.
Mail to:
Kultur Kampf Records
603 Anderson Ave.
Phoenixville, PA 19460-2466
=========================================================================
Date:         Thu, 14 Mar 1996 07:57:41 +0000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
Comments:     Authenticated sender is 
From:         Jason Kokoszka 
Subject:      information

Hi, I'm unfamiliar with electronic music history and specifics and
I'm looking for information regarding keyboards, synths, midi, and
electronic music for a research paper as well as my own personal
knowledge.

I would greatly appreciate any direct info or directions to internet
sorces.

Jason Kokoszka (jjkokosz@cbcc.bcwan.net)
=========================================================================
Date:         Fri, 15 Mar 1996 20:53:38 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Brian Good 
Subject:      Re: EMUSIC-L Digest - 12 Mar 1996 to 13 Mar 1996

Jon Morris writes:

>check out David Torn's "Tripping over God" - it came out last year
>sometime on CMP records, also he has a new one coming out April 9th, and
>I've heard rumors of some kind of solo tour.  There isn't any synth
>playing, just layers of processed guitars and sparse percussion.  Some of
>it might be a little more ambient than you're interested in, but I think
>that most of the album lives comfortably somewhere between new age and
>academynoise.  The textures he creates are wonderful, but the album's
>strength is in the composition.  Plus, as a little additional incentive,
>he recorded the whole album at home, I think with Sound Tools, so the
>production side of it may be of interest to emusic folks as well.

"Tripping" is pretty interesting stuff.  If memory serves, Torn has a
video out called "Painting With Guitar" in which he discusses how he
uses effects/processing to get his rather unique sound.

Brian Good
=========================================================================
Date:         Sat, 16 Mar 1996 12:31:19 +0000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

>btw - has anyone else picked up klaus schulze's live album at
>royal albert hall?

I've not, but have the Dome Event, which I'm told is better. I also have
his two-hour opera, which is a bit of a slog but quite listenable.

>which leads me to the following question: is anyone i don't know
>about doing *emusic* these days - not just newage or
>academynoise or one of the endlessly differentiated and
>substantively indistinguishable ambient forms? or even krautrock?
>point me to something.

I would like to know what such emusic would sound like, actually. All the
stuff I can imagine in my head seems to fall into one of these categories,
which saddens me. I'm planning out an album at present, and want a really
eclectic sound to it, but I'm damned if I can think of what that might be.
Ideas, anyone?

                           Nick Rothwell, CASSIEL
                           http://www.cassiel.com

             years, passing by, VCO, VCF, and again, and again
=========================================================================
Date:         Sun, 17 Mar 1996 09:58:54 +1000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         David Rodger 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

Hi emusicians,
Nick Rothwell's request for "any ideas" got me thinking.  It seems to me that
the term electronic music could embrace everything from music which can
only be made by electronic (including computing) means to music which could
be played on just about any instrument but isn't (like a lot of popular
music -- songs).  It also seems that music is never more closely associated
with its recorded artifacts than now.  So we increasingly think about a
song being that of a particular artist not because its a song by a songwriter
but a whole sound gestalt.  I don't think I'm explaining this very well.
Does this make sense?

> I would like to know what such emusic would sound like, actually.

Given what emusic _can_ embrace, then it would sound like whatever you want!
Nick, don't be beholden to one category or another.  Make the music that
works for you.  If it sounds like Depeche Mode or Alvin Lucier, people will
throw some mud in your direction and they might be right, but we'll all
have learned something.  (I should add that, after having read your
correspondence for a couple of years, I don't think you're the sort fo person
who's be that derivative!)

Regards, David
musdr@lure.latrobe.edu.au
=========================================================================
Date:         Sat, 16 Mar 1996 22:02:36 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         "John C. Witzgall" 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

I'll tell you what I'd love to do. Transcribe a whole lot of  blues melodies
- all types of instruments-and then layer them using counterpoint and some
folk forms and Western classical forms. Or you could use bebop melody lines
or whatever.
=========================================================================
Date:         Sat, 16 Mar 1996 22:20:57 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Joe Miklojcik 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

>>is anyone i don't know
>>about doing *emusic* these days - not just newage or
>>academynoise or one of the endlessly differentiated and
>>substantively indistinguishable ambient forms? or even krautrock?
>>point me to something.
>
>I would like to know what such emusic would sound like, actually. All the
>stuff I can imagine in my head seems to fall into one of these categories,
>which saddens me. I'm planning out an album at present, and want a really
>eclectic sound to it, but I'm damned if I can think of what that might be.
>Ideas, anyone?

To me, "emusic" is freedom from the limitations of conventional weapons
... er, instruments.  In my thinking and experience, it turns out that the
most
natural or obvious thing to do with a synthesizer is "simulate", and with a
sampler, also "loop".

Some excellent examples of how to *not* do this can be found in works by
the Residents and Negativland.  Both have been around for a while, but
have fairly recent works as well.  The former take more or less pure tones
from earlier synthesizers and turn them into satyrical mockeries of
popular instruments -- especially on albums they made in the 70's, such as
"Third Reich and Roll."  The later move the sampler toward "splice" rather
than "loop".  Many of their songs use a tape machine that is "played"
like an instrument rather than a sampler, but the effect is similar.

These two bands are heavy with satire, and not prone to any sort of
traditional composition.  If you're not a rebellious spirit, or if your
definition of
music is limited, proceed with caution.

My US$0.02.
=========================================================================
Date:         Sun, 17 Mar 1996 14:43:45 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         John Niven Greenland 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

"Wire We Here?" or "Soft Robot" - CD's by John Greenland.  Very different,
very dramatic, very unusual timbres.  Contact me for details or send $15 +
postage to : John Greenland
603 Anderson Ave.
Phoenixville, PA 19460-2466
=========================================================================
Date:         Sun, 17 Mar 1996 12:10:00 -0800
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Peter Mueller 
Subject:      Re[2]: suggested listening
Comments: To: KulturK@AOL.COM

"Wire We Here?" or "Soft Robot" - CD's by John Greenland.  Very different,
very dramatic, very unusual timbres.  Contact me for details or send $15 +
postage to : John Greenland
603 Anderson Ave.
Phoenixville, PA 19460-2466



     What kind of music is it John?
=========================================================================
Date:         Sun, 17 Mar 1996 15:49:35 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Joe Miklojcik 
Subject:      WANTED: Windows 95 programmer for small MIDI freeware project.

I have this interpreter for a toy language I wrote a couple of years ago.
 It's not a great language, and it's difficult to program in, but it has a
fast evaluation algorithm.  It could do a lot in between MIDI messages.  I'd
like to hook this little language up to a Windows 95 multiple-document
interface and MIDI drivers, so I can use it as a little MIDI control
application.  If I can get the thing to work, I'm going to give it away as
freeware.

If you have experience in 95/MIDI programming and a little extra time to
devote to such a project, I could use some help.  The core interpreter
currently compiles and runs as a "console" application with Visual C++ 4, and
it's going to take me some work to get it into a fully functioning state.
 I'd like someone to design and implement a front end for the thing, and a
useful way to hook it up to the MIDI device drivers.

Any takers?

(Worhongler@aol.com)

PS. Please forward.
=========================================================================
Date:         Mon, 18 Mar 1996 13:22:25 +0000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Anthony Ewers 
Subject:      Cubase song files Atari - Mac Conversion

Hi,
   I hope this is the right list for this sort of question, so here goes...
Does anyone know how I can transfer songs done with Cubase on my Atari ST
to my Apple Mac.  The songs were saved on disks formatted for my atari, and
even with cubase open & running (on my mac) I do not get the option to open
files from these disks.  Does apple file exchange have a special translator
for this sort of job??? or must it be done some other way?  Any help would
be grately appreciated.


----------------------------------------------
Anthony Ewers :-     University of Westminster, London.
e-mail        :-     anthony@phatmac.demon.co.uk
=========================================================================
Date:         Mon, 18 Mar 1996 15:29:41 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         John Niven Greenland 
Subject:      Need Audio Card

 I'm looking for a used audio card for Mac - Audiomedia I or II.
Please let me know if you have one to sell.
Thanks
=========================================================================
Date:         Mon, 18 Mar 1996 20:39:26 +0000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

>Nick, don't be beholden to one category or another.  Make the music that
>works for you.  If it sounds like Depeche Mode or Alvin Lucier, people will
>throw some mud in your direction and they might be right, but we'll all
>have learned something.

Oh, I see. Sacrificial lamb time.

Maybe I'm in a funny mood, but at the moment I'm rather after eclecticism
for its own sake. I hate finding myself falling on old tricks and into old
cliches, and if I'm going to the bother of producing a CD I'd like to spend
a bit of time and effort getting it to sound unusual.

Certainly I plan to make it *look* unusual, artwork-wise.

                           Nick Rothwell, CASSIEL
                           http://www.cassiel.com

             years, passing by, VCO, VCF, and again, and again
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 19 Mar 1996 12:31:20 MET-1METDST
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Snakes-eater 
Organization: ISIS PW
Subject:      suggested listening !!!
Comments: To: EMUSIC-L%AMERICAN.EDU@plearn.edu.pl

Wind,winds.....
 from Akai professional - 10 old jazz pieces in new COOL arrangement.
 Solo voice - EWI.
         L  ADRIAN
     I        XCHRYK@WODNIK.iis.pw.edu.pl
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 19 Mar 1996 09:04:19 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         "Alan M. Bookmiller" 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

>>Nick, don't be beholden to one category or another.  Make the music that
>>works for you.  If it sounds like Depeche Mode or Alvin Lucier, people will
>>throw some mud in your direction and they might be right, but we'll all
>>have learned something.
>
>Oh, I see. Sacrificial lamb time.
>
>Maybe I'm in a funny mood, but at the moment I'm rather after eclecticism
>for its own sake. I hate finding myself falling on old tricks and into old
>cliches, and if I'm going to the bother of producing a CD I'd like to spend
>a bit of time and effort getting it to sound unusual.
>
>Certainly I plan to make it *look* unusual, artwork-wise.
>
>                           Nick Rothwell, CASSIEL
>                           http://www.cassiel.com


Hey, too much "sounds like this; reminds me of so-and-so; if you listen to
that you're a loser." Who gives a rats ass. This list has too many anal
retentive types eager to critique just for the sake of critque itself -
gives 'em somthing to send to the list. Being a composer, musician and
artist makes me want to critique less, listen more attentively, and enjoy
the efforts of others more - what's wrong with the rest of the world? Write
it and play it the way it works best for you - you'll drive yourself into
overdrive if you seek the ever elusive "perfection." Just do it, put a
stamp on it and let it fly - don't listen to the outsiders. Lighten up on
yourself, then listen to your inner voice - you'll be alot happier, you'll
live alot longer, and you'll make alot more great music. You can't please
everyone so stop trying. The liberation is an accelerator for your
creativity.

Here's one I heard some time back that works well - you can use on your
worst critic:

Critic: "Your music is terrible, it sounds like two skeletons fornicating
on a tin roof."

You: "And I think you are a very nice person, but then, perhaps we are both
wrong."


Not to worry Nick.

Alan



tabbooks@pa.net (Alan M. Bookmiller)
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 19 Mar 1996 10:05:01 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Joe McMahon 
Subject:      Re: Need Audio Card
In-Reply-To:  <960318152938_449352651@emout10.mail.aol.com> from "John Niven
              Greenland" at Mar 18, 96 03:29:41 pm

>
>  I'm looking for a used audio card for Mac - Audiomedia I or II.
> Please let me know if you have one to sell.
> Thanks
>
John, you should sign up for SYNTH-L and check with the folks over there -
I think you'll probably find them a more receptive audience.

 --- Joe M.
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 19 Mar 1996 10:59:22 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         John Niven Greenland 
Subject:      Suggested Listening

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Attached is a file listing some reviews of John Greenland's first 2 CD's,
"Soft Robot" and "Wire We Here?" for anyone curious.  It's in RTF format.
My third, "Periods of Lucidity" will be out this Spring.

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=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 19 Mar 1996 10:19:55 CST
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         harry haecker 
Subject:      suggested listening

>Hey, too much "sounds like this; reminds me of so-and-so; if you listen to
>that you're a loser." Who gives a rats ass.

>[...] Being a composer, musician and artist makes me want to critique less,
>listen more attentively, and enjoy the efforts of others more - what's
>wrong with the rest of the world? Write it and play it the way it works
>best for you - you'll drive yourself into overdrive if you seek the ever
>elusive "perfection."

>[...] Just do it, put a stamp on it and let it fly - don't listen to the
>outsiders.

>Alan
>tabbooks@pa.net (Alan M. Bookmiller)

Alan, you have very good points, and it's one that I had to go through a
LONG dry spell to finally get a beginning grasp upon.  I think it may have
been due to having 15 years of formal "classical" music training...you know
the rhetoric: "No, *no*, NO! Play it *this* way...you MUST play the notes,
the whole notes, and nothing but the notes, so help you God!"  However, your
tenent is one that I now have the luxury of adhering to, since I don't try
to make music my main (or even secondary) income source.

For artists who choose to (or have to, due to circumstances) subsist on the
good graces of the public's fickle ear, marching to the beat of a rhythm
*only they* can hear doesn't work well; hence, popular music and the varying
degrees of catering to the public's reamed-out psyche.  I've never heard
Nick's music, but I betcha it's neither John Denver nor Negativland!  ;-)

>This list has too many anal retentive types eager to critique just for the
>sake of critque itself - gives 'em somthing to send to the list.

What? Are you critisizing Us?  Horrors!!   :-))

>Here's one I heard some time back that works well - you can use on your
>worst critic:

>Critic: "Your music is terrible, it sounds like two skeletons fornicating
>on a tin roof."

To which I'd reply, "It's supposed to!"

Harry Haecker (haeckerh@nwrc.gov)
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 19 Mar 1996 15:20:47 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         John Niven Greenland 
Subject:      Re: Need Audio Card

Joe -
Thanks for the advise, I'll do that.
John
=========================================================================
Date:         Tue, 19 Mar 1996 19:40:12 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         "Alan M. Bookmiller" 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening-agaaaaain

>>Alan writes:

>>Hey, too much "sounds like this; reminds me of so-and-so; if you listen to
>>that you're a loser." Who gives a rats ass*.
>
>>[...] Being a composer, musician and artist makes me want to critique less,
>>listen more attentively, and enjoy the efforts of others more - what's
>>wrong with the rest of the world? Write it and play it the way it works
>>best for you - you'll drive yourself into overdrive if you seek the ever
>>elusive "perfection."
>
>>[...] Just do it, put a stamp on it and let it fly - don't listen to the
>>outsiders.
>
>>Harry writes:

>Alan, you have very good points, and it's one that I had to go through a
>LONG dry spell to finally get a beginning grasp upon.  I think it may have
>been due to having 15 years of formal "classical" music training...you know
>the rhetoric: "No, *no*, NO! Play it *this* way...you MUST play the notes,
>the whole notes, and nothing but the notes, so help you God!"  However, your
>tenent is one that I now have the luxury of adhering to, since I don't try
>to make music my main (or even secondary) income source.


Alan writes:

Harry, I'm sorry to hear you were abused as a youngster. Me too - it was
the tuba for the love of God! I have nightmares now of being flushed down a
"golden" toilet shaped like a Sousaphone - it gets very scary when I get to
the third valve - then I wake up sweating valve oil!

Harry writes:

>For artists who choose to (or have to, due to circumstances) subsist on the
>good graces of the public's fickle ear, marching to the beat of a rhythm
>*only they* can hear doesn't work well; hence, popular music and the varying
>degrees of catering to the public's reamed-out psyche.  I've never heard
>Nick's music, but I betcha it's neither John Denver nor Negativland!  ;-)

Alan writes:

Good point, but I think we were basically talking one's own creations. If
you're going to get into pleasing the public, forget it. It doesn't matter
what kind of music you make - if enough money is thrown about, and enough
disc-jockeys (disc-jokeys) tell the public that that music is "where it's
at" then it will be successful. It's hype! What you're saying is that then
a bunch of poor S.O.B's have to copy "that" music to feed themselves.
Right? I say better to do your own thing, take out a full page ad in
Billboard for ten or twelve  weeks and have a hit! Sure it'll cost you
millions but what the heck, you'll be making more than that won't you? Each
week you'll get a bullet next to your song, it'll crawl from 100, to 80, to
79...all the way to number "1." You'll be playing every county fair from
Maine to San Diego. Your agent will buy you a hotdog!

Let's face it, the music industry is a farce. No one makes it without
enough money today. Money is hype, hype means hits, hits equals success.
There is too much good stuff that doesn't even get "air-play" in this
country. Of all the good musicians (and all members of this list are good
musicians - I owed 'em one) writing and performing today, at any given time
there are only forty friggin' tunes that get played - forty! That's
ridiculus! And what's even more stupid is that in any given city in this
country with, say, eight radio stations, six of them are playing the same
forty songs! What's wrong here? Who came up with this idea? TIME TO
CHANGE...anyone with any good ideas out there, lets hear them now?

Simply, do your own thing and get a good job to feed yourself.

Alan writes:

>>This list has too many anal retentive types eager to critique just for the
>>sake of critque itself - gives 'em somthing to send to the list.

>Harry writes:

>What? Are you critisizing Us?  Horrors!!   :-))

Alan writes:

*Would I do that?!!! One furry "O"-ring for you...

Harry's version of my retort:

>>Here's one I heard some time back that works well - you can use on your
>>worst critic:
>
>>Critic: "Your music is terrible, it sounds like two skeletons fornicating
>>on a tin roof."
>
>To which I'd reply, "It's supposed to!"
>
>Harry Haecker (haeckerh@nwrc.gov)

Thanks for the good speak, and laugh Harry - you've proven once again that
you're not retentive in any way!

A fan always, Alan!

tabbooks@pa.net (Alan M. Bookmiller)
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 00:58:23 +0000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Martin Russ 
Subject:      General FAQs V1.0 (New Issue)
Comments: To: SYNTH-L@LISTSERV.AMERICAN.EDU

Warning: Long Document (370 lines, 2422 words, about 6 pages)--------------

EMUSIC-L and SYNTH-L Frequently Asked Questions: General

This document is posted approximately every four weeks. It is intended that
this document should answer many of the questions regularly asked by
subscribers to the lists. Comments and corrections should be sent to the
maintainer, Martin Russ, at:

mruss@midi.dungeon.com

This is Issue 1.0. 19 March 1996.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOPIC INDEX################################################################
- Max
- Soundcards
- Music mailing lists & Newsgroups
- Mac & PC
- Theremins
- FTP & HTTP

MAX########################################################################
"What is MAX, anyway?"#####################################################

MAX is a software toolkit which gives a real-time, interactive, graphical
development environment for multimedia, music (and more). Programs are
'written' by connecting together graphical objects, rather than typing
text. Typical applications for MAX include: Editors and Librarians for MIDI
equipment; Compositional Tools; Utilities for analysing musical
performance; and much more.

MAX is often mentioned in these lists. It currently exists in variants for
the Unix environment and on the Apple Macintosh, although a petition has
been mentioned within these lists for a Windows version - contact JOEL
STERN on stern@email.loc.gov or j.stern11@geis.genie.com for details.

For more information on the Macintosh version, you should try contacting
your nearest Opcode dealer. (Opcode distribute MAX for the Mac). Opcode
also have a World Wide Web page at :

http://www.rahul.net/opcode/index.html.

There is also a MAX listserv. Send a message to listserv@vm1.mcgill.ca with
a Subject of: Subscribe Max, and the message text:

SUBSCRIBE MAX 

You will then receive daily digests of postings to the MAX list.


SOUNDCARDS#################################################################
"Where do I find information on Soundcards?"###############################

Information on soundcards for personal computers can be found in the
following Usenet newsgroup(s)"

comp.sys.ibm.pc.soundcard.GUS.


MUSIC MAILING LISTS & NEWSGROUPS###########################################
##"Anyone know a good MUSIC discussion group on ?"#######

The best place for discussion of almost any group, band, artiste,
performer, musician (you get the idea), is the Usenet newsgroups. Try:

alt.fan.


##Is rec.audio.pro a list that one can subscribe to like SYNTH-L?##########

No. rec.audio.pro is a Usenet newsgroup, so you can't have it posted to you
via e-mail. You need to have a newsreader program to be able to read it, or
you may be able to dial in to a local BBS that carries Usenet newsgroups.
Newsreader programs can usually be set so that they 'subscribe' to a
specific newsgroup or groups, and then the end result is very like
subscribing to a mailing list - you can read the postings to the newsgroup.


##Is there a list which discusses recording & mixing techniques?###########

This subject is sometimes touched on in several mailing lists, including
SYNTH-L and Electronica.

There are also the Usenet newsgroups. The closest newsgroup is probably
rec.audio.pro.


##Where can I find out about Algorithmic Composition?######################

There's an algorithmic composition mailing list. Mail to

majordomo@serial.music.uiowa.edu

(no subject required) with the body of the message saying

subscribe algo-comp 

(Checked Dec 95: OK: Martin Russ)


##So how do I post to a newsgroup via e-mail?##############################

You can use a mail-to-news gateway. Here's how you do it using the UTexas
gateway:

The 'To:' address should read xxx.xxxxx.xxxxxx.usenet@cs.utexas.edu, where
xxx.xxxxx.xxxxxx is the newsgroup name: eg. rec.music.makers.synth. The
resulting full address is this case would be:
rec.music.makers.synth.usenet@cs.utexas.edu

(Of course, you should really try to locate your nearest mail-to-news
gateway rather than just use the UTexas one!)


MAC & PC###################################################################
##Should I buy a PC or a Mac?##############################################

This topic has been known to escalate into savage flame wars. There is no
simple answer, but here are some pointers:

RULE NUMBER ONE: SOFTWARE

Find the software first, then THAT might make you decide which platform to
buy. Some software is available on only one platform. (Max on the Mac is
one example: there are counter-examples) Hard disk recording is often VERY
platform-specific.

RULE NUMBER TWO: VAPOURWARE

Buy based upon what you can get right this instant, not based upon what
someone has promised will be available in the future.

RULE NUMBER THREE: OBSOLESCENCE

Whatever computer you buy will be almost instantly obsolete and available
for less than you paid for it.

QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER

You may need to purchase more than just the computer.

-What are you going to hook it up to?  Synthesizers?  Samplers?

-Do you need a MIDI connection only, or will you want to use a SCSI
interface for sample transfer?

-If you are going to use a MIDI connection, how many MIDI devices do you
have? This will help you decide if you will want a single port or a
multi-port MIDI interface.

-Do you want to use a separate MIDI patch bay?

-Do you want to do MIDI sequencing only, or do you want to do digital audio
of any type?  This can be divided into simple sound file and sample
manipulation, and full multi-track song recording and editing...

-If you want to work with sound files, are you going to want an internal
sound card of some type or will you only work with "real"
external/dedicated samplers, such as Ensoniq, Kurzweil, Akai or Peavey?

-Do you plan to ever cut your own CDs with your own CD-R drive?  Actually,
there is good software for this on several different platforms. Some people
like the stuff for Linux...

-Do you want to do sequencing only, or do you want notation as well?  (Do
you understand the difference?)

-Are you going to use this computer for music only, or will you want to do
word processing/database/online services etc?

-Do you want to be able to use free/low cost software from the Net, or do
you only want commercial software?  Another way of wording this might be,
do you want a "turnkey" system that is already setup for you, or do you
want to roll up your sleeves, get in there and learn the insides?

-Do you think you might want to develop your own software?

-And, a real important question is, what do your friends and fellow
musicians use?  If you are going to collaborate on projects, you should
consider what the other people own, for better or worse... (But don't
forget MIDI Files!)

SPOILERS

Many programs are equivalent across the Mac and PC platforms. Many 'Mac'
developers, such as Opcode and Mark of the Unicorn, are now developing for
Windows, so their products are going to be very very similar across the two
platforms. Passport develop for both platforms, like Passport, and the PC
specific developers,like Twelve Tone, are now developing for both
platforms.

Plug 'n' Play PCI slots will not be standard on PCs until Pentium
motherboards become common - but PCI is now supported by PC and Mac. As a
result, there is definitely not going to be as big a difference in setup
and use any more. You can buy turnkey setups of both PC and Mac...

Windows 95 and the Mac OS are both neat GUIs. Neither is perfect.

Windows on the PC and the Mac are each equally as painful to develop for in
their own way. BOTH have memory allocation problems.

If you ask anyone about Mac versus PC, you'll get answers from every
direction: mostly based on what people are familiar with or on their
opinions as to what computing should be.

So for what ever reason people use the computer they use, it is all
personal. Sort of like a Ford, "some people swear by them, and some swear
at them". It is all up to what you like and how you like to do it. Some
people use both Mac and PC equipment, depending on what the need is. This
is not to suggest that one should go out and buy both types of computers to
satisfy every need, but both formats have their ups and downs.

Keep an open mind.  Both platforms definitely have their strengths and
weaknesses. Neither is a clear winner.

The following web site contains lots of information regarding the Mac vs.
PC debate - it is biased, of course!

http://www.icsi.net/~crfrank/newpcTales2.toc.html


##How do I move Standard MIDI Files from a Mac to a PC and vice-versa?#####

Just save the MIDI file onto PC disks instead of Mac disks.

Any Mac with an "FDHD" (high-density, 1.2M) disk drive can write onto DOS
floppies and read them - using Apple File exchange or PC Exchange. (The Mac
Plus, SE, and SE/30 do NOT have these drives). Macs running system 7.1 and
above have good native support for reading DOS disks. PC disk access may be
slow, and it is probably best to format the diskettes in the PC - some
people have had reliability problems with PC diskettes formatted in Macs.

As for using the files, the PC will just read them, but on the Mac, you'll
have to open the application up first - you can't just double click on the
file icon itself. If your application can't see the file, then you can look
around for one of the freeware pieces of software that can change the file
type and creator.

Of course, there is also the Mac 640CD Dos Compatible or one of the add-in
PC boards/cards. There have been reports of programs allowing DOS machines
to read Mac disks as well, but the reviews have been mixed, leaning toward
the negative.


THEREMINS##################################################################
##What's a Theremin?#######################################################

The theremin is one of the very first electronic musical instruments, and
yet is one of the most novel and original. It is played without being
touched. The theremin responds instantaneously and continuously to the
motions of the player's hands in the space surrounding it. The theremin
player uses one hand to control pitch, and the other to control volume. The
instrument's tone resembles that of a violin, cello, or human voice, but
has its own unique ethereal quality.

The theremin was first developed in 1920 by the Russian musician/physicist
Leon Theremin, and was originally produced in the United States in 1929 by
the Radio Corporation of America.

Currently, theremins are available from Big Briar, Bob Moog runs it (or at
least does the design) and they also have a MIDI-ized Theramin. They say:

"The Big Briar Series 91 theremins retain the timbre and playing
characteristics of Professor Theremin's designs, but use contemporary
digital and analog integrated circuit technology. The pitch range extends
from the lowest audible pitch to three octaves above middle C. A small
speaker is built in. Line-level audio, speaker, and pitch and volume
control voltage outputs are standard features. High-quality, hand-crafted
cabinets in three distinctive cabinet styles are available. Optional
accessories include road cases and a small external speaker."

For more information, contact Big Briar, Inc., 554-C Riverside Drive,
Asheville, NC 28801; tel. (800) 948-1990 or (704) 251-0090, fax (704)
254-6233. They will snail-mail you a much more informative leaflet (6 pages
or so, with pictures & reading list).

The MIDI theremin is pretty expensive (about $2K US) but sends out full
14-bit control messages for pitch bend (that's 16384 steps... you could
represent the entire piano keyboard, tuned down to the nearest cent or
hundredth of a semi-tone, with only 8800 steps!). Big Briar is now also
offering a DIY non-MIDI Theremin in the $250 range, including handmade
antennas and a finished case.

There has been a recent reissue of the only Theremin virtuouso, Clara
Rockmore (hope I have that right) on CD.

You can see a Theremin in action in the Led Zepplin concert movie, "The
Song Remains The Same."

www.paia.com/paia had a ThereMAX kit for sale in October 1995.

You might want to know that there is a theremin page on the WEB at:

http://www.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/~jbbarile/theremin.html

The February 1996 issue of Electronic Musician magazine contains an article
on building your own Theremin.


FTP & HTTP#################################################################
##Where do I find Midi files/software archives on the Internet?############

There is a list of ftp and mail server archives with MIDI documentation,
programs and music on the Internet. Also enclosed is a list of MIDI and
electronic music related mailing lists.

The latest version of this file can be obtained by ftp from

ftp.cs.ruu.nl [131.211.80.17] in pub/MIDI/DOC/archives

or by mail from mail-server@cs.ruu.nl (send a message with HELP in the
body). From the mail-server the filename without pub/ should be used. The
latest monthly version is also available in the various news.answers
archives around the world, in music/midi/archives.


##Where can I find information on related books?###########################

There is a bibliography on synthesizers, midi, computer and electronic
music that has been collected from various sources by Piet van Oostrum
. He has tried to bring some structure into it, but not all
books will fit into a single subject. NOTE: He has NOT read these books,
and the comments are from other people.

The latest version of this file can be obtained by ftp from

ftp.cs.ruu.nl [131.211.80.17] in pub/MIDI/DOC/bibliography

or by mail from mail-server@cs.ruu.nl (send a message with HELP in the
body). From the mail-server the filename without pub/ should be used. The
latest monthly version is also available in the various news.answers
archives around the world, in music/midi/bibliography.


##Where can I find demos of sequencers?####################################

On the Internet/Web, you could try:

Harmony Central:         http://harmony-central.mit.edu/Software/Mac/


##Where can I find a list of used gear?####################################

There's a list at:

ftp://synthcom.com/pub/synth/docs/current_raw.txt


##"Where is the archive of FAQs kept?"#####################################

There are two FAQ documents. These cover Administration and General topics.
You will be able to ftp previous FAQ files from the Internet.


##Contributors#############################################################

Contributions by Mike Metlay, Joe McMahon, Ned Kartchner, Clive McFarland,
Doug Ramsay, Tom Ritchford, David Rodger, Amanda Pehlke, John Rossi, Doug
Wellington, Piet van Oostrum, Martin Russ, Bucky Goldstein, Jeff Talman,
Devon E. Weller, FAUST, Billy Brown, Roger King and others...

###########################################################################







------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Martin Russ            Reviewer & Columnist for Sound On Sound Magazine (UK)
 mruss@midi.dungeon.com      Hi-Tech Music Technical Author & MIDI Consultant
 http://www.dungeon.com/~midi              Macintosh & Synthesizer Programmer
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 15:50:24 +1000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         clive@PELICAN.DBE.CSIRO.AU
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

>
>>Critic: "Your music is terrible, it sounds like two skeletons fornicating
>>on a tin roof."
>
>To which I'd reply, "It's supposed to!"
>
Mine sounds like two skeletons fornicating on a tin roof in an orange
blizzard on a toboggan run through a flooded coalmine in the Sahara.
Blindfolded.

Can't understand why A&R execs aren't beating a path to my door...

Regards

Clive

Clive McFarland         CSIRO Australia         clive@pelican.dbe.csiro.au
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 07:47:30 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         "Alan M. Bookmiller" 
Subject:      Re: suggested listening

>>
>>>Critic: "Your music is terrible, it sounds like two skeletons fornicating
>>>on a tin roof."
>>
>>To which I'd reply, "It's supposed to!"
>>
>Mine sounds like two skeletons fornicating on a tin roof in an orange
>blizzard on a toboggan run through a flooded coalmine in the Sahara.
>Blindfolded.
>
>Can't understand why A&R execs aren't beating a path to my door...
>
>Regards
>
>Clive
>
>Clive McFarland         CSIRO Australia         clive@pelican.dbe.csiro.au


Drop the blindfold Clive, then be prepared!!!!

Alan

tabbooks@pa.net (Alan M. Bookmiller)
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 09:37:39 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Joe McMahon 
Subject:      "Why can't I post anymore?" - soon to be a new FAQ
Comments: To: synth-l 

[Martin: you may want to add this to the admin FAQ.]

If you haven't posted in a while, and all of a sudden your posts are
being rejected, there are a couple possible reasons, all related to the
same cause: spammers.

To block spammers from being able to post to the lists at all, Mike and I
went to a set of new subscription and posting restrictions: new subscribers
must confirm their subscriptions, and non-subscribers cannot post. Also,
posts over a certain size (about 3000 lines) will get rejected.

This can cause problems for the following folks:

 - Folks from AOL who appear to have multiple IDs (sreen names). You always
   have to post from the same ID, or subscribe multiple IDs and use SET
   NOMAIL for some of them (see below). Not doing so will make you appear to
   be an unsubscribed user/possible spammer, and your posts get rejected.

 - Folks whose mailing addresses have been changed by their system
   administrators or by their networking folks. You also appear to be an
   unsubscribed, possible spammer, and get rejected.

These will have to be fixed on an individual basis, alas. Send me or Mike
mail (actually, just send it to me for right now -- Mike's busy moving).

If you know your ID has changed, send us mail telling us the old ID and the
new one, and we'll delete the old one; you can add the new one yourself.

If you have multiple IDs you'll be posting from, subscribe all of them, but
send the following command from all but one of them:

SET EMUSIC-L NOMAIL

(and obviously, SET SYNTH-L NOMAIL, for SYNTH-L) to turn off mail to the
other accounts.

I'll be working with the folks who've reported trouble to help get them
fixed up.

 --- Joe M.
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 09:23:56 CST
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         harry haecker 
Subject:      Billboard and Don Quixote

Allen doth respond merrily:

>I have nightmares now of being flushed down a "golden" toilet shaped like
>a Sousaphone - it gets very scary when I get to the third valve - then I
>wake up sweating valve oil!

Hee, hee, , uh-heh-heh-heh-- HAW!!  Thanks! I got a good chuckle
out of that; great for relieving the "hump-day" blues!

>Alan writes:

>Good point, but I think we were basically talking one's own creations.

Whoops, I misunderstood and jumped in out of context, I guess.  I assumed
that Nick was, in a way, still lamenting his having to jump through flamin'
hoops when it came to grants for Cassiel (from a thread last month).  Are
you there, Mr. Rothwell?

>It doesn't matter what kind of music you make - if enough money is thrown
>about, and enough disc-jockeys (disc-jokeys) tell the public that that
>music is "where it's at" then it will be successful.

Alan! Are we talking...$payola$ ???

I agree.

>What you're saying is that then a bunch of poor S.O.B's have to copy
>"that" music to feed themselves. Right?

Well, yes...but only to varying degrees. There's a lot of grey area in
which to compose music that is neither mindless (pseudo?) plagerism-- that
is, the blatant ripping off of mindless drivel to produce even more
mindless drivel-- nor music that's so totally out of context from previous
human experience that there isn't a handle (Handel?) upon which to grasp
for mental support.  Of course, I tend to err on the latter side...but as I
said before, I'm not playing the Billboard scene.

>You'll be playing every county fair from Maine to San Diego. Your agent
>will buy you a hotdog!

Man, you're priceless!

>Let's face it, the music industry is a farce.

Yes...and not a particularly good farce.

>[...] at any given time there are only forty friggin' tunes that get played
>- forty! That's ridiculus!

Yes, but my beaten-down-into-submission elitist nature (only partially true,
folks) slyly rears its ugly head and whispers, "That's because the vast
majority of people can't grok even an excessively repititous song fully until
until they've grooved to it umpteen-million times."  Maybe it's a chicken/egg
thing, though; that is, maybe the music industry has been breeding Orwellian
elevator operators for the past 50 years...or maybe the music industry is
just mirroring what the public wants.

>...anyone with any good ideas out there, lets hear them now?

Well, short of burning down the RCA building...I've always liked the idea
of independent record labels and music stores that sell mainly indies.
There aren't too many of those, though; as a matter of fact, it seems that
only college towns excell in that area.  As we all know, the vast majority
(Racoon, Blockbuster, Musicland, Camelot, ad nauseum) sell only major
labels.  Maybe if the Internet is still able to grow without swamping
itself in the next 5 years we'll se it as an effective leveler of the
playing field.

>Simply, do your own thing and get a good job to feed yourself.

O-tay.  Hmm, still looking for that good job...

>Thanks for the good speak, and laugh Harry - you've proven once again that
>you're not retentive in any way!

Thanks...same here!  As a matter of fact, I've been accused by my loved ones
of being so non-retentive that I need to wear Depends...over my mouth!

Harry Haecker (haeckerh@nwrc.gov)
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 09:24:00 -0800
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Peter Mueller 
Subject:      Re[2]: suggested listening
Comments: To: tabbooks@PA.NET

>>
>>>Critic: "Your music is terrible, it sounds like two skeletons fornicating
>>>on a tin roof."
>>
>>To which I'd reply, "It's supposed to!"
>>
>Mine sounds like two skeletons fornicating on a tin roof in an orange
>blizzard on a toboggan run through a flooded coalmine in the Sahara.
>Blindfolded.
>
Heh! That's MY tune! I'm sueing your butt for copyright
infringement!!!!
-Peter
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 19:52:17 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         "Alan M. Bookmiller" 
Subject:      Re: Billboard and Don Quixote

>Harry writes:
>
>Whoops, I misunderstood and jumped in out of context, I guess.  I assumed
>that Nick was, in a way, still lamenting his having to jump through flamin'
>hoops when it came to grants for Cassiel (from a thread last month).  Are
>you there, Mr. Rothwell?

Guess I missed that one. Grants for Cassiel?


>Harry writes:

>Alan! Are we talking...$payola$ ???

I don't think the jockeys are making these decisions, or any money - it's
the recording industry and their lawyers. Some artists get tied up in
contracts whereby they make a disc and the company shelves their effort,
just to keep them out of stores - it's way too regulated, don't you think?
Even if an artist or band does land a contract and they get airplay, they
can't make any money unless they stay at it and become an industry unto
themselves - all the bucks go to the company and agents. An artist has to
give it away for quite a few years before he can make the big coins -
that's if he CAN stay with it. Even gigs are regulated by the record
contract many times, and by ticketing agencies! Let's face it, there is a
real stanglehold on the distributors, radio stations and artists - it's
slick. Even Henley said that a man with a briefcase can steal more than a
man with a gun. Europe is alot more open to new music, and variety - we
could learn alot from their attitude about music.

>Harry writes:

>There's a lot of grey area in
>which to compose music that is neither mindless (pseudo?) plagerism-- that
>is, the blatant ripping off of mindless drivel to produce even more
>mindless drivel-- nor music that's so totally out of context from previous
>human experience that there isn't a handle (Handel?) upon which to grasp
>for mental support.  Of course, I tend to err on the latter side...but as I
>said before, I'm not playing the Billboard scene.

True, but the music industry offers too much of the same. E-music allows
experimentation in areas never before possible - but where is it? The music
industry can pigeon-hole everything they offer in one of about six or eight
catagories. You and I, and I'm sure other list members have created music
that would never fit nicely into any of their "formats." Not necessarily
compositions that would be difficult  to get a mental handle on, but
something worthwhile - just extremely different. If you had seventy minutes
worth of this stuff and approached the recording industry, they would look
at you like your grey matter was exposed! That's wrong. There should be
somewhere that composers with fresh, different music can go and find a
genuine interest in recording and distributing this "new" music. But where?
Any suggestions?

I'll say it again.
>>Let's face it, the music industry is a farce.

>And Harry will say it again:
>Yes...and not a particularly good farce.
>
>>[...] at any given time there are only forty friggin' tunes that get played
>>- forty! That's ridiculus!


Harry astutely writes:

>Yes, but my beaten-down-into-submission elitist nature (only partially true,
>folks) slyly rears its ugly head and whispers, "That's because the vast
>majority of people can't grok even an excessively repititous song fully until
>until they've grooved to it umpteen-million times."  Maybe it's a chicken/egg
>thing, though; that is, maybe the music industry has been breeding Orwellian
>elevator operators for the past 50 years...or maybe the music industry is
>just mirroring what the public wants.

Harry, you bring up a good point. Are the people buying the music because
they really like it, or are they buying the music because it's what is
offered? Are they convinced by the industry that this is the best there is?
I think to a certain extent, yes. The music is crammed into their ears by
all the radio stations blaring out this stuff day-after-day. MTV has a
particularly long reach - music and eye candy. After a person gets a daily
dose year-after-year, well he's eventually molded into a six or eight
format kinda guy. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO US ANYWAY? Why do we care? Is
it that "beaten-down-into-submission elitist nature" that makes us wonder
why everyone shouldn't be begging to expand their listening horizons and
appreciation for "just something new?" Beats me Harry.


I'll say it again:
>>...anyone with any good ideas out there, lets hear them now?

>Harry's pyro side reflects:

>Well, short of burning down the RCA building...I've always liked the idea
>of independent record labels and music stores that sell mainly indies.
>There aren't too many of those, though; as a matter of fact, it seems that
>only college towns excell in that area.  As we all know, the vast majority
>(Racoon, Blockbuster, Musicland, Camelot, ad nauseum) sell only major
>labels.  Maybe if the Internet is still able to grow without swamping
>itself in the next 5 years we'll se it as an effective leveler of the
>playing field.

I don't think indies are stretching too far to grasp the inventive - just
the new kids remaking the old. There is no innovation going on here! None.
Give me something altogether new. Something never heard before. Are we
experiencing the death knell of musical innovation? Are we proving the
ergodic hypothesis - has music gone full circle, and will now start
recuring only - that all that could be done has been done? This is so heavy
it's scaring the hell outta me! It probably all has to do with change and
how people are afraid of it - you know, something simple like that.

Harry amusingly writes:

As a matter of fact, I've been accused by my loved ones
>of being so non-retentive that I need to wear Depends...over my mouth!

Alan wraps:

Absorbing Harry, absorbing.



tabbooks@pa.net (Alan M. Bookmiller)
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 08:49:00 -0800
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Peter Mueller 
Subject:      Re[2]: suggested listening-agaaaaain
Comments: To: tabbooks@PA.NET

>>Here's one I heard some time back that works well - you can use on your
>>worst critic:
>
>>Critic: "Your music is terrible, it sounds like two skeletons fornicating
>>on a tin roof."
>
>To which I'd reply, "It's supposed to!"
>
>Harry Haecker (haeckerh@nwrc.gov)

This reminded me of a response to a bad review that Max Reger penned about a
million years ago. "Dear Mr. (whatever).  I am presently sitting in the smallest
room in my house. I have your review of my in front of me. Soon it will be
behind me. Sincerly, Max Reger."
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 19:25:05 -0700
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         John Krikawa 
Subject:      Re: Billboard and Don Quixote

Alan writes (and gets me agitated over the apparent long-standing
power of the Suits and the crap they publish):
> If you had seventy minutes
>worth of this stuff and approached the recording industry, they would look
>at you like your grey matter was exposed! That's wrong. There should be
>somewhere that composers with fresh, different music can go and find a
>genuine interest in recording and distributing this "new" music. But where?
>Any suggestions?

Atomic City.

>Harry, you bring up a good point. Are the people buying the music because
>they really like it, or are they buying the music because it's what is
>offered? Are they convinced by the industry that this is the best there is?
>I think to a certain extent, yes. The music is crammed into their ears by
>all the radio stations blaring out this stuff day-after-day. MTV has a
>particularly long reach - music and eye candy. After a person gets a daily
>dose year-after-year, well he's eventually molded into a six or eight
>format kinda guy. WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO US ANYWAY? Why do we care? Is
>it that "beaten-down-into-submission elitist nature" that makes us wonder
>why everyone shouldn't be begging to expand their listening horizons and
>appreciation for "just something new?" Beats me Harry.

It may very well happen that way.  We need a war, man (and civil unrest).
Seriously though, let's say the people choose the music that is offered to
them by the industry (hmmm, pretty safe):  Why do they choose what they
do? Is it cool?  Are the tides of popular music so likened to a traditional
fad? Does it have something to do with sex?  Perhaps I'm just focusing on
the stuff I don't like that's out there; degrading lyrics (or any lyrics
for that matter...cause nobody aint said nuthin useful since Fagan);
boring repetitive break beats that pervade TV; "eurodance" and of course
Country Western.  Repetition, Consumerism and Big Business.  If I get one
album by Fish Flakes and the Sour Grapes, do I go out and get each new one
as it is released, _because_ it is released?  And yeah, Alan, why do I even
care?

In a way it all reminds me of an excerpt of my favorite poem by Harnden:

   ". . .i want to make music people know,
   and actually like, because it means something to them -
   because it comes from where they do, and is as much a
   part of them as food. i want to sit in a circle with
   greybeards and ring the well-worn changes - "ok,
   everybody... oxygene, part 3... one, two, three..." - a
   collective of craftspeople who caress their polished
   prophet 5's with hands of oak root as they smile at each
   other, . . ."

Art is not to be consumed, it is to help one grow.  Maybe this will
intrinsically separate artmusic from commercialmusic always.

way back to Nick:
>Maybe I'm in a funny mood, but at the moment I'm rather after eclecticism
>for its own sake. I hate finding myself falling on old tricks and into old
>cliches, and if I'm going to the bother of producing a CD I'd like to spend
>a bit of time and effort getting it to sound unusual.

Just do your art and do it well, as you do.  [and get away from those dancers]
I am quite convinced that artists do fine when they set out to do artwork,
and do less than so when they set out to challenge commerce.  Screw it.
I liken this to metalsmithing ('cause my wife does it and we talk about
art vs. commercialism on and off): metalsmiths make sculpture and jewelers
make rings.  Do your art and be proud.  I won't get thousands of your
albums sold, Nick, but I will buy one, I will enjoy it and I will share it
with loved ones: ain't that good enough?

>Harry amusingly writes:
>As a matter of fact, I've been accused by my loved ones
>>of being so non-retentive that I need to wear Depends...over my mouth!
>
>Alan wraps:
>Absorbing Harry, absorbing.

Oh stop it you guys.

-john
----------------------------------------------------------------------
JKRIKAWA@CCIT.Arizona.Edu        Tucson, Arizona         homepage-less
day: (520) 626-6013
night: (520) 326-3068
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 21:34:20 +0000
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         Nick Rothwell 
Subject:      Creative Frameworks (Re: Billboard and Don Quixote)

>I assumed
>that Nick was, in a way, still lamenting his having to jump through flamin'
>hoops when it came to grants for Cassiel (from a thread last month).  Are
>you there, Mr. Rothwell?

I am, but am currently totally gobsmacked over the twists and turns that
this thread has taken...

My basic statement was that I wanted to do an album which sounded eclectic
or unusual in some way, and could not easily be characterised. This is
basically a creative decision. Firstly, I hate it when I find myself
falling back on old cliches when composing: the boring triad chords,
suspensions and neopolitans, the usual reverb settings, the 4/4 time
signature. Secondly, I've always felt that creativity comes from constraint
as much as from freedom, and what more creative constraint that one which
dictates that the result be new and interesting?

Sure, there is some body of technique, some notion of process, which
characterises my work, and I can't throw out the technique (or the music in
my head) without becoming a different person. But I can at least use
something other than the usual long reverb, try some interesting chords, go
microtonal, whatever, in the name of eclecticism.

I wasn't thinking of commercial success at all, and am rather surprised
that my message was taken in that way. Hell, right now I'm really pleased
with a meeting I had with Britain's foremost postmodern contemporary
choreographer last night about future work, and that's how I rate my own
success (or Cassiel's), not in terms of pop soundalikes or airplay charts.

Sounding different is fundamental to what I'm trying to do artistically -
it's the sense of exploration. The fact that it's also a good yardstick for
progress in the dance performance field (although certainly not in pop
music) is fortuitous.

                           Nick Rothwell, CASSIEL
                           http://www.cassiel.com

             years, passing by, VCO, VCF, and again, and again
=========================================================================
Date:         Wed, 20 Mar 1996 23:43:12 -0500
Reply-To:     Electronic Music Discussion List 
Sender:       Electronic Music Discussion List 
From:         "\"MAXXDUGAN\" Marianne Dugan" 
Subject:      Re: EMUSIC-L Digest - 19 Mar 1996 to 20 Mar 1996

Hi everyone.

I am currently a student in a graduate program taking a course on-line in
music and technology. We are studying the past, present and future of
electronic music, recording methods and music/computer systems. Although I am
not a musician, I am a huge fan of al types of music. I have taken a great
interest in the subject matter and am planning on doing a project on
experimental recording styles. Would anyone out there be able to suggest a
good case study, musical pieces or places to find information on this
subject? I would really appreciate it. Please e-mail me at Maxx Dugan.aol

Thank you very much.