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From: bassett@esquire.UUCP (William Bassett)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,rec.music.synth
Subject: Re: Amiga midi problems?
Message-ID: <154@esquire.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 27-Aug-87 17:43:14 EDT
Article-I.D.: esquire.154
Posted: Thu Aug 27 17:43:14 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 29-Aug-87 13:06:21 EDT
References: <1408@ico.UUCP> <1601@ulowell.cs.ulowell.edu> <628@cup.portal.com> <1701@cadovax.UUCP> <139@osupyr.UUCP>
Reply-To: bassett@esquire.UUCP (William Bassett)
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Newsgroups: comp.sys.amiga,rec.music.synth
Subject: Re: Amiga midi problems?
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References: <1408@ico.UUCP> <1601@ulowell.cs.ulowell.edu> <628@cup.portal.com> <1701@cadovax.UUCP> <139@osupyr.UUCP>
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In article <139@osupyr.UUCP> czei@osupyr.UUCP (Michael S Czeiszperger) writes:
>
>This discussion does NOT belong on rec.music.synth.  The
>postings have long since degenerated into sensless arguing aobt
>which computer is better, and has nothing whatsoever to do with
>music.  

     I think this discussion does belong here.  It seems very narrow-minded
to exclude discussions on computer music, in this age of MIDI, from
rec.music.synth.  One could start a rec.music.computers group, but since the
line between synthesizers and computers gets fuzzier all the time, it seems
natural to keep discussions of both together.
     If one of the main purposes of this group is for musicians to help each
other create, then talking about computers is crucial to the group.  What is
the point in trying to hook up synthesizers to each other and to computers,
if you don't know how to use them to help realise your ideas?  Talking about
the tools of the synthesizer trade is as important as violinists talking
about bows or practice techniques.  Computer music is still at such an early
stage, that many people are still at the stage of playing "chopsticks",
as far as
sophisticated use of their instruments.  I think any discussion of how to use
computers better as instruments is greatly needed.  (naturally there will be
articles that you don't find helpful, but that's true of the
rec.music.classical group as well.  If you don't like it, you can just turn
the page.
     In the case of the Amiga discussion, most of it has been concerned with
the accuracy of the timing capability of the computer, which of course
is vital to its use in music.
     Craig Anderton had a good answer to a recent letter in Electronic
Musician magazine, saying essentially the same thing, that you need to
really get down into knowing the details of how an instrument or a computer
responds before you can get it to express what you want it to express.
What good is having a great idea about a piece, if you have no idea how to
realise it?
     People do lose their perspective on the final goal, sometimes - here,
making music.  But these people may be the people who'll design the next
great sequencer.  I'd like to hear what they have to say.

		    Rick Bassett
		     CompuMUC <16natiternu