Modern Mozart

[roryk]

In Squarepusher's wikipedia entry he says that he thinks that classical composers were restrained by their instruments and that computers have allowed modern composers musical freedom from that restraint. His point is excellent, and it has to logically be true. There are only so many sounds a violin can make, only so many sounds a tuba or a cello

Comments

[jluke]

The endless permutations of the kick drum reminded me of this history of the Amen break: http://nkhstudio.com/pages/amen_mp4.html.

[roryk]

If Jackson Pollock was not such an incredibly tragic guy, would you still look at his art now and find something in it? If he was a guy walking around in a suit and tie, completely well adjusted, a regular business man, who did art on the side, he went home and kind of drizzled some paint on the canvas, carefully and all of that, as kind of catharsis to get out his frustrations from work at not being able to close some business deals, would you still find something in the painting? I think what happens is people find out about Pollocks life, find out the passion he put into his paintings and then afterwards, when they look at the painting, they see that in the painting. They identify with Pollock himself, his pain and what not in the painting

[grahams]

First off, I think your main thesis might be sound.. Even if restraint is not NECESSARY for creativity, I think I agree that it is helpful.. In fact, it is kinda-sorta implied by some of my rules of music (which I don't think I've ever written down before):

• The fewer number of members in a band, the higher chances they will not suck
• A double (or triple) album can always be made better by reducing the tracklist so it fits on a single album.

(Now, obviously there are exceptions to this rule... Talking Heads toured with something like 12 musicians, and they are one of the greatest bands of all time. And "Sandinista!" by The Clash is a fantastic triple album... But think of all the times those rules are true, and you'll get my point

Physics makes everything better!

[bds]

Big agreement with Grahams. Adding

[notweak]

I think that this 'beauty' that is found in those compositions is due to the imperfections caused by their creative medium, which in most cases boils down to the human hand, or mouth. Electronically produced music can only brush the surface of the kind of emotion that a human can put into a physical instrument, by intentional syncopation, or abstraction. Sure, I could sit down and program a synth to produce a perfect chord progression, chorus, hook, breakdown, etc -- but due to the absolute "perfection" produced by this medium, the lack of any human emotion would still leave much to be desired. I think the art of electronic music composition adds even more restrictions to the musician than any physical medium (in it's current state). The creation process eventually just turns into a linear puzzle in which you end up trying to find the most logical place to put that snare drum, or bass. There is so much more to music than programming a perfect (or unstably perfect in Squarepushers case) drum beat, and chord progression

[notweak]

I guess the above mostly applies to non-IDM electronica. I think that Squarepusher and Aphex Twin have their foot in the door with regard to electronically unstable instruments -- something that is still in a 'keys and kites' state in music. I do think that emotion can be construed through this electronic medium, alongside real instruments (squarepusher's tetra-sync comes to mind (which is deductively true based on my above theory, since the prerequisite of physical interaction is accomplished)).

(on another hand)

[psykelus]

I think part of the situation is that lowered access barriers to technology for making (and preserving) music drown the gems in a sea of noise

Re: (on another hand)

[grahams]

Not only is the barrier for making and preserving music lowering, but the distribution of those preserved copies is becoming trivial as well.. So not only is there MORE crap, we have easier access to it.

[jluke]

Yeah, it seems like cultural amnesia is a good predator in music's merit function.