[ale] OT: Music Composition == Information Architecture Design

[JK]

arxion wrote:
> On 2009, May, 06, , at 2:34 AM, Jeff Hubbs wrote:
>> Fripp:
>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSStufx6jYU
> 
> Well sure... there's Fripp... and his tape loops... circa 1974...
> but that's WHY they call it "looping". While I agree that Fripp
> RULEZ as the master of guitar electronica disciplines, he's just
> one example among dozens I could name who have played with or
> popularized analog and digital loop recording techniques over
> the years.
> 
> I wasn't trying to imply Zoe was the first to use the technique
> by any stretch, only using her as an example of how sophisticated
> and accessible the tools have become with some of the newer personal
> computer based recording tools and audio processing capabilities.
> I also thought her comparison of using looping in her composition
> process to her processes for developing software was interesting.
> 
> Of course, Fripp's main band over the decades, King Crimson,
> RULEZ too. And Pink Floyd right behind them for pioneering work
> with tape looping and many other analog electronica effects.
> However, the first album to feature the electronica of the Moog
> synthesizer as a musical instrument may go to the Byrds,
> - the song "Space Odyssey" on the "Notorious Byrd Brothers"
> album, 1967. (The song was inspired by the Arthur C. Clarke short
> story "The Sentinnel", which later became the basis for "2001:
> A Space Odyssey")
> 
> Have we gone far enough through the (original Arhur C. Clarke)
> Star Gate now?  :-)


Wow, what a thread!

Aaron, I personally find Pure Data to be rather painful to work with;
the UI is nice for throwing together a quick patch, but it's very
limiting. (Though I haven't looked at PD in a couple years, maybe things
are different now.)

Where OSS is concerned, I prefer Csound http://csounds.com , which is like
the Nethack[*] of computer sound software -- under continuous active development
since like 1965, and INCREDIBLY powerful. Though the UI could be friendlier :-)
(And there are a number of Csound GUIs around.)  Free, runs on every platform
you're likely to care about. Try to find a copy of "The Csound Book" by Richard
Boulanger (ed) to get an idea what's possible.

Side notes: my GF once took a guitar clinic with Robert Fripp.  She says
it's what convinced her she didn't have what it takes to be a professional
musician. Which isn't to say it was a bad experience!

I listened to "Discipline" a few days ago for the first time in like
ten years.  It's still incredible.

-- JK

[*] Nethack http://nethack.org: an ASCII-art dungeon-crawl adventure game
that's been developed continuously since 1987 (1980 if you count its
direct ancestors, Rogue and Hack).  They basically got the UI done in the
first week of development, so all the work since then has been to enhance
gameplay and plot.  It will suck you in, chew you up, and leave you wanting
more.

-- 
A closed mouth gathers no feet.