Re: Performance Gestures [was: Re: Laptops]

[mike@michaelplishka.com]

Ditto.
I think the difference though is that in most folks mentality a piano IS
an instrument.  There is a one to one correspondence(usually) between what
is being played and what we hear.  The computer is, well, a
computer-programmed to play.

Not that there can't be instruments playnig through the laptop but when
one sits solely behind a laptop the word "Live" may or many not be
representative of what we're hearing. Yes we're hearing it live, but 10,
20, 90 percent could have been preprogrammed at home. Even if it wasn't
there's no guarantee. It ticks me off just like those that sequence 90% of
their stuff and may or may not play along.  Yes it sounds cool, yes it's
like the album/CD, but I didn't pay money so that the artist and I could
both listen to his/her music.

Granted the same can be done in a classical concert setting but it's
usually not-it is spontaneous.

For me that's why I don't use prerecorded loops in a gig-you get all me
all the time, every bit est moi.

plish

Bill wrote:
> Mine, too.  There are others who use computers, but if they're not
> running Live or some other thing that requires attention, then they can
> actually look up from the screen.
>
> I use softwynths on my laptop.  I look at the screen in between songs to
> set up a system and then ignore it during the song.  When I'm playing,
> it's on a keyboard.  Perhaps one day a guitar or bass-to-MIDI converter
> will allow me to use my primary instrumental skills.  (Saving up the
> dough...)
>
> The crux of the issue is that we've been conditioned to *see*
> performances on music instruments.  A concert pianist's performace
> gestures are the same wether practicing scales or playing concert.  Yet,
> even if he never looks at the audience, he isn't saddled with the stigma
> of "He may as well just be practicing his scales."  This is true even
> though we've been conditioned to allow/expect all manner of antics from
> the way Rock musicians have been putting on shows since the '50s.
> Thanks to Michael Jackson, a pop performer is expected to dance!
>
> In the beginning, a laptop wasn't a musical instrument.  Now it is...
> sonically speaking.  But the performance gestures are all wrong compared
> to our expectations.  Well, there are kids growing up today who will
> never play a CD or vinyl, only play files, and see laptop performances
> as just another way of performing.  We may have to get over it.  We're
> dinosaurs!
>
> Cheers,
>
> Bill
>
>