[sdiy] Control Interfaces (was Wakeman)

[Don Tillman]

   > Date: Thu, 10 Jul 2003 17:09:16 -0400
   > From: harrybissell <harrybissell at prodigy.net>
   > 
   > Don Tillman mused:
   > 
   > > But is a "one man band" really a good thing?  Do you really
   > > want the electronic equivalent of playing an accordian, with a
   > > kazoo in your mouth, cymbals on your knees, and a bass drum on
   > > your back?  I sure don't.
   > 
   > As someone who "resembles that remark" I'll play 'counter-point'
   > to this opinion.

Oh crap, now I've insulted half the list...    :-)

You can't deny that the one man band has a lot of cultural and
historical precedent as a novelty act.  

And I think we've all seen too many cases where folks try to be clever
about sounding like many more people than are actually on stage, with
the end result, whether due to tapes, sequencers, juggling instruments
or building specialized equipment, being distracting at best, and
often an embarrassment.

Sure, it's possible to *suggest* that more musicians are playing.
Examples might include counterpoint on classical guitar or keyboard,
Bobby McFerrin's vocal work, a number of Bach pieces for solo violin
or cello, Charlie Hunter's guitar playing, and so forth.  But when
devices take over the operation, things tend to get gimicky.

But my personal sense of aesthetics isn't important in the grand
scheme of things; if anybody's got a way to do it that works, then
that's great.  Let's just say that the one man band application has a
different set of requirements, goals, appreciation and expectations
compared to regular musicians playing musical instruments.  

  -- Don

-- 
Don Tillman
Palo Alto, California
don at till.com
http://www.till.com