Wiardgroup

Grant wrote:

>The "West Coast" school would say that art originates from the
artist interacting synergistically with the enviorment. The
underlying asumption is that music can NOT be defined, so that
instruments need to be designed using an artistic "process" in
addition to engineering "method". Innovative design is actually
required as exploring the capabilites of the instrument and
interacting with it are integral to the composing process.<


But isn't that kind of like designing a kitchen tool, then leaving it 
up to chefs to come up with a use for it?  Form follows function, to 
borrow a hackneyed Bauhaus saw.

Also keep in mind that any "East Coast" synth can be patched to 
produce "West Coast" music. It's harder to go the other way, though.

>Since the instrument is not a machine, each design is unique and you 
can not compare them or determine the "best" one (unless you
believe a trumpet is inherently superior to a trombone).<

Oh, but I can compare them--and have!  As you well know.  :-)

>Musical instruments increase in value as time goes by because they 
cannot be replaced with anything else.<

With this I must disagree.  Moogs *decreased* in value drastically 
after the DX-7 was introduced--to zero in some cases.  That's because 
the DX was seen not only as a replacement, but as an improvement. And 
Wendy hasn't exactly gone back to her modular.

johnm (with Buchla record playing in background)