[NewMusic] What David Cope is up to

[Jacob Lindsay]

At least for myself, I am not against technology in
and of itself (neither am I for technology in and of
itself).  For me, it is all about how the technology
is being used, and what are the social ramifications
of that.

Cope's technology has been around for several years,
being used by Cope for his own musical output
(regarding which: while it's not really my cup of tea,
I admire the work he's put into it and his tenacity in
sticking to his guns), and I certainly have no problem
with that.  It's being used for creative purposes by
the person who developed it.

So this discussion is really about each of our own
speculations as to how this technology will be used
once it's marketed.  So it is entirely theoretical.

While you probably have a more optimistic view, George
and I represent a more pessimistic view.  

I believe that in our current profit-driven market,
that this technology will be used to de-skill
potential composer/musicians and further homogenize
global musical output, by supplanting human skill and
creativity with "user-friendly" technology and
pre-packaged musical vocabulary.

I believe that in our current world that we would
really be better off without certain technologies,
again not because some folks are able to have a
healthy relationship will said technology, but because
so many do not, either through their own conscious
choice, or because the technology (and the
relationship to the technology) has been foisted upon
them by a market driven society.

I half-apologize for my quip yesterday.  I am trying
to be more articulate today, but I am really upset by
the notation that we must all adopt business models in
the structuring of our lives.

Cheers,
J








--- barry threw <bthrew at gmail.com> wrote:

> Yeah, in actuality the David Cope product might be a
> total suckfest.   
> However, if it does even some of the things
> advertised, it would be  
> very useful...and, I contend, would make beautiful
> art equally as  
> valid was that created by humans with more
> transparent technology  
> (pencil and paper, paintbrush, the acoustic bass).
> Conceptually, I'm  
> all for it, and I think this is a big point of
> contention.
> 
> I'm very interested in Mr. Cremaschi's reaction to
> all of this. It is  
> not an uncommon one. Part of the reason I get so
> into these types of  
> conversations (besides the fact that it is basically
> my life) is  
> because there seems to be a presumption that works
> made with the aid  
> of higher technology are somehow anti-human,
> unfeeling, or not as  
> legitimate as works made without it (this CAN be
> true, but it can also  
> be equally as true of any composition). This is a
> notion that seems  
> completely odd to me, I don't understand it in the
> same way as I don't  
> understand many of the cultural norms and
> assumptions in our society.  
> I just see our relationship with technology as
> symbiotic, and not as  
> an opposition.
> 
> This aversion to technology is so strong that it
> causes people to  
> discount entire genres of art, created by people
> with brilliant minds  
> and feeling hearts. I struggle to understand this
> position, because I  
> don't have the same reaction to works created
> without the aid of these  
> tools. Because that is what they all are, just
> tools, all of our  
> instruments from whatever era...
> 
> b
> 
> P.S. I have left unaddressed the question of the
> power that some of  
> this technology enables being used for malevolent or
> controlling  
> purposes. This is an important thing to consider
> always, but I don't  
> feel it will abate development. Responsibility
> always lies with the  
> creator, not the tool.
> 
> On Dec 27, 2007, at 7:17 PM, Damon Smith wrote:
> 
> > This David Cope thing seems pretty lame. I have
> been enjoying
> > technology a lot this year. From digital music to
> and ipod movies to
> > electronic music and my electric upright.
> > I have to admit I enjoyed my last several projects
> with acoustic bass
> > this year more than anything I have done in quite
> a while, but
> > technology has opened up a lot for me for the
> better. The key thing
> > it is it is not either/or and I don't think Barry
> is defending this
> > particular David Cope project as much as he trying
> to keep us from
> > being automatically closed to technology.
> > George has a ton of insightful points as always,
> but I also see what
> > Barry is getting at.
> >
> > Damon Smith
> >
> > http://www.balancepointacoustics.com
> > http://myspace.com/smithdamon
> > New solo project:
> > http://www.myspace.com/damonsmithsolo
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Bay Area New Music Discussion Group
> > NewMusic at music.mills.edu
> > http://music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/newmusic
> 
> Barry Threw
> Media Art and Technology
> 
> San Francisco, CA
> Work: 857-544-3967
> Email: bthrew (at) gmail (dot) com
> IM: captogreadmore (AIM)
> http://www.barrythrew.com
> 
> "The greatest of the changes that science has
> brought us is the acuity  
> of change; the greatest novelty the extent of
> novelty."
> 
> - J. Robert Oppenheimer
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Bay Area New Music Discussion Group
> NewMusic at music.mills.edu
> http://music.mills.edu/mailman/listinfo/newmusic
> 


Jacob Lindsay
http://www.bayimproviser.com/artistdetail.asp?artist_id=44


      ____________________________________________________________________________________
Looking for last minute shopping deals?  
Find them fast with Yahoo! Search.  http://tools.search.yahoo.com/newsearch/category.php?category=shopping