[NewMusic] acoustic vs. electronic

[Barry Threw]

I think its thursday...but every day we step ahead, its not like the 
present is some sort of static time warp where progression isn't 
occurring.  Its just too small to see it.

All of your statements are qualified with "any time soon" and "for at 
least 10 years".  This does nothing to dissuade my points, I agree 
completely with everything you said.

As for the last paragraph...interfaces on electronic instruments today 
fucking suck.  Nobs and switches are unergonomic and terrible.  You will 
have no argument from me that acoustic instruments are definitely the 
leaders in interface design.  My previous points still hold.

b

P.S.  Boo-yah.


Matt Davignon wrote:
> On 1/9/07, Barry Threw <bthrew at gmail.com> was like:
>> Not a useful analogy.  These are useful for completely different purposes.
>>
>> I did not say that no instruments with acoustical or mechanical
>> functions will ever be produced after a certain point.  What I did say
>> is that all the instruments that we use now will be obsolete.  There
>> will come a time when it will be hard to find a widely used instrument
>> with no electronic components.  This is not to say that older
>> instruments will not function, and be used, but they will be a niche
>> fetish item...just like paper printed books are becoming a fetish item
>> today.
>>
> 
> Just to make sure we're on the same page, what day is today?
> 
> I don't see paper books becoming obsolete falling out favor for at least 10
> years (if ever). That'll either be the result of someone finally inventing a
> screen that doesn't give you a headache after a few hours, or the human
> population getting too dumb to read, take your pick.
> 
> Sure, electronic guitars have electronics in them to a degree, but acoustic
> guitars aren't going away anytime soon. Pianos to a degree have been
> replaced by more portable electric pianos, but most of those folks would
> much rather play a real piano.
> 
> Earlier today, someone described the difference between electronic and
> acoustic instruments as being a matter of how they interface with the humans
> playing them. I thought that was pretty insightful. Many electronic
> instruments are still like playing an acoustic instrument with a 3 foot
> stick, or a remote control. They specialize in all sorts of modulation,
> sampling and layering that acoustic instruments don't have, but acoustic
> instruments will always have the lead in immediacy. If you want to change an
> aspect of the sound, you simply hold the instrument differently or change
> your attack, whereas with electronics you usually have to assign a knob or
> button to control that parameter.
> 
> I'll never give up on my small collection of acoustic instruments. I'm just
> bashful about being seen in public with them because I'm pretty pathetic at
> playing them.
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> 

-- 
barry threw
composition : sound : programming
http://www.barrythrew.com
bthrew(at)gmail(dot)com
857-544-3967

(if you would see the stars clearly,
look hard at the surrounding darkness)
		-Ooka Makoto