The computer as instrument, was Re: [linux-audio-user] Bainstorming! Drawing in non-musician developers

[Dave Griffiths]

> Dave Griffiths wrote:
>
>>>Frank Barknecht wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>... I hope someday people will
>>>>>be playing computers like people play guitars today. It's a lot of fun
>>>>>to code, but it would be even more fun if it wouldn't eat into the
>>>>> time
>>>>>I have available for producing music so much.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>But coding *is* playing the computer like people play the guitar!
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>Careful, Frank, there are a few of us here who do both. :)  I
>>>respectfully disagree with your statement, though I agree with its
>>> intent.
>>>
>>>Playing any instrument requires years of physical engagement to form a
>>>playing technique. I'll certainly agree that using a computer also
>>>requires years of effort to master, but that mastery is not based on an
>>>analogous "playing technique".
>>>
>>>
>>
>>Hi Dave, I think I have to respectfully disagree with your disagreement
>> :)
>>this is something which is under debate, at least in some circles:
>>http://www.informatics.sussex.ac.uk/events/ppig2005/papers/Blackwell.pdf
>>
>>I think distinctions here are a little silly though, as I've seen people
>>dance to music that is created by writing code live, and they don't seem
>>to care much whether it counts as music making or programming :)
>>
>>It's just (yet) another way to think about computers and music.
>>
>>I agree with everything else you are saying though :)
>>
> Hi Dave:
>
> I think I'll eat my statement re: "analogous playing technique". If the
> computer is any sort of instrument (of the mind or otherwise), then a
> playing technique must evolve. Perhaps the distinctions are difficult to
> confirm because we're at such an early stage with the instrument and its
> possible playing techniques ? Seems funny to say that, given the
> machine's long visibility as a music-making device, but some of our more
> familiar and typical instruments have been in development for centuries,
> and their own techniques are still evolving (I hope).

It's early days, I think the use of a computer as a (albeit more flexible)
equivalent of a hardware device - with simulated knobs and switches etc,
is only scratching the surface somehow.

The interesting thing is that most of this thinking and exploration seems
to be going on using free software.

cheers,

dave