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

Frank Barknecht wrote: 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". One of my favorite musicians (Paul Lansky) referred to the computer as "the first instrument of the mind", and he felt strongly that its pedagogy shouldn't be limited by previous models of instrumental skill and proficiency. The computer gives so-called non-musicians a real chance to work with music, but only the same kind of dedication to mastery of the medium will yield a skill commensurate with that of an instrumentalist. For some, that means learning more about music so they can be more expressive, for others the same end will be achieved by learning more about the computer (i.e. instrument). Btw, Dr Lansky also had things to say about using the received knowledge base from electronic and tape studios as a basis for a computer music pedagogy, again pointing out that those skill sets, though admirable and useful, were themselves unnecessarily limiting in their approach using the computer for composing music. Many people believe that the computer will confer "skillful results" in spite of the user's lack of any background in the techniques of music. In point of fact, some people do get such results, but they are often very focused people who have a good sense of what it is they wish to accomplish. Very little of any lasting value is produced by merely random means or automata. Aside: I love the story that Boulez "touched up" some of his total serialist pieces to make them sound better. It occurs to me that the computer isn't really the instrument, the software is. In other words, Frank plays Pd, not the computer. The program shapes the computer into an audio device, but it's Pd that does the processing/playing. The computer merely crunches the data for the program, i.e., it is not involved or engaged with it otherwise. Well, I'm rambling this morning. To finish: I really don't care how the music gets made, that's of no interest to me (unless I want to know more about the "how" of something like a mic placement or other recording technique). I just want to hear more music from people using Linux to make it. And no, the Linux part isn't important qua music, but it indicates to me personally that the Linux audio users community is musically healthy and productive. That is after all what so many (like Frank B) have dedicated ourselves to accomplishing. Best, dp