Melodyne DNA — you've gotta watch this!

[dogBoy]

beautypill wrote

I would say that the music I make is a hybrid of "played" and "manipulated." But at no point during my process do I distinguish between the two. It's all just creation.

I work the same way.

but.....I get more personal satisfaction for learning to play my instrument.
Studying a piece of music and working it so that it can be presented in a live setting.

All processes are valid. All music has it's place.

I strap on my beloved '52 telecaster

My tele '52 is a reissue, great instrument.

[RCory]

btw, is that Snapper on the computer screen?

[James Steele]

I should make clear that I didn't try to dismiss those who create music by creating works from manipulating audio files, etc. I expressed my own personal preference for music that can be presented in *real time* by means of more traditional instruments by a group of skilled humans.

[nikki-k]

Hi!
Long time lurker, rare poster...but this one hits home for me.

I primarily write (something resembling) prog rock/metal. I am also a paraplegic (T6 complete; means I have NO abdominal muscle use whatsoever, but do have arm/hand use). For me, modern DAWs allow me to write music, and either do it all myself, or do some, and then find others to collaborate with.

I can have days where I am only able to spend an hour or so in my wheelchair. Being stuck in bed means MacBook Pro time, headphones, and loving having a network drive with all my stuff on it. So, I can simply grab whatever I want to play with from it, and then if I want to try to build some harmonies, Melodyne is one hell of a tool. I cannot sing well at all, and this allows me to lay down scratch vox, and then play around, tune, etc. That means as I compose, while the timbre and quality of the voice is crap, at least I can have timing and tuning right, giving me a great idea of what I am writing could/should sound like. I can also take vox and build harmonies, trying different things. Heck, I can even somewhat alter the timbre to make the harmonies have some variation to them. I have even taken a wicked sloppy, one-note-at-a-time guitar runs and rebuilt them, and then used it to play along with to get up to speed at playing it the way I want, then track it properly with an amp mic'd up.

This new bit? Wow. It WILL give me even more to work with. The composing stage for me is so wild today compared to even 10 years ago, let alone 20 years ago. I would love to toss it all some days, and wish I could be able to get out to a garage to jam with bandmates again, and hit the clubs and be playing out 200 dates a year or so. Shy of that, I am so glad I have the tools we have today that allow me to become a better musician, engineer, songwriter, and producer. Although triggered by my fingers, I am actually learning to play drums now. New shoes, despite not being able to walk. But I do have one helluva smile goin!

nikki

[beautypill]

nikki:

inspiring post!

- c

[toodamnhip]

It's amazing how these posts evolve..

I am glad to see this discussion..it is great food for thought..

And, as I stated when starting this when I said I don;t undersdtand any criticism of this guy's genius, this is the future and it is amazing..congratulate the guy for god's sake!

[James Steele]

Hmmm... I don't know who's criticizing the programmer's genius. Not me.

[toodamnhip]

Hmmm... I don't know who's criticizing the programmer's genius. Not me.

SHould have said criticism of this guys Product..lol...I stand corrected..but again, I didnt consider you to be the critical one.

[chrispick]

Hmmm... I don't know who's criticizing the programmer's genius. Not me.

SHould have said criticism of this guys Product..lol...I stand corrected..but again, I didnt consider you to be the critical one.

Well, I don't think the product is impervious to criticism. What product could be?

And I do think it'll be as much as "poison from the cure" as monophonic pitch manipulation has proven to be. There's precedent for the glue to become the sculpture, if I can coin that. Almost like building a house out of hammers.

[blue]

Hmmm... I don't know who's criticizing the programmer's genius. Not me.

SHould have said criticism of this guys Product..lol...I stand corrected..but again, I didnt consider you to be the critical one.

Well, I don't think the product is impervious to criticism. What product could be?

And I do think it'll be as much as "poison from the cure" as monophonic pitch manipulation has proven to be. There's precedent for the glue to become the sculpture, if I can coin that. Almost like building a house out of hammers.

True, but where should the criticism really be pointed? The hammer, or the one wielding it?

[chrispick]

SHould have said criticism of this guys Product..lol...I stand corrected..but again, I didnt consider you to be the critical one.

Well, I don't think the product is impervious to criticism. What product could be?

And I do think it'll be as much as "poison from the cure" as monophonic pitch manipulation has proven to be. There's precedent for the glue to become the sculpture, if I can coin that. Almost like building a house out of hammers.

True, but where should the criticism really be pointed? The hammer, or the one wielding it?

Oh, it's a user problem, for sure. It's just a tool and all that.

But it's also a little Huxley's Brave New World, know what I mean? Normality sure does rely on a lot doctoring to be normal, musically speaking.

Hey, I drink the Kool-aid too. I'm just starting to wonder if all the Kool-aid coming out of our faucets is starting to hurt my teeth a little too much.

[blue]

Hey, I drink the Kool-aid too. I'm just starting to wonder if all the Kool-aid coming out of our faucets is starting to hurt my teeth a little too much.

Isn't that what the week in Tibet is for?

[Spikey Horse]

True, but where should the criticism really be pointed? The hammer, or the one wielding it?

This is a good question!

Where is technology taking us?

Is anyone in control?

Who is in control?

Are we / should we be / can we be responsible for the direction?

Technology may not have an agenda per se, but at the same time is has no wisdom, it is blind ... but we seem to follow anyway with our tongues hanging out. Technology in general, we were told, was going to help us all work 3 day weeks and give us loads of leisure time ... instead it seems to be enslaving us in the same way it has already enslaved farm animals - it is working its way up the food chain! But who to blame!? That is the question!

As for the arts, look how 'art technology' has changed over time and compare it to how it has changed in just one generation. It's absolutely phenomenal. Already I have heard anecdotes from teacher friends who say some kids today believe 'strings' is just a patch on a synth and have no idea that these patches even refer to real instruments. Some might say "so what?" - but still it's kind of freaky IMHO.

If there is a 'dark force' associated with 'art technology' then maybe it is those who market it. Music software is designed for and marketed at musicians of course, but a bigger, better market is actually games and entertainment - 'musically themed' technology will also inevitably be developed cater to that market - it is already....

The worry is not these two co-existing, it is if these to begin to merge and people forget what the distinction is between them.

There is a finite limit to the amount of technology an artist can use. Again, marketing, however ensures that we never feel we have enough 'stuff' to make music with. It creates an artificial need and then fills that need with a product.

It's like phones. Nobody needed a mobile/cellular phone, we all managed fine without them .... then they came along and we got used to having them - but again, there is only a finite number of calls you will ever want to make in a day with them. So new 'needs' are created, the need to take pictures, change ringtones, download ringtones, download music etc etc ... we never petitioned for any of this! but we (at least the majority of the target market) accept that we do need it!

I am rambling I know ..... the point is you can not sell musical creativity, imagination, inspiration, the simple enjoyment of pulling an original idea out of thin air but you can sell all manner of highly specialized tools and entertaining distractions. The former is ignored the latter is marketed in a frenzied way with new products appearing daily.

We (the vast majority of Uni members) can easily distinguish between the two ... music is music, art is art, creativity is creativity, and tools is just tools!

But I honestly believe in another generation or two that 'obvious' distinction may be lost ... literally marketed out of the equation.

[blue]

We (the vast majority of Uni members) can easily distinguish between the two ... music is music, art is art, creativity is creativity, and tools is just tools!

But I honestly believe in another generation or two that 'obvious' distinction may be lost ... literally marketed out of the equation.

I don't see it that way. Marketing is a way to make wealth, music is a way to express creativity. Both impulses have been around forever and neither are going away any time soon. Marketing can be scary, but fearing it gives it more power than it deserves. It's not an evil entity. It's all just a big show to push product. So long as there is someone smart enough to make that •••• up, there is someone smart enough to see right through it.

Honestly, I'm a little more worried that people are still afraid of a collection of letters that spells the word s-h-i-t.

[beautypill]

Just to be clear: my '52 tele is a reissue as well. No way in hell I could afford a real one. That being said, it's still amazing.

Recommended: Joe Barden pickups. An ideal mate with the '52 tele.

Okay, sorry for the OT post.

Let's get back to discussing how the sky is falling and music will never be authentic again because of a single, breakthrough plug-in...

- c