[PD] ubumenu

Marc Lavallée odradek at videotron.ca
Sun Nov 2 15:38:15 CET 2003


On Sun, Nov 02, 2003 at 02:16:36PM +0100, Thomas Grill wrote:

> You could also cut wood and carve a violin - but maybe it takes you too 
> long to learn and do it - and you may get stuck making violins instead 
> of playing them.

The same applies to computer and softwares. Today, violon music is 
the result of something called "tradition", which means that generations 
of violon makers, players and composers made the violon what it is right 
now. I believe computer music needs to focus toward tradition, and free 
software should be a major component of that tradition to come.

> I don't see software as just a music sheet 

I understand. 
But I believe software is primarly information.

> and also that programming music software takes away too much valuable 
> time from making music - i see the combination of computer+software as 
> the instrument, maybe with even more emphasis on the software.

Sure, but I prefer that part of my instrument should be made free, because
it's the most dynamic one, very close to my creation processes. You might
create something good enough, but with proprietary software it would not
be possible to archive your work and explain how to reproduce it again. So
I don't mind spending some time learning difficult tools.

> There's definitely a difference in the choice of instruments for playing 
> a Ligeti or Feldman piece and playing folk music.

I played Ligeti on a DX-7 in 1987 with a DOS MIDI software, and it was 
very interesting.

> That's true but i have a problem with calling the "certain kind of music"
> elitist just because it may be difficult or expensive to realize.

"Réponds" from Boulez was elitist, and it was necessary to use a 4X
computer. Nobody was able to do the same at the time, but it's now
possible with off-the shelf equipments and free software.

> As stated before, for my usage, PD isn't fit for replacing Max for all
> applications - but you will have hard times trying to make me say
> fundamentally bad things about PD.

I'd be very interested to know what's missing in PD, since I stopped using 
Max about 5 years ago. Maybe a comment by Miller Puckette would clarify 
why PD exists at all, since he designed Max in the first place.

--
Marc




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