My two cents on bullshit live acts / In depth video footage

LOFA · Post by **LOFA** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:08 am

I really like your attitude and level of comfort. I feel this is very effective for introducing newbies in how to approach things, but mostly, for me, it was a great opportunity to be reminded how far a minimal setup can be taken, and why it is often preferable.

And your music is awesome.

Lo-Fi Massahkah · Post by **Lo-Fi Massahkah** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:57 am

Machinate wrote:In fact,

Yup!

-Mikael

ps. Thanks, Tom, for sharing!

rbmonosylabik · Post by **rbmonosylabik** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 1:31 pm

Nowadays I see you Tom even in my soup, which must mean you are doing a good promotional job and that you are good. Keep it up.

mikemc · Post by **mikemc** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 3:46 pm

plus, he *uses the black keys*

MrTiddles · Post by **MrTiddles** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:30 pm

After seeing you in action I am now deeply ashamed of myself.

A couple of years ago I cut my hair, abandoned all my principles and sold my soul to funky house.

You have inspired me with your music and your willingness to share, and it looks like you touched the hearts of quite a few of the other guys here too.

Jesus.... I don't half sound gay sometimes!

Love you man, keep it coming!

Stevie

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:32 pm

I love you too. But you're gay.

*doing 10 pushups*

*last two are v-e-r-y h--a--r---d*

MrTiddles · Post by **MrTiddles** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:39 pm

nebulae wrote:I love you too. But you're gay.

COSM's made me gay(er)

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 4:44 pm

Well, all that pensive sensitive-guy stuff on the mountain, with the sky and the clouds...I'm surprised you're not typing out of some other dude's anus right now.

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:31 pm

my preliminary take as a musician is that what you're doing is child's play (bear with me). that is, even laying down some bass lines and synth lead loops in not particularly difficult, even live (particularly where you listen to make sure you got it right before displaying to audience). and remixing canned loops on the fly doesn't really impress me where you've got quanitization to ensure everything goes smoothly, cueing to make sure you're getting what you want, etc.

but most rock musicians don't really do much more. that is, a bass player is generally playing a very simple loop, as is the drummer, as is the guitar player (cept when soloing or doing other interesting stuff, but most bands are getting by on barre chords and distortion). and it doesn't take much ability to play most bass lines (or even complex ones if you've practiced). so i'm not sure why what you're doing still doesn't really strike me as playing live, but instead remixing. you can say that it's the interaction between the musicians that creates the magic/human feel, but many times they'd be better off just looping a couple measures (and a surprising number of rock albums were made that way).

does this really just confirm that most pop music is composed of way simple elements, and it's all in the mix? does this mean i should only be impressed by jazz, or free jazz? (i mean, in classical music, they're just playing what's on the page, might as well be a midi score, though it may be technically difficult to play.) hmmmmmmmmm.

all that said, i like your music, and like the trick of repeated copies of loop each starting on different measure -- what i love about live, ridiculously simple tricks that sound great, are fun, etc. -- and wouldn't mind getting back to the hills of the south island.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:37 pm

So you don't think he's performing, but you do like his music? I'm confused. Take a stand, ya wishy-washy bastard.

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:45 pm

there's nothing inconsistent with those statements -- if someone got up live and just played an mp3 of a song, i might love the song but claim that pressing play isn't performing. and, as i wrote, i'm completely willing to admit that i don't see much basis to distinguish what he does from what most lame alt-rock bands do. and i don't claim they're not performing, so i likely shouldn't claim he isn't.

and obviously he's performing in a literal sense, it's just whether i should be impressed by the technical aspect of the performance or the result. that is, if the goal is to rock the house, then however you do it should be fine. if the goal is to impress folk with your technical ability -- which is a pretty bullshit goal -- then i should go watch classical musicians or somesuch. i just think these are interesting issues (and this debate has been going on a long time, akin to all those should be create all your own loops, etc.).

ejectorset · Post by **ejectorset** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:57 pm

in the 3rd trick were you recording audio clips or midi?

im just curious.

nice vids.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 5:58 pm

Yeah, it's a good debate. And it's just fun to see how people can go around and around within their own diatribes of this debate. Just yankin' yer chain a bit

dj superflat · Post by **dj superflat** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:03 pm

yeah, i got the yanking bit, and likely deserved it (tone is hard in text). cheers.

nebulae · Post by **nebulae** » Tue Jan 09, 2007 6:16 pm

dj superflat wrote:tone is hard in text

...and I'm less prone to using emoticons, as they are fairly gay. (trying to get back to an earlier theme in this thread)