Re: pantha

Darren Kelly (kelly@mail.desy.de)
Mon, 31 Aug 1998 19:51:39 +0200

Richard Povall wrote:
> >The dance/stage performance and the
> >music should each convince in their own right. Just an
> >extension of the old trick of turning the sound down on the
> >TV or closing your eyes and listening to a music video (usually
> >very disappointing).
>
> Ahhh, but I couldn't disagree more. If the music makes sense without
> the movement, and the movement makes sense without the music/sound,
> then why are we bothering with all this interactive hoo-ha. Let's
> just find a good CD and stick it on for the dancers to leap around
> with...

Richard,

Your remark is similar to Jeff's. Note how I say each should _convince_.

Clearly (as Jeff remarked) the aim is to make a whole greater than these
parts. As I said in my reply to Jeff, I can't imagine the whole being
of much "value" if the parts are unconvincing (I said in my reply to
Jeff "inadequate").

One of my aims with gestural MIDI control is to generate musical
recordings so convincing that people will want to hear them just
as recordings. That's the bee in by bonnet, I'm trying to emphasize
certain musical applications with these methods. I use this as a
yardstick. When I can do this, I suspect I have a better chance of
developing convincing stage performances unifying music, motion and
other contributions.

Of course I know the limits of this approach. If it comes down to it
I would still prefer to trigger rhythms with my fingers on a keyboard
or drum pads than use gestural MIDI control with my whole body, IF I'M
JUST RECORDING. Clearly gestural MIDI control offers other possibilities
these don't (which I suspect is what you and Jeff are trying to
emphasize).

Darren

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