Dark Thoughts

Finally got my TR 909 back from the shop, all modded and fixed. MIDI now works well (including external Sync and SYSEX) and I've updated my GTRC module to fully support the two banks. Unfortuately, Roland implemented bank changes using a system real time message, so Studio Connections can't do the bank changes automatically, but heck, being able to use a SYSEX librarian at all for 20 year old gear is a testament to the power of MIDI.

One little niggle I did have was in regards to the new button caps and switches from Chip for Brains. The switches aren't the same height as the old switches, and sit a little higher than the existing ones. Also, the button caps do not stay on the buttons very well. I'm going to have to use some blu-tac or some form of glue to stop them popping off all the time, but it sure does look mean in blue. I also had a couple of non-functioning switches which I'm going to have to return. At least we can get the parts though, so the niggle is pretty minor.

I also changed the knobs on the mods so that they are the same as the old knobs and kinda look like they are meant to be there. The Colin Fraser mods are well worth doing if you want to use the TR 909 properly.

I'm currently working on a KSP8/Rumour/Mangler GTRC module which should be ready for deployment in the next few days once I finishe figuring out exactly what it is Kurzweil did with SYSEX on the Rumour and Mangler. It's close enough to the KSP8 to be annoying.

Anyway, back to the grind. Too much work, too little time.

Labels: GTRC, music, Roland, Studio Connections, TR 909

I read an interesting article on New Music Strategies today, but the real gem that I found today wasn't the article itself, but a comment by Michael.

The difference between “art” and “pop” in two broad (but applicable) generalizations:

- When “art” fails to gain commercial success, the artist still has something to stand behind.

- When “pop” fails to gain commercial success, the artist moves on.

I think he's hit the nail on the head here, and this is probably the best comparison I've ever heard to pop v art. It's got the essential ingredient for the comparison, which is the commercial side. This is important, because it is the essence of what pop is. If "pop" does not make money, it is a failure. If "art" does not make money then it's largely irrelevant to it's value as "art" (though perhaps not to the starving artist).

In many ways it really comes down to the purpose of the work. If the purpose is to make money, then there is a case to be made that it really is "pop". If the purpose is concerned more with the process of creating, then it's probably art. If the purpose is to offend people or make a statement then you should be in politics...

Labels: art, music, pop

Maybe it's only funny to me, because I'm currently dealing with unpleasantries from Sonikmatter management, but I laughed out loud when I read this post. (For those that don't know, clif is one of the administrators and owners of the site. Brian and Rick are ex-owners and contributors to the site, and George used to work for Kurzweil, and had a wonderful site that has been reproduced at sonikmatter.)

http://community.sonikmatter.com/forums/index.php?s=&showtopic=37208&view=findpost&p=234016

I'm going to frame it an put it on my studio wall.