A very exciting thread about laptop music

windchill · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 5:19 am Post subject:

My original post, which incidentally was not the start of this thread, but has been sliced out of context into this one, presumably because the subject was deemed to have gone OT, was in answer to a question from chuck about what software he might use in a live situation. I pointed out how ableton live has very often been used very poorly and also spoke of my preference for not using solely pre-recorded audio at live events. I then went on to list some other software and hardware that I felt was more suited to real live performance. I think it was a valid, on-topic and potentialy useful answer to the question. I did not attack lap-toppers in general, which would be an utterly stupid thing to do and I do not necessarly agree with many of the comments that followed. For what it's worth I am also less than happy with the way this thread has been split off, given a sarcastic title, and the appearance that I somehow initiated it. The real angry lap-top debate that followed seemed to be more between Greg and Kassen and I was not involved.
Although my next gig involves no laptop - I will let you all know when I am next doing a laptop-only gig which I regularly do.

diskonext · Joined: Aug 26, 2004 Posts: 306 Location: London, UK

I agree with Windchill that there could be some clarification in the first post of this new-born thread, indicating it was split off around the point where Windchill made his comment (which now is the first post).

The title is not perceived by me as being sarcastic, but I can imagine that people could get a wrong first impression with this title and first post combination.

-diskonext

mosc · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 6:43 am Post subject:

Sorry about this ungracefull split. We moderators will talk about it, I assure you. Thanks for your feedback.

elektro80 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 8:20 am Post subject:

I did the spilitting and I confess I did it in a hurry. The interface for splitting of topics isn?t really that great and there isn?t really a good way shuffling of posts after a topic has been split. This is probably possible to do by manually editing the database entries. What we could do is to put in a red editors comment in the initial windchill post here.. and windhchill could copy his post and post it again in the first topic..?
Splitting topics can often be messy, but it felt like the right thing to do at the time. Anyways, the intial topic.. what software to use .. is still interesting and windchill?s post could just as well be reposted there.

elektro80 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 8:40 am Post subject:

..getting back to the laptop music .. what do we have here?

I asked some guys at work what they think laptop music is.. uh.. and I asked a few other guys too..

It seems that the answers indicate that laptop music is/can be:

1. Describing the laptop as a delivery platform for mixes, DJ sets.. and basic audio effects.
2. ..as a host for DAWs/software instruments.. and nothing else.. laptop music is a term that does not make sense at all..
3. ...compact.. portable ... everything in a box music making and performance tool.. what cannot go on the laptop is left out and left at home.. this can as such be a demanding genre .. some consider this to be in the same ballpark as the Von Trier Dogma movies..
4. ...music generated from the data flowing in the laptop.. and nothing else.. some consider this to be in the same ballpark as the Von Trier Dogma movies..

To me it seems that asking these questions created more confusion .. and two of the subjects I left when they were about to get into a fistfight over some small detail I didn?t quite get.

If we leave out the Von Trier stuff, we are pretty much left with the laptop as a host and delivery platform.. which basically puts it in the tools department. Unless one has very strong feelings about some subgenre subculture thingie, laptop music pretty much is as useless a term as synthmusic is these days.

So.. the intial thread that sparkd the topic split seems rather more interesting than exporing the laptop music term/genre.

In fact.. exploring this more in detail by discussing general compositional ideas / methods / ideologies seems also relevant.

dmosc · Joined: Jun 23, 2003 Posts: 298

Yes! maybe the discussion was doomed to fragment because of the core nature of the name "laptop music" anyway. Perhaps this is as "on topic" as it could be!

diskonext · Joined: Aug 26, 2004 Posts: 306 Location: London, UK

I, personally, think that the most interesting aspect is the reasons for the frustrations some people have (as seen in this thread as well), and as explained in the article posted earlier.

To combat these prejudices it would suffice to bring loads of cardboard boxes, and loads of patchcables, synthstands and a wireless mouse, so you can pretend to be playing any of these "instruments" while still playing the laptop only Wink

-diskonext

elektro80 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 8:53 am Post subject:

Well, yes.. I think so..

proposal: If we see the laptop as ..well.. whatever.. we are still looking at MUSIC and this is better discussed .. and the "I don?t like this" comments are also welcome.. if we discuss the music using a suitable framework.

"Laptop music" looks cool on posters but it really won?t do in terms of discussing the actual music. In terms of a minimal performance setup.. sure the laptop does has it limitations..and strengths but then we are back to discussing tools.. and minimal performance rigs in general.

elektro80 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 8:57 am Post subject:

diskonext · Joined: Aug 26, 2004 Posts: 306 Location: London, UK

Added performance element for those brave enough to last the entire show:

When finished, open up the cardboard boxes, fold the synthstands, put stands and cables in boxes. Walk away with boxes.

Leave laptop with a glowing screen. Pick that up last. Wink

-diskonext

elektro80 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 4:50 pm Post subject:

elektro80 · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 4:52 pm Post subject:

mosc · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 6:10 pm Post subject:

seraph · Posted: Wed May 04, 2005 11:47 pm Post subject:

..or digital pianos were put inside grand piano shaped cases Rolling Eyes

Kassen · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 5:12 am Post subject:

mosc · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 10:17 am Post subject:

Ahh, this thread it taking on a more appealing tone. Smile

If you consider equipment an electro-musician can use on a gig, then the laptop is up there at the top of the list. It has limitations, but it is easilly the most versatile pieces of gear available.

Kassen · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 12:42 pm Post subject:

No, no no no! That´s not apealing. Apealing is taking your Launchpad and theremin controler, getting those realy long cables and controll everything, laptop, modular and effect boxes included from your two person bed!

That´s far, far better then playing live. Also; by the time the only difference between the modular and Live is that the modular is MIDI channel 1-4 and Live is 5-8 even you yourself won´t care anymore.

:¬)

modulator_esp · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 12:48 pm Post subject:

I don't know much about 'laptop music', but I'd have thought a laptop was a pretty open ended musical instrument/ system, with far more possibilities than even a modular synth and that the 'quality' of any music produced is as much dependant on the time and effort involved in preparation and performance as the choice of instrument (or software).

However, what do I know, the only time I've taken my laptop to a gig was to use it to edit my Nord Modular Smile

mosc · Posted: Thu May 05, 2005 1:09 pm Post subject:

Afro88 · Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 7:26 pm Post subject:

mosc · Posted: Fri May 13, 2005 8:34 pm Post subject:

Great post, except for the first paragraph. You never know when an odd dumpy 60 year old will be reading your post. Shocked