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mortsto-x
from Trondheim/Bodø (Norway) on 2002-10-23 09:53 [#00414044]
Points: 8062 Status: Lurker
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There is a long article about this on www.warprecords.com Check it out. "Richard James cannot read conventional musical notation and he cannot play a keyboard "
Quite surprising
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Ceri JC
from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-23 09:57 [#00414053]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to mortsto-x: #00414044 | Show recordbag
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He's said in past interview that he sometimes just hits keys, records it and chops it up, but you're right, I've never heard of him playing keyboard live...
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princo
from Shitty City (Geelong) (Australia) on 2002-10-23 09:57 [#00414054]
Points: 13411 Status: Lurker
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...reading now......
Thanks! :)
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J-HOK
on 2002-10-23 09:59 [#00414059]
Points: 904 Status: Addict
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midi-piano
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Bremzen
from utrecht (Netherlands, The) on 2002-10-23 10:03 [#00414066]
Points: 653 Status: Lurker
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why is that surprising, you don't need to be able to read music to make a nice piano piece:)
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 10:03 [#00414068]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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not really suprised. i can see that.
he just has a great great ear.
but they left out one part of the story with the prepared piano.
while cage did invent this... it was by accident. he was working on songs, and they didnt work, as is said in the articale... but he didnt intentionally put stuff in the piano. his piano was in a room that was being remodled or fixed, and the box of peices was sitting next to the piano. he accidently hit it, and they feel in the piano.
and then it hit him
just alittle info i thought id share
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mortsto-x
from Trondheim/Bodø (Norway) on 2002-10-23 10:04 [#00414070]
Points: 8062 Status: Lurker
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I thought a music-prodigy like him could play a lot of instruments
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J-HOK
on 2002-10-23 10:09 [#00414078]
Points: 904 Status: Addict
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i think lots of electronic musicians cant play instruments to any degree, notable exceptions being squarepusher, mike paradinas, luke vibert, and you can clearly hear it in their music, luckily, if you compose with a computer, you can still go a long way with no instrumental abilities
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Ceri JC
from Jefferson City (United States) on 2002-10-23 10:14 [#00414086]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to J-HOK: #00414078 | Show recordbag
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Yep, I agree, before computers, you couldn't just have a slave musician who played whatever you wrote and you could go, "damn, that's too low" scribbles it out, tries again etc. You can do that with your own stuff, but other musicians would get bored to tears. PCs let you compose and play what you're doing in real time :)
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 10:14 [#00414087]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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i played drums for 4 years, and bass for 3.
i really just dont enjoy playing live that much
it can be fun, but id never want to be in a band and stuff (figured this out last year with my band... it was fun, but just not something i want to do)
i get so much out of just composing. while playing an instrument can give you another perspective on writting, and can make programming easier (instead of writting in the notes, play it on keyboard) its in no way a nessesity to make great music.
playing is a means to an end in my mind.
that said, i do want to learn piano, just for compositional reasons, not to perform
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 10:16 [#00414089]
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yes, but if you were a great composer. you would hear it in your head. you wouldnt need to have someone play it
(talking about classical music etc...)
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Ophecks
from Nova Scotia (Canada) on 2002-10-23 10:16 [#00414091]
Points: 19190 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag
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John Lennon and Paul McCartney couldn't read or write music properly. Who needs formal training when you're a bona fide genious?
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 10:18 [#00414100]
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yep
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death-pengwin
from Medicine Hat (Canada) on 2002-10-23 12:19 [#00414214]
Points: 601 Status: Lurker
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i agree
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xlr
from Boston (United States) on 2002-10-23 12:33 [#00414232]
Points: 4904 Status: Regular
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Wow, that's really odd that Richard can't play a keyboard. I'm not too surprised about not being able to read music notation, though.
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 12:36 [#00414235]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker | Followup to xlr: #00414232
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i don't believe that for a minute.
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:30 [#00414340]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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which one?
the readin, or playing
or both
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:38 [#00414345]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker | Followup to Zeus: #00414340
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both but especially the keyboard playing
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corngrower
from the fertile grounds of Iowa, w (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:44 [#00414355]
Points: 4404 Status: Lurker | Followup to titsworth: #00414345
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i agree, anyone can play a fucking keyboard
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Laserbeak
from Netherlands, The on 2002-10-23 14:45 [#00414357]
Points: 2670 Status: Lurker
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I think that "Richard James cannot read conventional musical notation and
he cannot play a keyboard "
should be: "Richard James cannot play a keyboard from conventional musical notation"
Anyone can learn a little bit of conventional musical notation in an hour and anyone can play the keyboard a bit, it gets trickier when the two are combined...
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:46 [#00414358]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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meh
i beleive it.
why not?
and why would they make an articale about it?
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corngrower
from the fertile grounds of Iowa, w (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:46 [#00414359]
Points: 4404 Status: Lurker | Followup to Laserbeak: #00414357
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yeah, that sounds much more realistic
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:47 [#00414361]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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its not that he CANT like he is physically unable to do it.
but he just cant, cause he never tried
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:49 [#00414364]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker
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that's total bullshit. i think the article was just to hype afx in order to get remarks exactly like some of the ones above ("true geniuses.." etc.). i mean are we supposed to swallow the story about him making his own custom synths AND not being able to play a synth correctly? hype hype hype.
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corngrower
from the fertile grounds of Iowa, w (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:50 [#00414365]
Points: 4404 Status: Lurker | Followup to Zeus: #00414361
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you mean he didn't use mostly keyboards and synths on saw 85-92, cause from what I've heard thats the impression I was under
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:52 [#00414370]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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just cause you use synths doesnt mean that you played them
midis been around since 83, so its quite possible he didnt play any of it
and tits, no, i dont think thats what it is. anyone can write music without playing piano, so it doesnt make him any more special cause he didnt play it.
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:53 [#00414373]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker | Followup to Zeus: #00414370
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\/\/
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:55 [#00414375]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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haha
is that supposed to be the whatever sign?
oh no you didnt girlfriend
*snaps fingers *bobs head
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 14:58 [#00414379]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker
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hehe yea, i just throw that up when i don't feel like arguing
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corngrower
from the fertile grounds of Iowa, w (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:02 [#00414387]
Points: 4404 Status: Lurker | Followup to Zeus: #00414370
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I guess I'm not as knowlegable as you on the subject and you could very well be right, but listening to saw 85-92 it just sounds like he was playing most of it on synths... and some tracks like acrid avid jamshred, it just seems like the synth line in the background is just too simple for him not to have been able to play it... I mean, I got on my parents old keyboard and tought it to myself in like 5 minutes, so it's just hard to believe for me
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:07 [#00414396]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker | Followup to corngrower: #00414387
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yea, i think anyone who's been making music for at least 17 years (saw 85-92) would have taken the hour or so to learn how to play notes on a keyboard. i think that article reprinted on warp was the author's conjecture, not actual fact.
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:09 [#00414401]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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there is a differnce of playing a piano, and playing it well
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:11 [#00414407]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker | Followup to Zeus: #00414401
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there's a difference between walking and running, napping and sleeping, burping and vomiting...
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:13 [#00414411]
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ok
my point is, ok maybe he can fiddle around on the piano, but isnt good enough, at least in his mind, to want to record himself playing live, with out edits (as the articale said it was all done on a real piano).
i can fiddle around on guitar, but i wouldnt say i can play one
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elusive
from detroit (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:14 [#00414413]
Points: 18368 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag
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exactely zeus 1999 into 2000
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jand
from Braintree (United Kingdom) on 2002-10-23 15:16 [#00414416]
Points: 5975 Status: Moderator | Show recordbag
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tits is bang on...
AFX can definately read music notation....
Anyone can...even I can...it's amazingly simple...if anyone here can't, then take an hr & do some reading on the web...it's really not a lot different than the standard Piano-Roll view on Cubase or Logic (or most sequencers...)...
Even 808s/909s have notation on em...even if it's just a single bar involved...
And you only have to listen to some of his work to realise that he can indeed play....he may not be a great live player but he can certainly play into a sequencer etc...
& his live sequencer work is always good if you catch a rare live show....
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:17 [#00414417]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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huh?
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:19 [#00414419]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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jand.
like i said, its not that he CANT, its just that he doesnt.
if he wanted to learn, sure, he could learn... but why? its not like he has to sight read for an orchestra or compose symphonies
he is doing relativly simple stuff, that could be done by using his ear.
and sure, he could play something into a sequencer, at least, and then quantize...
but the recordings of the piano are real. not sampled, not sequenced... this is a totally different matter
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:31 [#00414424]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker
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i don't think most of aphex's work is simple at all really... and if you think that perhaps you should relisten. there's a whole lot going on, and no amateur who can't read musical notation or find the notes on a keyboard could produce anything like the rdj album, icbyd, saw2 (read my essay comparing him to reich, who can definitely read and play), etc.
as for your "he could do it but he doesn't want to" argument, how do you know? are you going by your ears or by this one essay that doesn't substantiate or even elaborate on the claim rdj can't read or play notes?
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:35 [#00414427]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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lots goin on can still be simple.
and i didnt say he didnt know the notes of the keyboard, i said he couldnt play.
the track veiw on sequencers is a sideways keyboard, so he would know the notes from there.
and yes, an "amatuer" could write that. hes just got a really good ear.
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:38 [#00414431]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker
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i don't just mean a lot of sounds at the same time.. i meant lots going on in the figurative sense. it sounds cliche but i gotta say it: "this music's deep, man." it is. i'm sure you realize this and are just forgetting at the moment.
as for not being able to play a keyboard and not knowing what the notes on the keyboard are, isn't that the same thing? are you just disagreeing with everything i say or do you fundamentally see a difference between those two things?
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Zeus
from San Francisco (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:41 [#00414436]
Points: 14042 Status: Lurker
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i fundamentaly see a difference
i know the notes on a keyboard back and forth easy
but i cant play the piano, in the sense of playing a bassline and a melody at once, or with chords.
and dude, im being totally serious when I say this, so please beleive me ok? IM NOT TRYING TO DISAGREE WITH EVERYTHING YOU SAY.
it just happens we disagree. seriously man, im not trying to bust your balls and annoy you. im just stating my views on matters, and we happen to have different ones.
cool?
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earthleakage
from tell the world you're winning on 2002-10-23 15:45 [#00414442]
Points: 27799 Status: Regular
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of course he can read music, he used to have piano lessons when he was younger
i read it in an interview
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Amonbrune
from Vancouver (Canada) on 2002-10-23 15:46 [#00414447]
Points: 7327 Status: Addict
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That article was very informative. i enjoyed it. i wanna buy more john cage cds defineatly when i get the money. i think that article was there to inform not to hype anything up. dumb.
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:49 [#00414451]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker
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i see your point, but i don't know if the writer intended to make that distinction. i think he was saying rdj doesn't know the notes on a keyboard. maybe rdj can't sit down at a piano and play the drukqs piano songs live, but i think that's more a function of what he said in an interview - that some of those tracks CAN'T be physically performed live (by anyone). ignoring the piano and sticking to synths, from listening to pre-drukqs rdj i think he played or plays the keyboard in his music despite the essayist's claim to the contrary. this is especially true for the music he made in the days before recycle and other computer apps. i just don't see how he could have programmed the synth lines in saw 85-92, classics, etc., or perhaps i don't see WHY he'd program them if he could.
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marlowe
from Antarctica on 2002-10-23 15:50 [#00414453]
Points: 24593 Status: Regular | Followup to earthleakage: #00414442
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lmao. i know what cannibalism is, i saw it on tv...
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Amonbrune
from Vancouver (Canada) on 2002-10-23 15:52 [#00414455]
Points: 7327 Status: Addict
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I think those tracks can be preformed live. any one of those tracks. you CAN you use more than one piano you know. set up 4 or 5 pianos and have a go on them. id like to hear it.
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Amonbrune
from Vancouver (Canada) on 2002-10-23 15:53 [#00414460]
Points: 7327 Status: Addict
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why WOULDN'T he program the synths in saw ii or classics?
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titsworth
from Washington, DC (United States) on 2002-10-23 15:56 [#00414463]
Points: 14550 Status: Lurker | Followup to Amonbrune: #00414455
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yea it'd be cool to hear those songs live. but i think rdj was saying they can't be played live by one human, or perhaps he meant they can't even be played on a traditional piano.
i just don't think the melodic synth lines on saw 85-92 and classics were programmed. they sound like they were played on a synth, not constructed on a computer or a sequencer. obviously there's a lot programmed but come on we know he owns synths, why wouldn't he play them?
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glass_eater
from a blind nerves area (Switzerland) on 2002-10-23 15:56 [#00414464]
Points: 4904 Status: Regular
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rdj does music by instinct and sometimes hes helped by animals
i mean dont u believe in what he says ? sinners ! ;)))
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