Machines, again, (was Accu-Tuner ad)

[Allen Wright]

Good point you make about China, Ed. And: aren't there something like 15 
major concert venues in Tokyo? (Or more?). A high percentage of students in
American conservatories and music schools are Asian.

If I had to guess, I'd expect that acoustic music in general (in all genres,
not just classical) will probably maintain the sort of small but consistent
support base that Apple (for example) does with it's computers. Only 3% of
computer owners use Apple, but those who do are passionate about them. Isn't
that about the percentage of classical CD's sold - or something similarly
low?

I'd like to think (hope?) that new music technologies are expanding the
palette of our listening experiences, rather than attenuating or replacing
them. I'm often struck by the beauty and expressiveness of many new movie
scores that incorporate electronic instruments. Originally scores were all
acoustic performances, of course. We can still hear those in movies, but now
all kinds of new and interesting electric sounds as well.

Although the world IS becoming "virtualized" (as Richard points out) at a
great rate, I can't help but think that there will always be people around
who want to play acoustic instruments. The physical act is such an important
part of the equation (eg., blowing through a horn rather than playing a
sample of one at a keyboard). I guess a crucial question is whether there
will be enough acoustic players to sustain the kind of support for the
instruments that's necessary to keep skills like ours alive.

Analog electric instruments certainly expanded the listening possibilities,
yet didn't render classical music obsolete, so maybe digital electric
instruments won't either. But I agree with Richard that prediction is
dangerous.

I don't know what's gotten into me - I'm not usually such an optimist! :(

Best regards,

Allen Wright



----------
>From: A440A@aol.com
>To: pianotech@ptg.org
>Subject: Re: Machines, again, (was Accu-Tuner ad)
>Date: Mon, Nov 10, 2003, 5:09 PM
>

> Richard writes:
>
> << Personally, I think that music
> will move away from traditional literature as the market forces more and
> more use of electronics instead of acoustics. It has struck me as nearly
> astounding how difficult it is to get any of the more experiemental
> contemporary music produced, or get an audience of any size to attend. I
> can only interpret this as revealing the majority of human kind are not
> yet conditioned, or ready for it.  >>
>
> Greetings,
>   We have to remember that China is just coming out of its seclusion, and
> with the numbers of people over there, there will be a tremendous wave of
"new"
> performers, students, and all that that entails.  If the rest of the world
> became infatuated with Mozart and Beethoven, we can assume that there are many
> millions of new ears that may be opening up, soon.
> Regards,
> Ed Foote RPT
> http://www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/index.html
> www.uk-piano.org/edfoote/well_tempered_piano.html
>  <A HREF="http://artists.mp3s.com/artists/399/six_degrees_of_tonality.html">
> MP3.com: Six Degrees of Tonality</A>
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