The more i think about it the more i'm fascinated with
comparing and contrasting these 2 stories. At first I
thought they were essentially identical, which is strange
anwyay. But having thoroughly read them both I see that
they're really taking almost opposite stands.
The one in the Technology Section (by Greg Wager, a
professor at a Music School, interestestingly enough) is
optimistic and celebratory. New technology is
disintermediating musicmaking and librating us from the
rule of big business and the culture industry.
An admittedly typical position for a technology article.
On the other hand, the other article, by Tony Scherman, a
staff Arts & Leisure writer for the Times, is typically
reactionary and protective of tradition. He so completely
opposes the position of the other article that the 2 should
have been put on facing pages in the opinion section. one
good quote is an almost direct de-hyping of the promise of
Wager's writing:
'"Manufacturers and musicians' magazines convince everybody
that by buying the gear they become independent producers,"
Mr. Thberge recently told another writer. "But the
constraints of talent, distribution and demand dictate that
few will really prosper." At bottom, he said, it's "a good
way to sell a lot of equipment."'
Probably true, though that depends on your definition of
"prosper" (if Theberge means few will make a good living
from their art, yes, but that's always been true. perhaps it
isn't about making money?) But elsewhere Scherman moans
that the creative musical process is "...a transformation
that requires the hand of a craftsman who is disappearing
from our midst."
Ugh. I'll take the coder becoming the pop star (to
paraphrase part of an Etoy slogan) over the elitism of the
old guard any day.
smh
Steev Hise, Automagickal Adept
steevATdetritus.net http://detritus.net/steev
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