The influence of the tools we use to make Music, on the Music we make.

lukesleepwalker

@Multicellular said:
This was probably the biggest part of the learning curve for me switching in the last year to more electronic music.

I played rock, folk, classical, jazz for decades. I can play guitar and bass well, keys decently, drums, mandolin, banjo, cello, and a few others competently.

But all the first attempts at electronic drums and bass parts just sounded like synths and samples imitating a real bass player and drummer.

A bit less with bass, because I had often used a lot of effects on bass, but very much with drums, I was only designing sounds that mimicked a real drum set.

The beats also, I fought with myself to get in the space where I could ignore what was possible for me to do as a drummer.

Right on! I think of it like a painter switching from water colors to acrylics--or better, to clay or stone!

lukesleepwalker

@d4d0ug said:
As a stringed instrument player (guitar, banjo) I get inspiration from changing tunings. This forces my ears and fingers to go to places they don’t normally go... which leads to new ideas

This is also a great way to get out of a rut! Learning banjo heavily influenced my guitar playing technique at the time (finger picking, hammer ons, etc).

ecamburn

Interesting conversation

I agree that when used for their main purpose each musical tool has a set of musical outcomes that seem more likely. That said, I’m regularly surprised at the creative ways musicians use tools in ways that were never envisioned by the tools’ creator. Sampling and Eric Whitacre’s virtual choir are a couple examples that come to mind. I don’t have specific examples at hand but there are folks on this forum aren’t there that have used Gadget and other beat making tools to make jazz and ambient.

I’m an acoustic drummer pushing 60 who makes weird techno music. I’m grateful that I love electronic music and all the weird noises these beat making apps make. So I feel right at home.