Touch as Part of Expressiveness

John Morley just posted an interesting thought about the WaveDrum as an example where technology did not serve to dehumanize music in the way that many use quantization and pitch correction.

I agree whole heartedly.

What struck me as quite important was the mention of the connectedness of instrument and player as an important factor. For me the fact that the wavedrum is not a pad but a real drum and highly tactile is quite critical. It also makes for quite a contrast with button or pad based 'drums'.

This is one aspect of the Eigenharp that fails to get a lot of notice; it is a very tactile device.

Say Eigenharp, and you are sure to hear expressiveness in the resulting conversation.

Now it is surely true that the time granularity (2000 samples/sec) and the resolution (1024 levels) is an important and differentiating enabler of expressiveness. However, it is just as important to note that the keys are extremely tactile. The force required and the physical feedback from the keys results in a connection for the player that is, well, sensual. Further, while one can play a run of individual notes, the system as a whole is tweaked so well that running your finger down a course of keys can also sound and feel much like running your finger down a continuous string (it does not matter that, technically that isn't what is happening)

Surely one could build (for example) a pad with that sample rate and bit depth. They probably exist. But this tactile aspect and the instrument/player connection that results is a critical component of enabling expressiveness.

Gibson Dusk Tiger

Gibson Dusk Tiger
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

This is just a little video to show how the Dusk Tiger tunes itself.

In this shot the guitar initially tunes to standard tuning, which it does by default each time it is turned on (and, yes, one can just tune manually and play if you wish).

The guitar is then set to an Open tuning and strummed. I like accuracy so I have the guitar set so that it re-tunes to accommodate any neck bending when the tuning change is significant

Eigenharp Alpha with DPA Microphone

Eigenharp Alpha with DPA Microphone
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

The DPA Microphone is a great addition to the Alpha. It plugs in just beside the breathpipe and includes a mount on a new breath pipe mouthpiece which the mic can clip to.

It is an electret mic for which the Alpha provides the polarizing voltage (the voltage levels can be selected either by belcanto or by the control keys as can the various controls such as vol, pan, effect send, etc)

Winter Studio

Winter Studio
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

Click on the picture to see this in Flickr (where there are notes on each item)

We moved south yesterday (yes, I know, we punted but it looked like the lake was icing over)

At lease there is more room to organize music and computing here

Komplete

I've been using the Komtakt player and Guitar Rig4 (which cam with my Gibson) for some time and decided it was time to 'Komplete' the suite.

It is delivered on 12 dual layer DVDs. So it will be interesting to explore all that content.

O'Brien Set

O'Brien Set
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

This lovely set of O'Brien Whistles sounds as good as it looks.

One fipple end-piece and 3 2-piece lower sections (D, C, Eb)

The fit is superb and the wood is well crafted. A variety of woods are available

Republic Reso GBDGBD

Republic Reso GBDGBD
Originally uploaded by mikemilton

I'm waiting (not so patiently) for my Gibson Squareneck Dobro and wanted to work on 'standard' tuning but GBDGBD is a bit much for a round neck.

Here is my trusty National with a nut extender and a Dobro capo. It is actually tuned to FACFAC but the capo nicely makes this what I want.

The capo has a metal bar that sits over the fret and under the strings. It can be rotated to accommodate higher string heights. A rubber-covered bar sits slightly to the head-side of the lower bar pressing the strings down and dampening any sound from the upper portion of the strings.

I'm busy practicing a bunch of Christmas songs for the holidays. They are an interesting thing to play on reso.