From: sasbpb@sor.unx.sas.com (Brian Bowman)
Newsgroups: rec.music.synth,rec.music.makers
Subject: Re: Usenet Tape depression sets in.
Date: 8 Apr 92 18:35:40 GMT
Article-I.D.: unx.1992Apr8.183540.2784
    <1992Apr8.133056.6797@icd.ab.com>
Organization: SAS Institute Inc.
Originator: sasbpb@sor.unx.sas.com
X-Bytes: 3368

In article <1992Apr8.133056.6797@icd.ab.com>, jaz@icd.ab.com (Jack A. Zucker) writes:
|> In article <1992Apr6.222907.23749@bradley.bradley.edu>, dave@bradley.bradley.edu (David Vessell) writes:
|> |> I got the liner notes in the e-mailbox today.
|> |>
|> |> It feels like I'm the only person on the face of the earth with less than a
|> |> kazillion synths and/or a personal digital studio at my disposal and the
|> |> only net musician doing technopop.  And for the second year in a row, the
|> |> moment I dropped my submission in the mail, I realized it sounded rather
|> |> blah and uninspired, or technically flawed, or unfulfilling for whatever
|> |> reason.
|> |>
|>
|> Well, engineers have money and equipment. Talent ? Who knows ? I used to
|> work with a guy who kept inviting me over to play and when I finally got
|> there, I was blown away because he had 4 or 5 synths, a 16 track Tascam
|> of some kind, stacks of amps, loads of guitars, basses, drums, cables
|> going everywhere. His favorite groups were the Gogo's, Bangles, and
|> Joan Jett (must be hormonal). He could barely play barre chords. Another
|> engineer I know who I would classify as an advanced beginner recently bought
|> a guitar amp and wouldn't you know it, he bought a Marshall Stack. I tried
|> to talk him out of buying a stack telling him that his playing would
|> improve if he bought something portable and could take it places to
|> jam with but he had his mind made up. Engineers make lots of money (Present
|> company excluded of course). They usually have lots of toys. This does
|> not mean that they can make better music necessarily. The best music
|> comes from the soul, not the pocketbook.
|>
|> Many poor musicians make up for their lack of talent by having really
|> expensive equipment. I often wonder what these people would sound
|> like on an acoustic instrument. Another friend of mine does really
|> "breathy" WAV format instrumentals. When I listen to them, I often
|> wonder when the melody is going to start. Technically, it's great.
|> Great sounds, good programming, etc; but to me it has no feeling. I
|> am going to get flamed up the wazoo for this, but I think that too
|> many people waste alot of time programming their synths and worrying
|> about the latest and greatest equipment (including me from time to
|> time) when they should be concentrating on learning about the music.
|> I think every musicians goal should eventually be to have total
|> command of their instrument (and I don't mean programming).
|>
|> -Jaz (Fire-proof suit ready)
|>
|> --
|>
|>                        (Chasin' the Trane)
|>
|> | Jack A Zucker                              {uunet}!jaz@icd.ab.com |
|> | Allen-Bradley Company, Inc.                    or  ICCGCC::ZUCKER |
|> | 747 Alpha Drive                                                   |
|> | Highland Hts., OH 44143 Phone(216) 646-4668   FAX: (216) 646-4484 |

Amen !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Jack

After spending $1,000.00s on a custom made Guitar (ZION strat style), a
Mesa Boogie, and a bunch of MIDI rack equipment I am in total agreement
with you.  Although I do pay electric guitar pretty well, working diligently
on the most fundamental elements of music with my $700.00 classical guitar has
brought more integrity to my music then ANY amount of expensive equipment ever
could.

Brian Bowman
SAS Institute Inc.