Quote:

Remember, the average listener thinks all we do is play those 2 or 3 one hour sets. No practice, no prep....



Money for nothing and your chicks for free!

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This discussion is beginning to remind me of the one in which it was finally decided that BIAB is an instrument and not just a program. I think that there is an important central truth here that will be arrived at after we bounce enough ideas off of each other. I don't pretend to know what it is, except that I think it will center around the futility of trying to apply labels.

We all know that there is music that is unclassifiable, yet record companies insist on pigeonholing everything for marketing purposes. I think it is counterproductive to try to jam our multidimensional pegs into two-dimensional holes. Note that one reason Kurt Vonnegut did so well is that he would NOT allow his books to be labeled as science fiction. Everyone knows they are, but he has enjoyed commercial success far beyond that of most self-professed SF writers.

Technology has changed everything. My preliminary take is that as long as a performer or performers is/are performing--as opposed to lip-synching or playing air guitar (remember all those pop stars on Ed Sullivan whose guitars weren't plugged in?)--then it is a live performance. As Notes says above, the most important thing is the quality of the perfomance itself. People know (well, mostly) whether it is good or not. A VERY few may think about the technical underpinnings; most are just looking for something to tap their toes to while they schmooze members of the opposite sex or dive into their favorite beverage.

Can't wait to see where this ends up, if it does.

R.

"My primary musical instrument is the personal computer."