Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Last week the Reverend asked: "So do you think this [technology] has an overall positive, or negative effect on the tradition?" A number of people pointed out that as instruments evolved THEY were new technology. Made me wonder about sean nos. Is the human voice the last "pure" thing in the Irish folk tradition [relatively] untouched by technological innovation? Nor can it be. Or can it? Will we see sean-nos singers running their vocals thru Antares and other "perfect ptich" software programs?
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Hmmm....this is just hazarding a guess, but I suspect that sean nos singing itself withits highly ornamented style is influenced by piping technique, so I suspect it it itself was influenced by "technology". No need to shoot me down on this, I'm just guessing.
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Key,
I suspect sean-nos is at least as old as the harp tradition or close to it...that is, as much as we know about either and esp. the latter. My thought vis a vis Reverend's discussion last week on a yea or nea for technology's influence on ITM, was that sean nos may be the only thing that couldn't and hasn't been influenced by technology down the centuries...even the harp underwent numerous changes, as did the pipes and of course, later fiddles and flutes. But the voice is more or less inviolate/immune from all this. It just didn't come up in the discussion at the time.
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
It's been widely commented on in Conamara that the improvement in dental care over the last couple of decades has changed the "sound" of the songs quite profoundly, particularly with men's singing.
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
I'm always surprised at how small changes in the details of our lives or the environment have unintended but quite logical consequences in unexpected areas (referring to that about dental care and sean-nos. The question of course is - has the singing quality improved along with the teeth, or got worse? Or is it just different, and good enough for that?
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
As a singer myself I would hazard a guess that sean-nós singing has been influenced by technology in that good recordings of singers and even television broadcasts have allowed singers to hear other singers that would not have heard otherwise. As with instrumental players, if you hear something you like, you may try to imitate it and include the technique in your "bag of tricks".
Whether this is good or bad is mostly a matter of taste.
I would think that recordings of such as Joe Heaney's probably had a great influence on singer's who came along later.
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Heaney left Carna when he was a young man and came to fame away. There were few recordings of him that made it back and most people didn't even have a radio. Besides, in a townland where everyone sang at an incredibly high level there was more than Heaney to be worried about in terms of influences.
Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Last week the Reverend asked: "So do you think this [technology] has an overall positive, or negative effect on the tradition?" A number of people pointed out that as instruments evolved THEY were new technology. Made me wonder about sean nos. Is the human voice the last "pure" thing in the Irish folk tradition [relatively] untouched by technological innovation? Nor can it be. Or can it? Will we see sean-nos singers running their vocals thru Antares and other "perfect ptich" software programs?
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by mtodd
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Hmmm....this is just hazarding a guess, but I suspect that sean nos singing itself withits highly ornamented style is influenced by piping technique, so I suspect it it itself was influenced by "technology". No need to shoot me down on this, I'm just guessing.
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
More likely the other way round.
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by Ionannas
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Yep - could be. Wiki says: A song-book for Elizabeth I contained English interpretations of sean nós songs.
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by Key Maniac Lad
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Not too sure about that one KML, other way round I'd say.
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by Patkiwi
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Key,
I suspect sean-nos is at least as old as the harp tradition or close to it...that is, as much as we know about either and esp. the latter. My thought vis a vis Reverend's discussion last week on a yea or nea for technology's influence on ITM, was that sean nos may be the only thing that couldn't and hasn't been influenced by technology down the centuries...even the harp underwent numerous changes, as did the pipes and of course, later fiddles and flutes. But the voice is more or less inviolate/immune from all this. It just didn't come up in the discussion at the time.
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by mtodd
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
But if recordings of the singers circulate, wouldn't that influence how songs are passed around?
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by Batlady
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Microphones mean singers no longer need to develop their breath to be able to be heard by someone more than five feet away. More's the pity.
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by hotsauce
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
It's been widely commented on in Conamara that the improvement in dental care over the last couple of decades has changed the "sound" of the songs quite profoundly, particularly with men's singing.
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by Patkiwi
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
I'll need to chew the fat over that, Pat. There must be some molar to your tale!
# Posted on May 20th 2008 by strayaway
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
I'm always surprised at how small changes in the details of our lives or the environment have unintended but quite logical consequences in unexpected areas (referring to that about dental care and sean-nos. The question of course is - has the singing quality improved along with the teeth, or got worse? Or is it just different, and good enough for that?
# Posted on May 21st 2008 by nicholas
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
As a singer myself I would hazard a guess that sean-nós singing has been influenced by technology in that good recordings of singers and even television broadcasts have allowed singers to hear other singers that would not have heard otherwise. As with instrumental players, if you hear something you like, you may try to imitate it and include the technique in your "bag of tricks".
Whether this is good or bad is mostly a matter of taste.
I would think that recordings of such as Joe Heaney's probably had a great influence on singer's who came along later.
# Posted on May 21st 2008 by Murph
Re: Sean-nos : drawing the line in the technological sand?
Heaney left Carna when he was a young man and came to fame away. There were few recordings of him that made it back and most people didn't even have a radio. Besides, in a townland where everyone sang at an incredibly high level there was more than Heaney to be worried about in terms of influences.
# Posted on May 21st 2008 by Patkiwi