In my opinion, none of these electronic-gizmos come close to replacing the real thing.
I've seen the electronic Highland bagpipe, and it was more of a conversation piece than anything else.
This is a midi controller - the only pipe-related aspect is the fact that it's got similar fingering. When it comes to these things, I usually ask myself a different question - "how expressive can I be with it?" Since it's just a controller, the degree of expression depends more on the sound generation technology. Of course you need to have some ability to tap into the sound generation with your fingers as organically as possible. There has been a relatively long history of wind control midi devices used with some success by recording artists in the jazz/fusion world. Michael Brecker played the AKAI EWI , for example. This required a special analog tone generator to give more expression. I don't know what the possibilities are with this device but it can be made to play drum sounds, if the user wants to. It's just a midi controller. I saw Bela Fleck generate string sounds, drum sounds, bass sounds etc etc out of a midi guitar on stage a few months ago. It all boils down to what you do with it. it can be easily abused and often it is. I never ask "is this a replacement for the acoustic one?" because it simply never is. An electric guitar is not a substitute for an acoustic guitar but it became a successful instrument because it's expressive, because tone generators have developed well, it could play loud in stadiums, and because musicians found ways to use it creatively. I'm not saying that the midi bagpipe has the future of an electric guitar, but it's just a small piece of a larger sound-generation-control system.
Application to a traditional session ?none. Application to a fusion band? Possibly.
Avi
Application to a traditional session ?none. Application to a fusion band? Possibly.
I don't think there's much in electronic gadgetry that belongs in music.
Some years ago (1985 - 1986 or so) I attended a concert with the 3 headline acts being Al DiMeola, Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea.
DiMeola was incredible, as was Shorter. Then there was a break, while the stage was reset for Corea.
He had somehow (yes, even 'way back then') tied his keyboards into a Mac Apple computer, which was sitting on top of one of the keyboards - the display could be seen by the audience.
His act was largely panned by the audience and the critics - quite frankly, it made me want to avoid his music, and it certainly didn't make it any better.
I think that music has been around far too long to be made tiresome by converting it into a bunch of 1's and 0's (computer geeks know what I mean by that reference).
By the way - these "midi pipes", at least the 2 types that I have seen, are certainly not a practice tool for aspiring or experienced pipers. If anything, they teach bad habits.
I agree that not all attempts at using new electric/electronic instruments have been successful. I've heard some really awful ones too. Some will stand that test of time and become main-stream and even "traditional" hundreds of years from now. Some won't. The Theramin was extremely expressive but didn't last except as a novelty. The electric guitar made it in a big way. The electric piano had a good stint for a while (Chick Corea used it on some of his most successful albums - Light as a Feather for instance). Synthesizers are used in much of pop/rock/urban/jazz music, sound tracks, and pieces are written to it by major composers. It all depends on what you do with the instrument and whether you manage to touch people with it. I wonder if people did not view the accordion as some kind of "synthesizer" when it was invented. After all it seems so mechanical and produces such a dense wall of sound when pushed and pulled. It must have seemed really strange. Still - today it's considered a traditional instrument. Time will tell.
As for using such a device as a practice aid - I agree that it's not a good idea.
Midi Uilleann Pipes
Midi Uilleann Pipes
Here's a list of electronic bag pipes: (http://musicthing.blogspot.com/2005/01/burns-night-special-midi-bagpipes-are.html)
Any thoughts on other traditional instruments that could be made into over-priced electronic versions? Uilleann Pipes? Tin whistle? Spoons?
# Posted on January 31st 2005 by RonanOD
Re: Midi Uilleann Pipes
In my opinion, none of these electronic-gizmos come close to replacing the real thing.
I've seen the electronic Highland bagpipe, and it was more of a conversation piece than anything else.
# Posted on January 31st 2005 by Tunes!
Re: Midi Uilleann Pipes
This is a midi controller - the only pipe-related aspect is the fact that it's got similar fingering. When it comes to these things, I usually ask myself a different question - "how expressive can I be with it?" Since it's just a controller, the degree of expression depends more on the sound generation technology. Of course you need to have some ability to tap into the sound generation with your fingers as organically as possible. There has been a relatively long history of wind control midi devices used with some success by recording artists in the jazz/fusion world. Michael Brecker played the AKAI EWI , for example. This required a special analog tone generator to give more expression. I don't know what the possibilities are with this device but it can be made to play drum sounds, if the user wants to. It's just a midi controller. I saw Bela Fleck generate string sounds, drum sounds, bass sounds etc etc out of a midi guitar on stage a few months ago. It all boils down to what you do with it. it can be easily abused and often it is. I never ask "is this a replacement for the acoustic one?" because it simply never is. An electric guitar is not a substitute for an acoustic guitar but it became a successful instrument because it's expressive, because tone generators have developed well, it could play loud in stadiums, and because musicians found ways to use it creatively. I'm not saying that the midi bagpipe has the future of an electric guitar, but it's just a small piece of a larger sound-generation-control system.
Application to a traditional session ?none. Application to a fusion band? Possibly.
Avi
Application to a traditional session ?none. Application to a fusion band? Possibly.
Avi
# Posted on January 31st 2005 by improziv
Re: Midi Uilleann Pipes
I don't think there's much in electronic gadgetry that belongs in music.
Some years ago (1985 - 1986 or so) I attended a concert with the 3 headline acts being Al DiMeola, Wayne Shorter and Chick Corea.
DiMeola was incredible, as was Shorter. Then there was a break, while the stage was reset for Corea.
He had somehow (yes, even 'way back then') tied his keyboards into a Mac Apple computer, which was sitting on top of one of the keyboards - the display could be seen by the audience.
His act was largely panned by the audience and the critics - quite frankly, it made me want to avoid his music, and it certainly didn't make it any better.
I think that music has been around far too long to be made tiresome by converting it into a bunch of 1's and 0's (computer geeks know what I mean by that reference).
# Posted on February 1st 2005 by Tunes!
Re: Midi Uilleann Pipes
By the way - these "midi pipes", at least the 2 types that I have seen, are certainly not a practice tool for aspiring or experienced pipers. If anything, they teach bad habits.
# Posted on February 1st 2005 by Tunes!
Re: Midi Uilleann Pipes
I agree that not all attempts at using new electric/electronic instruments have been successful. I've heard some really awful ones too. Some will stand that test of time and become main-stream and even "traditional" hundreds of years from now. Some won't. The Theramin was extremely expressive but didn't last except as a novelty. The electric guitar made it in a big way. The electric piano had a good stint for a while (Chick Corea used it on some of his most successful albums - Light as a Feather for instance). Synthesizers are used in much of pop/rock/urban/jazz music, sound tracks, and pieces are written to it by major composers. It all depends on what you do with the instrument and whether you manage to touch people with it. I wonder if people did not view the accordion as some kind of "synthesizer" when it was invented. After all it seems so mechanical and produces such a dense wall of sound when pushed and pulled. It must have seemed really strange. Still - today it's considered a traditional instrument. Time will tell.
As for using such a device as a practice aid - I agree that it's not a good idea.
Avi
# Posted on February 1st 2005 by improziv