Incredible article, as a lifelong Hendrix fan, nicely done.
Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
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Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#92Crazy example of when everything is AI generated, even the code referenced in git repo (refer to commit 3d733ca), and actually interesting and "new" in a way...
There’s a git repo associated with this article? I’m curious because to tell you the truth the novelty struck me as similar to comparisons I’ve toyed with using LLMs on my own. The AI-generated logic between comparing two dissimilar things is too sterile for my liking. I understand that this is appearing in technical publication, but for some reason that invites even further scrutiny on my behalf. Please share more r…
Here's the repo https://github.com/nahorov/Hendrix-Systems-Lab
Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#93Strange article. Even though I do like music and engineering. >Electromagnetic pickups—(...)—fixed the loudness problem. But they left a new one: the envelope Was it really a problem to be solved? Good tube amplifiers already existed back then. Clean guiar tone was not something frowned upon. >Hendrix’s mission was (...) >His solution was (...) I don't think Hendrix was on a 'mission' to solve engineering puzzles at…
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Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#94I strongly believe that if you set aside genre preferences the solid body electric guitar coupled to a tube amplifier is objectively the greatest electronic instrument ever created. All other electronic instruments, with the one exception being the Theramin, have a fundamental problem with human expression. There is an unsolvable disconnect between what the performer's actions and their audience. See: https://www.scr…
>"All other electronic instruments, with the one exception being the Theramin, have a fundamental problem with human expression. There is an unsolvable disconnect between what the performer's actions and their audience."
Look at Roli Seaboard, it has insane amount degrees of freedom / expression
https://youtu.be/2fQbtp2BgY4?si=S52A-22A3GlXPajU
past the middle starts solo
Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#95I strongly believe that if you set aside genre preferences the solid body electric guitar coupled to a tube amplifier is objectively the greatest electronic instrument ever created. All other electronic instruments, with the one exception being the Theramin, have a fundamental problem with human expression. There is an unsolvable disconnect between what the performer's actions and their audience. See: https://www.scr…
The reverse example of this is musicians who play techno with analog instruments, like Pipe Guy, Basstong, and Meute[0][1][2]. There are always some people who get extremely defensive whenever I say that techno didn't click for me until I heard this kind of "techlow" music. Specifically about the part where I think that the reason is also a human expression problem, because of limitations imposed by the electronic me…
You might also enjoy Beardyman, if you haven't run across him yet. Does techno and other genres with nothing but his own voice and a shedload of ipads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYVUlx7BhhI
Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#96Earlier quoted context omitted.
Ahem, just two words. Yamaha DX-7. Synth music elevated electric bound tones to anything ever heard. I remidn you that most of the rock and roll and rock music was about speed and mimicking the sound of a rumbling car engine, as it was a symbol of the freedom in America, being able to run away from your toxic communities to find yourself better anywhere else. That was the message for the young with rock and roll: a s…
The amusing thing (to me at least) is that while the DX7 gave users almost infinite options as to how they could create and shape sounds, if you know what to listen for you'll hear the E PIANO 1 and BASS 1 presets an about half of all mid 80s hits. Turns out when they gave musicians a tool with immense flexibility, many of them still chose to use two of the (admittedly great) preset sounds.
To be fair, a lot of that is because the DX7 (or rather, FM synthesis in general) is just absolutely arcane when it comes to programming.
Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#97Earlier quoted context omitted.
Great recommendations. Throwing Klangphonics in the ring even though they use electronic instruments as well https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bixtQAq2LzE
Nice addition! First time I heard of them and I'm liking what I'm hearing so far. And just to clarify: I don't dislike electronic instruments. I just think that on some subconscious level the human brain can detect other humans playing a live instrument. Like there's something "embodied" in the sound that is likely missing from a pure electronic instrument. And I needed that element to "unlock" access to techno.
Yep, there's a reason we have the industry term "humanization" in sound design, composition and arrangement.
Tons of work has been done on various modes of humanization by trying to parameterize and modulate these aspects over time. Timing accuracy, velocity variance, chance, etc.
A well-played instrument certainly feels like someone speaking and expressing themselves to you. There are attempts to capture this with MPE instruments such as the Osmose, or Imogen Heap's MiMU gloves.
Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#98Nice article for engineers to understand something that most guitar players will intuitively know. One of the great things about a hi-gain setup like Hendrix's is how the feedback loop will inject an element of controlled chaos into the sound. It allows for emergent fluctuations in timbre that Hendrix can wrangle, but never fully control. It's the squealing, chaotic element in something like his 'Star Spangled Banner…
The first time I had an amp distorted and loud enough to cause feedback (if I wanted to) at band practice was the most magical day of my life.
I had heard it a lot in punk and pop-punk to create swells. I improvised my still-favorite solo that day.
Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#99Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's stretching the term to the breaking point, for me. Is there some evidence of systematic analysis of component parts? attempts to model elements of the problem? data gathering and data analysis? simulation? Intentional application of principles of physics or some other pure domain to a real world problem? Artistic endeavors come from lots of places, not just people with an analytical mindset. Historically those…
> Is there some evidence of systematic analysis of component parts? Music theory, Nashville notation > attempts to model elements of the problem? Ditto > data gathering and data analysis? Listening to a wide variety of music and understanding what make a genre a genre > simulation? Cover songs, writing to a style > Intentional application of principles of physics or some other pure domain to a real world problem? Lit…
quite the stretch
Re: Jimi Hendrix was a systems engineer
#100Nice article for engineers to understand something that most guitar players will intuitively know. One of the great things about a hi-gain setup like Hendrix's is how the feedback loop will inject an element of controlled chaos into the sound. It allows for emergent fluctuations in timbre that Hendrix can wrangle, but never fully control. It's the squealing, chaotic element in something like his 'Star Spangled Banner…
The first time I had an amp distorted and loud enough to cause feedback (if I wanted to) at band practice was the most magical day of my life. I had heard it a lot in punk and pop-punk to create swells. I improvised my still-favorite solo that day.
I wonder if tube harmonics modeled by solid state settings has shaped music. Of course it has; music from that era is instrument-oriented.
The discovery of feedback tones and the resulting incorporation in the musical experience — a three hour warm bank of tubes turned up to the limit with a maxxed out savant unlocking new realms of sound.