Re: Loop approach: Loop as effect

[dcoffin@taunton.com]

Been enjoying these "effects/language" threads and feel compelled to toss
in my $0.02 worth of observations:

When giving directions, ordering a meal, writing an operating manual, or
describing an event to a jury or a judge or any critical listener, it's
important to be precise in one's choice of words, and damn useful when it
can be made clear exactly what a word or label referrs to...but even in the
best of circumstances clarity can be difficult to achieve, simply because
we can only guess what is being heard and understood and felt by our
listeners, no matter how precise we think we are being.

When describing an emotional or enlightening or inspiring experience, or
writing a poem or novel or critique, it's important to take advantage of
the imprecision of words, and of one's certainty that one's listener's
understanding of labels is more complex than can possibly be fully grasped,
in order to attempt to share the unshareable.

When using a tool, it's important to understand its functions and  purpose,
so you don't get hurt, waste time, or spoil your results.

When creating art, or otherwise trying to share the unshareable, it's
important not to think you know everything already, or have the only
possible understanding of the tools at your disposal.  And it's important
not to underestimate the value of getting hurt, wasting time, or spoiling
your results.

When using an effects device, a recording tool, or an instrument, it's
important for me to know only that my current understanding of its
expressive potential is limited.

When posting to an online forum, it's important to keep your preconceptions
to a minimum. A useful way of keeping your preconceptions to a minimum is
to subscribe to many online forums!

Thanks, all!

David


<<Once we
have a common understanding of the words and the ideas they represent, we
can communicate other ideas from that common understanding. (And we can
decide which devices in a given situation go in one category or another.)

lacking that clarity brings confusion. When Mark said that people like
Andre LaFosse and Bill Walker were using Looping as an "effect" at the
loopfest, I didn't understand how he could possible see that. I had seen
the exact same performances, and "effect" did not fit what those people
were doing at all. Was Mark insulting them? Or complimenting them? By my
understanding of the words, it was an insult and cheapened their
performances. Perhaps by Mark's understanding of the words, it was a
compliment. Without clarifying what the words mean we have confusion.>>