In this episode of the DubSpot Wireless interview series, electronic music pioneer Morton Subotnick talks with Raz Mesinai about the evolution of music technology over the last 60 years.
Subotnick offers a critique of conventional approaches to electronic music and shares his perspective on the limitations of MIDI. Along the way, the interview features excerpts from Subotnick’s music.
Subotnick blew people’s minds in 1967 with his electronic album Silver Apples of The Moon. Subotnick continues to compose, tour, and work on interactive electronics and multimedia projects. And he’s recently released an iOS music app, Pitch Painter.
I was never into his music (guess, I’m just too much of a black and white keys continuity trail kinda guy) but, what a pleasant person to listen to.
I just saw his performance at Moogfest. Very nice. I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. Great visuals as well as music.
yeah!! death to midi! I’m really into the idea that there are better interfaces out there. and that is what is so interesting about the iPad development of music software. people are inventing new systems. healed a good point that midi is based on what a piano can and cannot do.
Kind of amazing that he doesn’t know Dave Smith’s role in MIDI.
No slight against Buchla – but it does highlight how he’s totally uninterested in the mainstream of electronic music.
I missed Mr. Subotnick at Moogfest. After watching some videos and listening a bit, I figured I’d rather try to enjoy some more typical Western music than struggle through his concert. To be honest, I find him endlessly fascinating, and my sentiments echo many of his….there is so much MORE that we could do with the technology before us. That said, I have not reached a point where I can listen to his music with anything more than technical interest.
But I’m going to keep trying.