Is a Computer an Instrument?

Daktari · 03-29-2010, 07:19 PM

Someone who creates music is a musician, whatever they use to produce it, a computer, a saucepan, a frog..... even a guitar in my case..

Gordon.

GuitarBizarre · 03-29-2010, 07:21 PM

Someone who creates music is a COMPOSER.

Someone who PERFORMS music using an instrument of any kind is a musician.

Important difference.

music_phantom13 · 03-29-2010, 07:38 PM

So by that logic isn't it impossible to be a musician using a computer? You could only be a composer unless you are actually recording sounds from instruments you are playing (hooking up a guitar, keyboard, etc.) And here's a tricky question... I can hook a MIDI keyboard up to my computer and create music by playing the keyboard, so I believe that would be performing the song. Alternatively, I can just click where I want the notes to go in a program and adjust them using only my mouse, and in that case I am performing an action but only essentially writing down music. Would that make me a composer in the latter but a musician in the first case? This is all very complicated...

Daktari · 03-29-2010, 08:30 PM

I'm off to watch Dancing With The Stars. At least no one's tripped over themselves yet which is the way this thread is going.

Gordon,

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 03-29-2010, 09:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucifer_sam

Nope.

A computer is as much a musical instrument as a ream of paper is a novel. I'd say it's a great tool for writing & recording music but I think what identifies something like a guitar as an instrument is its intentional purpose of producing musical sounds.

But interesting argument.

To counteract that,

a guitar is just a hunk of wood until somebody who knows how to use it comes along. I could use a guitar as a door stop or a chopping board if I wanted to. Something like a washboard is... well used for washing clothes until some smart feller figured it made some neat percussive sounds. I think it's all about context really. If you use the computer to make the majority of your music, you could say the computer is your instrument.

Just my thoughts.

lucifer_sam · 03-29-2010, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Conan

To counteract that,

a guitar is just a hunk of wood until somebody who knows how to use it comes along. I could use a guitar as a door stop or a chopping board if I wanted to. Something like a washboard is... well used for washing clothes until some smart feller figured it made some neat percussive sounds. I think it's all about context really. If you use the computer to make the majority of your music, you could say the computer is your instrument.

Just my thoughts.

We've been through this already, if you apply that same logic then every concrete object is capable of being a musical instrument. It's an argument that defeats itself, and it doesn't address the OP. At all.

~~someonecompletelyrandom~~ · 03-29-2010, 11:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucifer_sam

We've been through this already, if you apply that same logic then every concrete object is capable of being a musical instrument. It's an argument that defeats itself, and it doesn't address the OP. At all.

Well then i'll give that argument rest. But I do agree that anything can be an instrument if applied in that way.

Stone Birds · 03-30-2010, 07:26 AM

does it make sound?... yes? well then it's a musical instrument

Daktari · 03-30-2010, 08:28 AM

Even bagpipes??

JUST A JOKE ! I lived in Scotland for nine years and almost grew to love them, in their right context.

**Janszoon** · 03-30-2010, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stone Birds

does it make sound?... yes? well then it's a musical instrument

So my cat is a musical instrument?

03-30-2010, 07:26 AM	#58 (permalink)
Stone Birds myspace.com/stonebirdies Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Conor Oberst Was/is Here Posts: 1,401	does it make sound?... yes? well then it's a musical instrument __________________ Silk & Tree Records //\\//\\/\\/\/\/\\\\\\\\///\/\/\/\/\\////\/\\\\\///\V //\\//\\/\\/\/\/\\\\\\\\///\/\/\/\/\\////\/\\\\\///\V soundcloud.com/stonebirds [Link removed by mod, no advertising] ... Damn those mods are always gettin ya :)

03-29-2010, 07:19 PM	#51 (permalink)
Daktari Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Originally from Lancashire, England, lived near Largs, Scotland and now live in Rocky Face, Georgia Posts: 154	Someone who creates music is a musician, whatever they use to produce it, a computer, a saucepan, a frog..... even a guitar in my case.. Gordon.

03-29-2010, 07:38 PM	#53 (permalink)
music_phantom13 Music Addict Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Pittsburgh, PA Posts: 942	So by that logic isn't it impossible to be a musician using a computer? You could only be a composer unless you are actually recording sounds from instruments you are playing (hooking up a guitar, keyboard, etc.) And here's a tricky question... I can hook a MIDI keyboard up to my computer and create music by playing the keyboard, so I believe that would be performing the song. Alternatively, I can just click where I want the notes to go in a program and adjust them using only my mouse, and in that case I am performing an action but only essentially writing down music. Would that make me a composer in the latter but a musician in the first case? This is all very complicated...

03-29-2010, 08:30 PM	#54 (permalink)
Daktari Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Originally from Lancashire, England, lived near Largs, Scotland and now live in Rocky Face, Georgia Posts: 154	I'm off to watch Dancing With The Stars. At least no one's tripped over themselves yet which is the way this thread is going. Gordon,

03-30-2010, 08:28 AM	#59 (permalink)
Daktari Music Addict Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Originally from Lancashire, England, lived near Largs, Scotland and now live in Rocky Face, Georgia Posts: 154	Even bagpipes?? JUST A JOKE ! I lived in Scotland for nine years and almost grew to love them, in their right context.