Obituary : Max Mathews - music pioneer

[Lateralthinking1]

Thanks Global. What happened was that I was thinking "wouldn't it be good if you could do x on the computer". Then I thought "hold on, why can't you do x on the computer?". Then I thought "why have I never heard anyone suggest that it would be useful to do x on the computer - in fact why have I never heard x being mentioned as an idea at all?".

Now, x is not a really wacky, offbeat, idea. By my standards it is definitely in the realms of the practical and the potentially very popular. I can see that there could be very real technological difficulties with it but, not knowing much about technology, I could also see it as not being that difficult. I just don't know - but almost certainly it would be expensive to develop.

I am guessing that it must have been considered many times. As ideas go, it is sort of very obvious - at least it has been to me since yesterday. Something that is waiting to happen. But the moment I start to say what x is, that's the moment when I guess I am likely to lose ownership of it as an idea.

It makes me wonder how anything gets off the ground unless it emanates from someone like Max Mathews who is (a) brilliant and (b) an all-rounder. Lat.

[MrGongGong]

Well
you can probably find someone who has already been doing x on the computer if you know where to look !
Max's ideas (and those of other pioneers) have a huge influence on the ways in which electronic musics are created and performed , they occasionally reach the mainstream media (such as the current interest in the reconstruction of the Oramics machine !) but there are many people beavering away at this stuff (its actually one area of music that we , in the UK, are very successful at !)

[Lateralthinking1]

I have to confess that it isn't music but that's the most you are getting from me.

[MrGongGong]

If it was music then the place to be would be Huddersfield as the ICMC is there this year !

http://www.icmc2011.org.uk/

[Lateralthinking1]

Contrary to expectations, Huddersfield has all of a sudden become the centre of my universe

http://www2.hud.ac.uk/news/2010news/01_thorea.php

[Globaltruth]

Contrary to expectations, Huddersfield has all of a sudden become the centre of my universe

http://www2.hud.ac.uk/news/2010news/01_thorea.php

I notice that the Yorkshire Sculpture Park is one of the venues - a very attractive proposition, it is a wonderful place.

Shame they are just having installations and not concerts though. I am tempted to see if I can attend some of the concerts though...so thanks MrGG.