Moment of Reflection-Everyone's a Musician

This post is not a tutorial chapter, but instead meant to explore an idea I had while using synthesizers. I've heard musicians like Moby and Scott from Tycho (check out the Podcast Song Exploder) make statements about the appeal of drum machines and electronic music. Usually it boils down to the guitar being a bit intimidating or full of expectations, whereas messing about on a drum machine is its own reward without feeling like you have to be special in order to use it. I think this idea is meaningful, that anyone can be a musician, but that's not to say electronic music is without challenges or somehow less than an accomplishment. I've played guitar and bass, and although it does give you calluses, sore fingers, and a better sense of timing, there is an upper limit of expressiveness that I've encountered simply because my hands can only move so fast, there are only so many chords my hand can make, and obviously the limit of the type of sounds possible (unless you really invest in fx pedals, but even then it's still guitar at its heart).

When I first started getting into synthesizers, I was intrigued by the idea that unlike my childhood Casio, a real synth would allow me to create my own sounds from basic building blocks. Not only would the patterns and notes be a way to express a song, but the timbre and sound itself a reflection. I could create a virtual orchestra of unique instruments from my own design. The more I learned about how to shape and control waveforms, the more I was able to understand natural sounds in the world, as in what they are made of and how to sculpt them. I feel it's as much of a tool to understand the world than it is an outlet for creative expression.

Using DSN, I am now thinking more about composition than playing live. Some may say this is easier, but really it makes me think more like a composer than a performer. I do this by selecting the patterns of notes for each instrument, planning out the flow and timing of changes, and deciding what instruments will be in the composition. Is it a challenging mental task? Sometimes. Can anyone do it? I still say yes, because the barrier to entry is low enough that you can get as deep as you feel like going. Just click some options and hit play.

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