Songs for Saturday: Pipe Dreams
2019-08-31 06:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mdlbearIf I remember correctly, my introduction to Animusic was at Consonance -- I don't remember whether it was a programming item, or just on somebody's laptop. It may very well have been the version of "Pipe Dream" that was shown at SIGGRAPH in 2001. I seem to remember having to preorder the DVD.
If you're not familiar with Animusic, please get out from under your rock and go watch "Pipe Dream". If you went on to click on the AnimusicLLC YouTube channel, you can come back in a couple of days and catch up.
"Pipe Dream", like all of Animusic's videos, was made by first modeling the instruments, then writing music for those instruments, and finally using the resulting MIDI file to drive the animation. Although the instruments looked real, it was obvious that they were all physically impossible.
Okay, now look at this acoustic cover of "Pipe Dream" from 2012. Yup, they built it, as a showcase for Intel's industrial automation controllers. Impressed?
Now go watch Wintergatan's Marble Machine, from 2016. Yeah, it's playing a different tune, but look at the close-up of the marble-struck marimba at 0:50. It's clearly an instrument in the same family. Now notice that there are no electronics at all in that machine. All acoustic.
Next, jump back to "Resonant Chamber" from Animusic 2 in 2008. It's a gorgeous bit of modeling. No way anything remotely like that could exist in the real world...
Except,... take a look at this acoustic live performance of "Houston" by the intriguingly-named Ukrainian band Brunettes Shoot Blondes. Not nearly as pretty either visually or musically, and not closely related at all, but... but... acoustic...
@ Twenty Instruments Reconstructed to Play Through the Keys of a Vintage Piano | Colossal, which is what sent me off on a merry chase starting from -> Brunettes Shoot Blondes - Houston (LIVE) - YouTube Making of "Houston" @ cf Wintergatan - Marble Machine (music instrument using 2000 marbles) - YouTube and of course "Pipe Dream" - Animusic.com - YouTube and... a live cover! Atom-powered Intel Industrial Controller in Concert playing Pipe Dream - YouTube!
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Date: 2019-09-01 05:42 am (UTC)The one in Resonant Chamber... well you can't get *exactly* that, but I'd say it's pretty clearly based on harp guitars possibly crossed with harpsichords in terms of the plucking motion of the plectrums.
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Date: 2019-09-01 02:35 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-01 09:34 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2019-09-02 10:05 pm (UTC)I saw Wintergatan's Marble Machine first -- this context is wonderful.
Also the perfect thing to watch at 1a when I'm feeling cranky.
In case anyone reading along wants to watch, here's a YouTube Playlist of the individual pieces in order.
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Date: 2019-09-03 03:28 am (UTC)