On 13 January 2013 07:08, Ross Bencina <rossb-lists_at_audiomulch.com> wrote:
> On 13/01/2013 11:27 AM, alex wrote:
>> I agree but there are two things being conflated:
>>
>> [programming] -> [music] -> [audience] (1)
>> [programming] -> [audience] (2)
>
> That's a telling picture.
>
> Are you suggesting, Alex, that in live coding music becomes a medium for
> performing the art of programming? In this case perhaps some knowledge of
> programming *is* necessary to appreciate the performance.
No, not in that sense.
I'm suggesting that as much as guitar playing *is* music, then so is coding.
I like Christopher Small's view of Musicking that includes ticket
sales as musical behaviour. That's a bit extreme, but once you think
of music in terms of activity rather than product, it's natural to
think of programming and programs as music, just as we think of
traditional scores and group hand clapping as music. Music here is a
form of cultural entrainment, and I think live coding allows
non-programmers to entrain with programmers, not by reading the code,
but by seeing it being typed in, and hearing the results.
Some might see this as bringing technologists and non-technologists
together, and making technology less scary for the latter. I think
this is pretty limited view, I think it should be more about allowing
culture to construct its own technology.
> There are a number of other constructions of course:
>
> audience( music( programming ) ) (3)
>
> audience( programming( music ) ) (4)
>
> audience( music * programming ) (5)
>
> [music] -> ([programminmg]) -> [audience] (6)
>
> f( audience, music, programming ) (7)
>
>
> My first thought was (6) (programming as a medium through which to express
> music to an audience). But perhaps (7) is the most accurate.
Yes, I think the audience's role in live coding performance is really
important. They are constructing the culture around it.
So I think it's not important for an individual audience member to be
a programmer to enjoy a live coding performance. But, from my
experience in Mexico City, I think it *is* important for there to be
many live coders in the audience. There through regular events,
workshops and courses they have built up a culture of practice, with a
shared developing aesthetic, and healthy gender balance. That's a real
game changer in terms of coming together to make music with code to
push things forward along a shared Wundt curve..
One more observation: you can't read code while dancing.
alex
Received on Sun Jan 13 2013 - 15:10:21 GMT