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Cinos Group: Members Posts: 68 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 03:13 Well, what's your opinion? I see that on many sites, a lot of people have complained about the fact that Mike mixes in some electronic music in Tr3s Lunas and TBIII, basically trying to make it look like the inclusion of synths is some kind of crime, or inherently bad. I, of course, think this isn't the case... (considering I mostly listen to all-electronic music, it's no surprise) But I'm wondering, since a lot of Oldfield's fans are from his rock times, do you see electronic music as evil? Does it ruin the music for you? Or are you more open-minded about it? Back to top

CuNimb Group: Members Posts: 222 Joined: July 2003 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 03:39 Not necessarily a crime. Synths can be used very creatively to provide unique sounds and effects. With Light & shade (most of it anyway), my own view is that they've been over used and that they have been used to make the album easier to produce rather than for artistic value.  . Maybe it will grow on me. -------------- Happy? ha ha ha.... Back to top

TubularBelle Group: Members Posts: 1487 Joined: April 2004 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 04:13 As far as I was aware, Mike has been using synthesisers for most of his career and TSODE is one of my Top 5, not in any way dimished by use of artifical means, but in fact more beautiful because of it. But I do think that the use of machines could ALLOW a musician to become lazy, and as CuNimb said, use them because it is a faster way to make money rather than for artistic value. -------------- I hate getting up early. I didn't even realise there were two 6 o'clocks in one day! Back to top

Deadcalm Group: Awaiting Authorisation Posts: 752 Joined: Nov. 2004 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 08:00 Guitars Percussion Synths Computers !! theyre all just Tools of the Trade!! Its how u use them That Counts really !! If Synths had been around at the time of TB 1   Would they have been used  mm ! Probably !! Back to top

qjamesfloyd Group: Members Posts: 1357 Joined: April 2001 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 08:23 The thing is Mike has always loved new technologly, and he still does, so, it's not a crime that he chooses to use them, i get the feeling that if Mike kept on using all real instruments, people would then be saying, i wonder why Mike does'nt embrace new technology?, is he scared of a computer?scared it might be better than him? etc.So, he can never win in some peoples eyes, for me i love the fact that he is not scared to keep trying new things, he always goes through stages, and he is in another stage right now, but he also gets bored quickly, and i'm sure sooner or later he will get back to using real instruments, maybe even a band.He still has a lot of years ahead of him, so, who knows what the future brings. Back to top

familyjules Group: Members Posts: 1190 Joined: May 2004 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 09:09 If they are used in a supporting role, I can handle them.  Otherwise I find them a huge turnoff. Jules -------------- I like beer and I like cheese Back to top

CuNimb Group: Members Posts: 222 Joined: July 2003 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 09:30 I agree with you Jules! -------------- Happy? ha ha ha.... Back to top

familyjules Group: Members Posts: 1190 Joined: May 2004 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 11:16 Quote (CuNimb @ Sep. 27 2005, 09:30) I agree with you Jules! You agree with me so much that you appear to have fallen asleep! Jules -------------- I like beer and I like cheese Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 13:58 Some of the most beautiful emotive and powerful music i've ever heard has been done with eletronic instruments and some of that music has been done by Mike, although not on L+S. Back to top

Magellan Group: Members Posts: 12 Joined: Sep. 2005 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 15:27 I think TSODE was the best use of Synth in any of Mike's albums to date. It was used very well and given the theme of the album it fits very well! T&S is the worst offender so far. When I listen to MO, I don't want it feeling like I'm in a room with a Macintosh computer. The samples and loops lack emotion or any depth. Amarok is about as far opposite from any of this as you can get. Raw. Unrefined. Emotional. I think I'm going to listen to that first thing when I get home from work. Back to top

TOBY Group: Members Posts: 1562 Joined: May 2002 Posted: Sep. 27 2005, 15:43 A good plan. I've just listened to Music From the Balcony I dived head first back into Mike geatness. Back to top

raven4x4x Group: Members Posts: 1535 Joined: Jan. 2002 Posted: Sep. 29 2005, 02:59 As with all instruments, the important thing for me is what the musician does with them. The simple fact that synths are there means nothing to me, it's whether I like what they are doing or not. -------------- Thank-you for helping us help you help us all. Back to top

Looroll Group: Members Posts: 10 Joined: June 2004 Posted: Sep. 29 2005, 06:24 I think that everybody's allowed to be creative and follow new paths to try things out. -------------- Common sense is a game many people don't like to play... Back to top

Guru Meditation Group: Members Posts: 55 Joined: May 2003 Posted: Sep. 29 2005, 11:14 The point is, synthesizers are still viewed as an "experimental" way of making music, that is, they never reached any maturity. There is no point of refference, no standard instruments/thermes/meathods of production. Musical academies still mostly ignore electronic music, except some purely academic abstractions that do not make sense to people in general. So until the moment comes when this esthetic, emotional take on electronic orchestration goes mature and becomes founded - on a similar way as symphonic orchestra functioned in the past - electronic music will stay controversal. Oldfield's music has always been a mixture of acoustic and electronic sounds, but lately he is more and more into pure e-music, which may indicate where definitely lies the future of music. So I think that electronic instruments are not degratading music, but slowly making music better. Back to top

jeremyroberts Group: Members Posts: 139 Joined: June 2005 Posted: Sep. 29 2005, 18:49 I love the use of synths on TB II. A lot of real instruments with a lot of great arrangements for synthesizers as well. And TSODE is one of my favourite album too. Back to top

Ian Too Group: Members Posts: 72 Joined: Aug. 2005 Posted: Oct. 01 2005, 05:14 My problem was that synths and Fairlights etc, lacked sensitivity; they were always either off or on. Now this can be used to effect, but it limited it. Now things are better with Mike's guitar pickup and general improvements in keyboard design, but I still feel the sound is impersonal. I have a problem with eletronic drumming as well. It worked well enough on Guitars, but that album would have been spectacular with Morris Pert, Simon Phillips or the late, great Pierre Moerlen adding their bit. There is obviously something more to capturing emotion in music than arranging sound in time; something humans do instinctively, but that they don't really understand. -------------- (-: Ian :-) Currently reading: What Remains to be Discovered by John Maddox Also doing far too much decorating than is good for one Back to top

Alan D Group: Members Posts: 3670 Joined: Aug. 2004 Posted: Oct. 01 2005, 05:32 Quote (Ian Too @ Oct. 01 2005, 10:14) There is obviously something more to capturing emotion in music than arranging sound in time; something humans do instinctively, but that they don't really understand. Yes, yes. When all the technical discussion and analysis is done, it never gets to the heart of the matter. Ultimately it comes down to each individual listener immersed in the music, and if the magic is happening then it doesn't matter a bit whether the music was made by a computer, a guitar, or comb and paper. When I first heard TSODE I found the 'electronic' sound of it quite repelling at first. But after several listenings something 'clicked' - I don't know what it was that triggered this, nor why - but suddenly I was in there, I'd 'got' it, and the warm humanity of the music came flooding through as it has done countless times since. I never had the same problem with Tr3s Lunas because I started playing the game at the same time as I started listening to the music, and the essentially quirky humanity of the game won me over instantly and transformed the way I listened to the music ever afterwards. With Light and Shade I'm struggling again with a sound that seems disturbingly clinical and mechanical. On my first listening I found the ubiquitous Vocaloid presence quite coldly repelling and oppressive (there's an additional obstacle because the prevalence of dance rhythms on the shade CD is hugely off-putting for someone like me). But I've been here before. I know it often takes time, patience, and openness. There are no guarantees, but this is Mike Oldfield isn't it? So the sustained effort is likely to be worthwhile. Back to top

arron11196 Group: Members Posts: 826 Joined: April 2005 Posted: Oct. 01 2005, 13:50 Let's hope so. I like optimism. -------------- Arron J Eagling Everyone's interpretation is different, and everyone has a right to that opinion. There is no "right" one, I am adding this post to communicate my thoughts to share them with like-minded souls who will be able to comment in good nature. (insert the last 5 mins of Crises here) Back to top

Harmono Group: Members Posts: 759 Joined: May 2005 Posted: Oct. 01 2005, 14:21 Some changes are dynamics and tempo are impossible to do without machines. Also a huge amount of "klangs" are impossible to make without machines. these are just simple facts. Back to top

Harmono Group: Members Posts: 759 Joined: May 2005 Posted: Oct. 01 2005, 14:25 And individual notes from riffs and melodies can be easily corrected with most good software. Back to top

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