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July 28, 2002
When all you have is a hammer, every problem is a nail
You know, I don't know whether to consider this article a Good Thing (ie, recognition of digital djs and legitimate use of MP3 tech) or horribly insulting to my knowledge that djing is more than just being able to fade between songs on a playlist. Especially after witnessing 4+4=M the other night at whatissound.
The article raises some good points about use of new technology versus established practices, and some of the controversy regarding digital music in general, but parts of the article remind me of when I hear people say programs like Dreamweaver can make any schlub a webmaster. Or that desktop publishing software can make anyone a graphic designer. Photoshop and a digital camera makes you into Ansel Adams. Painter means that anyone can be a fine artist.
Bullshit.
The still-evolving tools which allow the computer to help us with "analog" tasks can certainly take away the emphasis on some of the "tedious" portions of the task - just like CAD/CAM software removes an architect's need to mess with t-squares and a drafting table. However, the true skill and artistry is not in those simplistic manipulations. Rather, it's in having a deep knowledge of theory, the actual medium, and how to properly utilize those tools - whether it's proper understanding of information architecture, layout and design, or music theory - to generate a desired result.
A better hammer does not a carpenter make.
Posted by jim at July 28, 2002 01:07 PM