Richie Hawtin: Transitions - Page 2

BrotherLovesDub · #11 10-09-2005, 10:44 AM

Rev, it seems you're going to be writing about Richie but don't even understand what he's doing. You say he wasn't even mixing for a while/no real mixing of tracks...you should read his lttle article in the new URB or XLR8R to hear Richie talk about what he's doing live now, especially before you make some crucial mistakes in your piece.

//\/\/ · #12 10-09-2005, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrotherLovesDub

Rev, it seems you're going to be writing about Richie but don't even understand what he's doing. You say he wasn't even mixing for a while/no real mixing of tracks...you should read his lttle article in the new URB or XLR8R to hear Richie talk about what he's doing live now, especially before you make some crucial mistakes in your piece.

at the end of the day, as the rev says; if it doesn't move the dancefloor then what's the point? it's supposed to be for dancing to, not understanding the teeny-weeny intricacies of what he's up to, isn't it? when it gets to such a level of trainspottery it's a sure sign that the music's disappeared up his arse...

Jason Roth · #13 10-09-2005, 05:24 PM

Actually, It wasn't about dancing at that point. It was about watching someone tweak and remake songs on the fly, and it was very impressive. You know what you're getting with Hawtin...he LOVES being Richie Hawtin...and yes, there were some times where I wanted things to keep going only to find him dropping the song back out, but that's what he was into that night. And when he brought it back in, in came in fiercely!

Ive been listening to lots of recent live Richie sets lately, and this is kinda what I expected. I guess different strokes for different folks.

BrotherLovesDub · #14 10-09-2005, 08:02 PM

as we can see on this thread, 2 different people have 2 different experiences. who's to say TheRev's opinion is the right one? Who's to say the other poster who had a great time dancing is right? Many factors go into a persons enjoyment of a night in a club. Richie Hawtin isn't necessarily my favorite DJ but he's redefining what it means to be a DJ and TheRev's comments seemed to not understand how he's mixing, what he's mixing and why he's doing it the way he's doing it. It sounds like TheRev wanted Jeff Mills or Derrick Carter to be gurning behind the decks and playing booty house or banging techno. I'm interested in the general divide between digital dj's and old school jocks. Is Hawtin's approach the best? What happens next? Sasha's on board, so is his mini-me, James Zabiella. Underworld are using Live. Has it hurt their performances? It's a matter of interface and ability. and weed. ha! discuss.

jose m · #15 10-10-2005, 02:44 AM

well said ! this isn't first time this debate has started in dance music and wont be the last.you need both sets of people to be excited by the music, however its produced, to make a strong and healthy scene.

Jason Roth · #16 10-10-2005, 05:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by //\/\/

at the end of the day, as the rev says; if it doesn't move the dancefloor then what's the point? it's supposed to be for dancing to, not understanding the teeny-weeny intricacies of what he's up to, isn't it? when it gets to such a level of trainspottery it's a sure sign that the music's disappeared up his arse...

When Underworld ends a track, and you stop dancing, and you see Rick go back to the computers to load up new loops, do you boo becuase the music has ceased to make you dance? Of course not.

I realize this is a bad example, but the fact remains that what Richie Hawtin is doing these days is evolutionary. It's not just cd's and records and a mixer. It's advanced, and it's live, and it's unique. You can dance to it, be amazed by it, or be bored by it. It's all up to you.

Rev - I think you're letting the last hour cloud your memory of the night. I will agree that he kinda fucked it all up. He kept the volume really low unnecessarily for long periods of time, looping lots of melody lines, then would suddenly bang out the bass LOUD for like an 8 count, then bring it back down. It wasn't top notch, and people were standing around for a little while, but from 3-7 every person on that dance floor was going mad.

Winston · #17 10-10-2005, 06:12 AM

whatever he does i'm liking it, no vinyl, just final scratch and ableton, shit, he's got his own personal allen & heath mixer that daddy modified for him
troy pierce has also one since a few months now.

i mean, like jason said, he's evolutionary

and if you don't like it, go somewhere else

Eikman · #18 10-10-2005, 06:19 AM

whoa he's using ableton! and final scratch! holy shit!

Winston · #19 10-10-2005, 07:41 AM

like i said, if you don't like

Tyler · #20 10-10-2005, 10:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason Roth

When Underworld ends a track, and you stop dancing, and you see Rick go back to the computers to load up new loops, do you boo becuase the music has ceased to make you dance? Of course not.

Speak for yourself. (well not actually booing, but I am dissapointed when the sets aren't continuous)

I'm also pretty ambivalent towards hawtin's latest output, but I think that might mostly be due to his track selection than any technique issues. I do think that one thing that using ableton tends to do is make all sets have a kind of featureless 'grey' sound. Since every track is totally atomized down to it's smallest bits and then effected and built back up, it has a kind of 'sameyness' feel to it. I thought that Surgeon's ableton set that I saw had the same kind of problem to it. To use a crappy food metaphor, it's the difference between a fruit salad (the standard dj set), where the individual character of each element is still noticable, and a completely blended fruit smoothie, where there is more of a uniform flavor.

I also feel like there is a little bit of a 'danger' or 'struggle against technology' element in the standard dj set that is kind of missing from the digital dj techniques. It's still a very young technology, compared to the hoary old 1200's + dj mixer, though, so I can forsee some really neat things coming from it.