Long post to Bill, was Re: Computers gaining ever bigger role in making music

[Wimblees@AOL.COM]

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In a message dated 3/17/02 1:47:26 PM Central Standard Time, Billbrpt@AOL.COM 
writes:

Bill, I don't know how a posting about electronic advances in music 
production wound up to be another one of your sermons on historical 
temperaments, but allow me to respond to some of your comments. 

> Subscribers to this list continually misread and misinterpret what I have to 
> say. 

As I have stated, the concepts you have are great. What many people have 
trouble with is the way you say it. 

 My point is that tuning is still taught and thought of as having only one 
correct 
> method and outcome. 

When I took my first music theory course, I made many mistakes. When I told 
my instructor that there is lots of music with parallel fifths and octaves, 
he said, "When you learn to do it right, then you have the right to do it 
wrong." Before you can learn to do a historical temperament, you need to be 
able to an equal temperament. Not because a HT is right, but that is what is 
needed to pass the RPT exam. Once that has been established, then there is 
nothing wrong with experimenting with HT's. 

 Historical Temperaments, refinements such as different types of octaves and 
other 
> alternatives such as newly designed temperaments are scoffed at, downplayed 
> and even viciously opposed.  Often, the greatest resistance comes from the 
> people who don't want to even see such a thing on the Convention or seminar 
> schedule and who know virtually nothing about these ideas. 

In most cases, Bill, it wasn't the concept that these people were opposed to. 
It was the person who was asking that these concepts be used. At the Central 
West Regional last year, both Ed and Skip's classes were very well attended. 
I have been to many other classes by these two people, and others, where 
attendance was very good. But not everyone at the seminar wanted to attend 
those classes, because HT's are not the only way to tune a piano. Not 
everyone is wants to do it that way. If you could only accept that, and quit 
trying to cram it down our throat, perhaps we would be more willing to listen 
to you. 


> 
> PTG has been great for me, it's where I learned everything I know.  It 
> provided me with the foundation to take what I learned and create something 
> new, not just regurgitate what I had been taught.  But at this point, from 
> what I have heard from the Institute Director, it has little more to offer. 
>  I'm not the only one who sees little or no value in attending the 
> Convention.  As I see it, I would only be contributing to and affirming the 
> quest for the lowest common denominator.   

The PTG has been great for me to. It is still great for me. But just because 
you don't see enough HT classes offered at the convention, you decided not to 
attend. You don't think there are any other classes offered from which you 
could learn something? I'm sorry, Bill, but I just don't buy that. I have 
been to 24 conventions and probably three times as many seminars, and by 
golly, I learn something new every time. And most of the new things I learn 
are in classes where I thought I knew it all.  

> As I see it, some of these, maybe most of those who just wish I would go 
> away and shut up are the ones who seek the "dumbing down" of the 
> profession.  The advice offered is often poor and misguided, the 
> information is often just plain wrong.  

Now that is an awful strong statement to make. Please explain what you are 
talking about. If there are classes or subjects taught that are just plain 
wrong, I hope you let that person know he/she about it. 

To criticize or offer a counter opinion is viewed as a "personal attack" yet 
some of 
> those individuals feel the right to do the very same thing: the old "pecking 
> order". 
> 
> 
"To criticize or offer a counter opinion." Now that says it all. Bill, as I, 
and many others have said, there is nothing wrong with offering a counter 
opinion. But why do you have to criticize the opinions of others? That is 
where your problem lies. Yes, you have the right to disagree with me, and 
offer a million other opinions. I am even willing to accept you egotistical 
way of telling me how great you are. But don't criticize my opinion, or my 
way of setting a temperament, or my way of dealing with customers. 

In spite of what you might think, I really do appreciate your talents. What I 
don't appreciate is your condescending attitude, not just to me, but to 
others on this list.
Offer suggestions and different opinions. Explain how your temperament works. 
But don't criticize the people on this list, and above all, don't attack 
someone personally for their attitudes or opinions. Because, as you can 
attest to, we will bite back. 

Bill, you have apologized time and again. But as I said earlier, I will wait 
to accept your apology until I can see you really mean it. With your recent 
comments to the Institute Committee, that wait is going to be very long. 

Wim 



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