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bed eternity
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Post by bed eternity » Sun May 06, 2007 2:50 pm

ipressrecord wrote:
pandatone wrote:out of touch.
Kind of like listening to anything that wasn't recorded... ummm... in 2007, right? Nothing to possibly learn from the old stuff from 2005, let alone the 1990s? :roll:

Please continue to let us all know your opinion regarding cutting edge production/bands/trends/party decor. Maybe TapeOp could interview you?

Damn. I am in a shitty mood today. I think that I'll listen to some Boards of Canada and go for a walk.

Jeff
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Post by Meriphew » Sun May 06, 2007 3:33 pm

pandatone wrote: just saying. out of so much new music being made.. to pick out BOC just seems weird and.. out of touch.
I strongly disagree, but to each his own.

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Post by pandatone » Sun May 06, 2007 4:30 pm

Meriphew wrote:but to each his own.
it's always the case.

panda

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Post by EggyToast » Thu May 10, 2007 12:50 pm

From what I remember when they were a little less secretive (as in, when they played a few shows and people could ask them stuff), they don't do anything special. They're perfectionists but they also don't throw stuff away. So they've got some old gear and a LOT of snippets of little melodies and other sounds that they've fiddled with over the years. That's why the earlier albums had so many 30-60 second "songs" that was just a pretty melody.

Anyone can make something sound lo-fi. But there's a difference between working on making sure everything fits together, vs. just playing notes and reducing the quality.

Think of it like someone who is really good at playing an instrument vs. someone who is competent but doesn't practice often. They'll both be playing the same notes, but the person who's really good will stand out because they just understand the instrument more. They've spent more time with it and know little details about it and what sounds good. They can play a certain way to fit in with other instruments and just generally have more knowledge about it. But mostly because of practice and experience.

I've heard lots of people who say they've found a "trick" or a "style" that's "so boards of canada" when, really, they're just playing with one particular aspect of one particular sound. I ran across a forum post earlier this year of a guy who claimed that boards of canada melodies were just setting a key in a midi sequencer and then running a mouse up 'n down the key. It sounds like some of the flute-like pieces from, say, Music has the right to children but that's because it's a common way to play a flute-like sound!

Really, the key too why boards of canada sound they way that they do is because they spend so much time matching up all of their sounds. If you listen to an older album, you'll notice that it sounds like everything fits together. There's almost never a "weird sound for the sake of being weird" or some kind of technological trick or dsp-mess in order to make a sound intentionally weird. It's all about just crafting the song together to make it sound as good as they can. That's why their stuff sounds unique and enjoyable -- that effort and attention really comes through.

They're not infallible, though; even as a long-time fan I still found The Campfire Headphase to be somewhat lacking. They got interested in guitar and tried to treat it the same way they did their synths in the past, but the same technique and methodology didn't always work.

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Post by Kitana_One » Fri May 18, 2007 10:08 pm

pandatone wrote:well if we're posting opinions. i would like to *not* see this in tapeop.
i have no interest in what synth, or softsynth they used, or if their sampler as 12 bit or 16 bit. could not care less.

They actually use a lot of older analog methods. Tape loops, splicing, odd configurations and mic'ing.

I personally don't care for their music, but their processes are very interesting.

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boards of canada

Post by zorba » Tue May 22, 2007 7:13 pm

To the guy that feels he must criticize my request for an interview/information on BOC. I don't tell you what you should eat or what diet to go on do I? Then please don't tell me what is interesting and tasty to my musical pallet. Sound = feeling .Remember that is a subjective process...No right or wrong.

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Re: boards of canada

Post by pandatone » Wed May 23, 2007 10:59 am

zorba wrote:To the guy that feels he must criticize my request for an interview/information on BOC. I don't tell you what you should eat or what diet to go on do I? Then please don't tell me what is interesting and tasty to my musical pallet. Sound = feeling .Remember that is a subjective process...No right or wrong.
exactly. if you feel you have the right to post what you think should be in tapeop. i have the same right to say i disagree. and IMO i can't just say i dissagree, i have to give a reason. a person can't JUST disagree.. so my motivation is the same as yours.

also, i'm not telling you what to like (to eat? little over dramatic there?). i just happen to not like, what you like, as much as you like it. so there it is. as it was said, everyone to their own. just cause you think its great, doesn't mean everyone does. and just cause i don't. doesn't mean everyone does.

if you look at what you wrote. your basicly saying i have no right to critique your taste. witch is just silly. you understand that yeah? you have the right to say what is good. but i can't disagree? isn't that odd? just me?

panda

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Re: boards of canada

Post by Jeff White » Wed May 23, 2007 11:18 am

pandatone wrote: if you look at what you wrote. your basicly saying i have no right to critique your taste. witch is just silly. you understand that yeah? you have the right to say what is good. but i can't disagree? isn't that odd? just me?

panda
Do I have the right to critique your grammer? :D

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Post by comfortstarr » Wed May 23, 2007 12:16 pm

Yes to a BOC article.

As to the guy saying no, sure you have the right, but why exercise it? Why not just start a thread about the bands/artists you'd like to see interviewed?

Also, I don't actually think date of production has anything to do with relevance, so I actually don't think you provided a reason for not doing the article. You provided a reason why you're not interested (you're not interested in stuff a few years old or more, at least that's what we have to infer from your statements).

Au revoir

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Re: boards of canada

Post by jonnymo » Wed May 23, 2007 12:37 pm

ipressrecord wrote:
pandatone wrote: if you look at what you wrote. your basicly saying i have no right to critique your taste. witch is just silly. you understand that yeah? you have the right to say what is good. but i can't disagree? isn't that odd? just me?

panda
Do I have the right to critique your grammer? :D
multiple levels of irony -- yes!!! :)

panda, i don't think it's about individual taste so much as what seems to be a lack of willingness to learn about what is clearly a unique approach to recording and sound design. there's a lot of stuff out there i don't care to listen to in my spare time, but i can still learn something about recording technique (and lifestyle) from reading about how these things were put together.

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Re: boards of canada

Post by pandatone » Wed May 23, 2007 1:43 pm

well see this is interesting. all the assumtions being made. i actualy HAVE most of BOC releases. (i wouldn't have said something, if i didn't understand it) i remember picking up 12"s. and being excited for their first CD.
but now, their style and approach is not unqiue. they were not trail blazers. aphex twin was recording to tape, and using its faws before most electronic people even knew that was something you could do. (listen for the tape distotion on "ambient works 1")
BOC came along as "autechre" was in their stride.. and they (Ae) used a way more complex set of rules and math to create their sound. as far as melodies and "warmth" that is often atributed to BOC.. plone did it all better in one record. of "mu-ziqs" alias "jack slagenzer" also (sp? been a long time) BOCs debut CD came out about the time "cornelius" released "fantasma", witch recording & production wise, (i think) blows BOCs album to shame... the "mike and james" record from "replex" was a lesson in saturation and crazy melodies. (around BOC also if i remember) BOC is a right up the middle act. who have been able to hold on exactly because they never tried to do anything overly interesting. they have never produced a record for some one else (that i am aware of).. with mean you can't even apply what they do, outside of themselfs.

i take amazng amounts of offence at the mear idea of my "lack of willingness" to learn about unquie approches to recording. (specialy since im arguing, that there are more intering and unqiue people out there to interview, instead of BOC!) its basicly straight up offensive. i know / knew that genre inside and out. and even participated. (releasing my debut CD on "metamatics" label "neo ouija". though i had been release 12" for years before on small labels).. i learned about using actual analog gear from working with "vapourspace".
i recently released a CD on my own label by "the sea" witch is actually the boats, witch has memebers of "remote viewer", and "ex-hood". i worked 4 years as the head audio engieer in a studio in dallas. but left cause it was insainly creatively stiffling.
now i get to leave the country about once a year to go to other countries to work with new young artists doing, what i think is interesting fresh stuff (shugo tokumaru). play shows. produce and mix stuff for people.. this conversation is inane. im done replying. to this tread.

panda.


jonnymo wrote:
ipressrecord wrote: Do I have the right to critique your grammer? :D
multiple levels of irony -- yes!!! :)

panda, i don't think it's about individual taste so much as what seems to be a lack of willingness to learn about what is clearly a unique approach to recording and sound design. there's a lot of stuff out there i don't care to listen to in my spare time, but i can still learn something about recording technique (and lifestyle) from reading about how these things were put together.

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Post by pandatone » Wed May 23, 2007 3:42 pm

comfortstarr wrote:Yes to a BOC article.

As to the guy saying no, sure you have the right, but why exercise it? Why not just start a thread about the bands/artists you'd like to see interviewed?
Au revoir
ok, i lied. here i am again.. my computer is crunching some numbers.. =\

the same reason you guys feel the need to exercise your right to ask for it.
i don't need to ask tapeop for articles.. cause if i want to find out. i get it done.
then tapeop shows up with stuff i would have never thought of. i have my own personal interest covered. i don't need an article with mugison. i emailed him. and we chatted a little bit. sure, some artists are out of emails range. but if you apply your self. maybe you can get a hold of the people. sometimes.. you can even go record with them! oh my god... !!

so as i said before, and i'll say it agian. like the idea of q feature of myspace pages in tapeop.. i think a BOC interview is a bad idea. but its not up to me now is it. (its up to someone motivated enough to do it, and pitch it to larry) but if i dont say something. i lose some pages in a tapeop, on something im not interested in. some people are pro gun control, and some aren't. if the people. (like me) who are pro gun control don't say anything cause i dont' want to affend the no gun control people. well then we've all lost haven't we?

panda

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Post by zorba » Wed May 23, 2007 5:36 pm

Arguing taste is pointless to me. Sure you can say whatever you want, at least in this forum, but why? If you want to educate me about artists i may not know about and or history of given genre I'm all for it. But (in my opinion) you come off a little righteous and that can inhibit/deter the learning/educational process. I might not be the most educated about music, and I'm certainly not hip, but I damn well know what I like. And long before before money was invented people created music, and for a veriety of reasons I imagine. That being said I'm not always looking for the latest and most interesting techniques, sometimes yes, but not always. And I do want to honor and learn about history and how music and specific genres evovle, but like I said I know what I like and what moves me.To me music is more about communication and cooperation than competition.

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Post by tret-lo » Wed May 23, 2007 6:36 pm

pandatone wrote:but if i dont say something. i lose some pages in a tapeop, on something im not interested in. if the people. (like me) who are pro gun control don't say anything cause i dont' want to affend the no gun control people. well then we've all lost haven't we?
panda
Let's all just take a moment to parse this analogy. Pandatone is equating those people would like to read an interview with Boards of Canada with people who oppose gun control. Guns kill people. How could such an article possibly harm anyone? The implication that he is somehow looking out for the collective good of the TapeOp readership by discouraging this idea is complete bullshit. It is also extremely condescending.
pandatone wrote:i take amazng amounts of offence at the mear idea of my "lack of willingness" to learn about unquie approches to recording. (specialy since im arguing, that there are more intering and unqiue people out there to interview, instead of BOC!) its basicly straight up offensive. i know / knew that genre inside and out. and even participated.
Take all the "offence" you want, dude. If you "know that genre inside and out" and still did not get turned on to BOC, then you are deaf. Music Has the Right to Children, Beautiful Place, and Geogaddi are in a class by themselves. Cornelius is a genius too, but his style is completely different. To compare his music to BOC proves that you're just not listening very hard. The same goes for the Aphex / Autechre / Mu-ziq comparison. These guys are all "IDM" artists in the same way that Pete Seeger and Nick Drake are both folk singers.

Just what are you trying to prove here? I have a hard time believing that your only motivation is to improve the quality of the magazine by weeding out frivolous articles. You must have some kind of bone to pick with Boards of Canada. Did your girlfriend run off to go live on their psychedelic commune?

Apparently you are an aspiring artist yourself. If you have nothing to learn from BOC's music, you could at least learn something from their promotional techniques. They stay holed up in their studio working rather than cruising the internet talking shit about other bands. Not only does this add to their mystique; it means there is no chance that anyone will think mistake them for self-righteous, pompous, illiterate asswipes and not buy their CD on principle. Kind of like what's happening to you here.

p.s. Seriously man, did you drop out of school in fourth grade?

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Re: boards of canada

Post by lg » Wed May 23, 2007 7:38 pm

pandatone wrote:this conversation is inane. im done replying. to this tread.

amused by the atrocious spelling (what, tomb readers aren't worthy of spellcheck?). appalled by the condescension...
why not drop this all into the "music i USED to be into" thread, and be done with it? obviously some readers are interested in BOC. i certainly wouldn't drop my subscription if an article on them appeared in TO.

whatever.

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