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> Computer-driven live music performance was very much a thing long before 1991. The 'computers' in question were Analog sequencers using control voltages, and

> Computer-driven live music performance was very much a thing long before 1991. The 'computers' in question were Analog sequencers using control voltages, and things like the LinnDrum providing click tracks to trigger sync. Roland expanded on this with the release of their TR-808 drum machine and sequencer in 1980, utilising a precursor to MIDI known colloquially as DIN-Sync or Sync24 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_sync https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DIN_sync On one level, I'm absolutely onboard with this perspective. On the other hand I think this is bending the definition a little bit too far. What we're specifically discussing here is using general purpose portable computers as part of a live performance. The Fairlight CMI falls into an interesting middle ground because, at least in theory, you could probably have created and run general purpose software applications on it. Would have made a pretty wild (and ludicrously overpriced) word processor or spreadsheet station. But, of course, the software it ran was all geared towards music production, and is a very direct forerunner of the kinds of music production software that would become increasingly available for general purpose computers. Definitely a wild and innovative time.

piltdownman 2y ago
Definitely fair points re: the Synclavier and the Fairlight. That said, from memory I'm pretty positive there's a few 'sidenotes' in the era which would have utilised general purpose portable computers as part of a live performance. The UK synthpop acts cobbling together gear post-Depeche Mode's 1981 'Speak and Spell' Album, with stuff like the Alpha Syntauri setup for the Apple II used by Herbie Hancock and Laurie Spiegel coming to mind. https://www.vintagesynth.com/syntauri/alphasyntauri https://www.vintagesynth.com/syntauri/alphasyntauri You then went even more niche, for the sake of academic argument, with the Amiga demo and modscene which often focused on the use of Tracker MODs for live performance and 'DJing' on COTS consumer PC hardware. I'd also eat my hat if there weren't Jazz and new-wave artists utilising the FM Chips in the early NEC and PC-88 style line at the time - i.e. the natural progression of the chiptune scene going full polyphony and fidelity from the MOS chip in the C64.

piltdownman 2y ago

Definitely fair points re: the Synclavier and the Fairlight. That said, from memory I'm pretty positive there's a few 'sidenotes' in the era which would have utilised general purpose portable computers as part of a live performance. The UK synthpop acts cobbling together gear post-Depeche Mode's 1981 'Speak and Spell' Album, with stuff like the Alpha Syntauri setup for the Apple II used by Herbie Hancock and Laurie Spiegel coming to mind. https://www.vintagesynth.com/syntauri/alphasyntauri https://www.vintagesynth.com/syntauri/alphasyntauri You then went even more niche, for the sake of academic argument, with the Amiga demo and modscene which often focused on the use of Tracker MODs for live performance and 'DJing' on COTS consumer PC hardware. I'd also eat my hat if there weren't Jazz and new-wave artists utilising the FM Chips in the early NEC and PC-88 style line at the time - i.e. the natural progression of the chiptune scene going full polyphony and fidelity from the MOS chip in the C64.