#1 ·
I’ve been digging through some data lately regarding Matthew Herbert—mostly because he’s rumored to be "dropping in" on the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival—and I stumbled upon something absolutely fascinating.
While his recent project, The Big Band, was a decent enough listen, he actually posted a manifesto on his own website outlining his strict philosophy for composing music, which goes something like this:
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PERSONAL CONTRACT FOR THE COMPOSITION OF MUSIC
[INCORPORATING THE MANIFESTO OF MISTAKES]
THIS IS WRITTEN FOR THE PURPOSE, NECESSITY AND DESIRE TO BE ORIGINAL AT ALL TIMES.
1. The use of sounds that exist already is not allowed. Subject to article 2. In particular:
A. No drum machines.
B. All keyboard sounds must be edited in some way: no factory presets or pre-programmed patches are allowed.
2. Only sounds that are generated at the start of the compositional process or taken from the artist's own previously unused archive are available for sampling. The use of, ordering and manipulation of noise-sound is to be held as the highest priority in composition.
3. The sampling of other people's music is strictly forbidden.
4. With the exception of The human Voice, no replication of traditional acoustic instruments is allowed where the financial and physical possibility of using the real ones exists.
5. The inclusion, development, propagation, existence, replication, acknowledgement, rights, patterns and beauty of what are commonly known as accidents, is encouraged. Furthermore, they have equal rights within the composition as deliberate, conscious, or premeditated compositional actions or decisions.
6. The mixing desk is not to be reset before the start of a new track. This is for the specific purpose of applying a random eq and fx setting across the new sounds. Once the ordering and recording of the music has begun, the desk may be used as normal.
7. All fx settings must be edited: no factory preset or pre-programmed patches are allowed.
8. Samples themselves are not to be truncated from the rear.
9. A notation of every sound used and its source to be taken and published within one year at magicandaccident.com.
10. A full description of all technical equipment used on each track to be published within one year at matthewherbert.com.
11. All samples will be deleted upon completion of the track.
12. Remixes must be completed using only the sounds provided by the original artist including any packaging the media was provided in.
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It honestly feels like a modern-day take on those old cinematic "Dogme" rules, doesn't it? Isn't it obvious that with how insanely fast music technology is moving, we're hitting this massive wall regarding copyright—where does originality end and a mere copy begin, or where does true creation stop and theft start? But if you ask me, rule number five is actually quite charming. 😁 😁
While his recent project, The Big Band, was a decent enough listen, he actually posted a manifesto on his own website outlining his strict philosophy for composing music, which goes something like this:
- - - - - - - - -
PERSONAL CONTRACT FOR THE COMPOSITION OF MUSIC
[INCORPORATING THE MANIFESTO OF MISTAKES]
THIS IS WRITTEN FOR THE PURPOSE, NECESSITY AND DESIRE TO BE ORIGINAL AT ALL TIMES.
1. The use of sounds that exist already is not allowed. Subject to article 2. In particular:
A. No drum machines.
B. All keyboard sounds must be edited in some way: no factory presets or pre-programmed patches are allowed.
2. Only sounds that are generated at the start of the compositional process or taken from the artist's own previously unused archive are available for sampling. The use of, ordering and manipulation of noise-sound is to be held as the highest priority in composition.
3. The sampling of other people's music is strictly forbidden.
4. With the exception of The human Voice, no replication of traditional acoustic instruments is allowed where the financial and physical possibility of using the real ones exists.
5. The inclusion, development, propagation, existence, replication, acknowledgement, rights, patterns and beauty of what are commonly known as accidents, is encouraged. Furthermore, they have equal rights within the composition as deliberate, conscious, or premeditated compositional actions or decisions.
6. The mixing desk is not to be reset before the start of a new track. This is for the specific purpose of applying a random eq and fx setting across the new sounds. Once the ordering and recording of the music has begun, the desk may be used as normal.
7. All fx settings must be edited: no factory preset or pre-programmed patches are allowed.
8. Samples themselves are not to be truncated from the rear.
9. A notation of every sound used and its source to be taken and published within one year at magicandaccident.com.
10. A full description of all technical equipment used on each track to be published within one year at matthewherbert.com.
11. All samples will be deleted upon completion of the track.
12. Remixes must be completed using only the sounds provided by the original artist including any packaging the media was provided in.
- - - - - - - -
It honestly feels like a modern-day take on those old cinematic "Dogme" rules, doesn't it? Isn't it obvious that with how insanely fast music technology is moving, we're hitting this massive wall regarding copyright—where does originality end and a mere copy begin, or where does true creation stop and theft start? But if you ask me, rule number five is actually quite charming. 😁 😁