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Subject: What makes something a musical instrument?

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

There seems to be a fair bit of debate about this sort of thing.

I personally believe it to be anything that is used to make a musical sound, ergo, anything and everything can be a musical instrument.

More precise question, is a computer an instrument?

[Edited on 12.30.2012 7:41 AM PST]

  • 12.30.2012 7:39 AM PDT

Just remember that no matter how terrible you feel, or how much you want to let go, there are people who care about you and love you.

Posted by: teh Chaz
I personally believe it to be anything that is used to make a musical sound, ergo, anything and everything can be an instrument.
This.

Posted by: teh Chaz
More precise question, is a computer an instrument?
Yes.

[Edited on 12.30.2012 7:42 AM PST]

  • 12.30.2012 7:40 AM PDT

*reminisces when the Bungie/Halo community wasn't made up of CoD kids*
*sighs*
*activates time-machine and sets the clock back to Nov. 9, 2004*
glory days here I come..
*vanishes*

Computers can make computerized sounds that can be used in music.
Whether they're actually instruments is subjective.

  • 12.30.2012 7:41 AM PDT
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Posted by: teh Chaz
More precise question, is a computer an instrument?
Well no, not physically, right?

  • 12.30.2012 7:41 AM PDT
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An instrument is a tool, therefore a musical instrument is a tool used for creating music. So yes, your definition pretty much sums it up.

I'd say a computer is an instrument, though there is a debate about what qualifies as music around here.

[Edited on 12.30.2012 7:42 AM PST]

  • 12.30.2012 7:42 AM PDT

a musical instrument has to last throughout the ages like the guitar. its been changed millions of times and is still getting changed today but its still around. that's what makes a musical instrument.

  • 12.30.2012 7:43 AM PDT

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

Posted by: Onion
Posted by: teh Chaz
More precise question, is a computer an instrument?
Well no, not physically, right?
Why not?

It's a tool used to make musical sounds, what else would it be?

  • 12.30.2012 7:43 AM PDT

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

Posted by: DreadJakey
a musical instrument has to last throughout the ages like the guitar. its been changed millions of times and is still getting changed today but its still around. that's what makes a musical instrument.
That doesn't make sense, why should an item's history have to come into things?

The Ondes Martenot was only invented last century and that certainly counts as an instrument.

  • 12.30.2012 7:45 AM PDT
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Posted by: teh Chaz
Posted by: Onion
Posted by: teh Chaz
More precise question, is a computer an instrument?
Well no, not physically, right?
Why not?

It's a tool used to make musical sounds, what else would it be?
By "physically" I mean smashing a computer on the ground to make noise isn't an instrument. Or at least I wouldn't class it as one.

Though digitally they are. Running a program on a computer which makes any form of sound would be classed as an instrument.

  • 12.30.2012 7:50 AM PDT
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Ask Rolph Harris

  • 12.30.2012 7:51 AM PDT

Play. Forge. Film.


Posted by: lord of dahorde
Computers can make computerized sounds that can be used in music.
Whether they're actually instruments is subjective.

  • 12.30.2012 7:52 AM PDT

Posted by: TrussingDoor
Posted by: DAS B00T x2
You know what's even worse?

When the boy you like has a girlfriend.
#gheyworldproblems

A computer isn't an instrument.

That MIDI controller hooked up to a computer could be considered an instrument, but the computer is no more of an instrument than an amplifier is.

  • 12.30.2012 7:54 AM PDT

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

Posted by: Onion
Posted by: teh Chaz
Posted by: Onion
Posted by: teh Chaz
More precise question, is a computer an instrument?
Well no, not physically, right?
Why not?

It's a tool used to make musical sounds, what else would it be?
By "physically" I mean smashing a computer on the ground to make noise isn't an instrument. Or at least I wouldn't class it as one.

Though digitally they are. Running a program on a computer which makes any form of sound would be classed as an instrument.
You could use the sound of a computer being dropped as some percussive sound if you wanted.

Running the program is still using the computer is it not?

  • 12.30.2012 7:56 AM PDT

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

Posted by: DAS B00T x2
A computer isn't an instrument.

That MIDI controller hooked up to a computer could be considered an instrument, but the computer is no more of an instrument than an amplifier is.
You don't need a midi controller to make music on a computer.

  • 12.30.2012 7:56 AM PDT
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A computer can be used to make noises that replicate other instruments, so no, it's not an instrument, but it can still make music.

  • 12.30.2012 7:57 AM PDT

Posted by: TrussingDoor
Posted by: DAS B00T x2
You know what's even worse?

When the boy you like has a girlfriend.
#gheyworldproblems

Posted by: teh Chaz
Posted by: DAS B00T x2
A computer isn't an instrument.

That MIDI controller hooked up to a computer could be considered an instrument, but the computer is no more of an instrument than an amplifier is.
You don't need a midi controller to make music on a computer.
The thing is, an instrument makes it's own sound. The computer uses pre-made sounds to the point where it's just a very complex loop station, and this is not an instrument.

  • 12.30.2012 8:00 AM PDT
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Posted by: teh Chaz
Running the program is still using the computer is it not?
Sure, but the sound would be absent without the program.

Think of it like playing a guitar without strings.

  • 12.30.2012 8:00 AM PDT

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

Posted by: BombasticBurrito
A computer can be used to make noises that replicate other instruments, so no, it's not an instrument, but it can still make music.
This doesn't sound like a replication to me

  • 12.30.2012 8:02 AM PDT

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

Posted by: DAS B00T x2
Posted by: teh Chaz
Posted by: DAS B00T x2
A computer isn't an instrument.

That MIDI controller hooked up to a computer could be considered an instrument, but the computer is no more of an instrument than an amplifier is.
You don't need a midi controller to make music on a computer.
The thing is, an instrument makes it's own sound. The computer uses pre-made sounds to the point where it's just a very complex loop station, and this is not an instrument.
I would dispute that last point, plenty of original compositions are made with samples, it's called plunderphonics.

Also what if those pre-made sounds have been made by a computer?

  • 12.30.2012 8:03 AM PDT


Posted by: teh Chaz
There seems to be a fair bit of debate about this sort of thing.



Is there really? I've never heard of such a thing.

Yes, a computer can be an instrument. So is Mayonnaise.

  • 12.30.2012 8:03 AM PDT

"History will be kind to me, for I intend to write it."
-Sir Winston Churchill

The Secret Society 95% of activity is me, I could use some help.

You're right, however, every musical instrument is capable of making bad sounds.

  • 12.30.2012 8:05 AM PDT

A competitive players main goal is to win.
A casuals main goal is to have fun regardless of whether that results in a win or loss.
It has nothing to do with individual skill or knowledge, it has to do with the reason you play.

If you hit your dick on the table to a certain rhythm, it doesn't make it an instrument.

Macbook isn't an instrument, at least for me.

  • 12.30.2012 8:05 AM PDT

Posted by: Alex Mac Kee
If pen­ises were planes Jimmy's mouth would be an airport


Posted by: DarkBen64
Don't punch a British kid, the queen'll come after you.

Posted by: Metalignus
If you hit your dick on the table to a certain rhythm, it doesn't make it an instrument.
On what grounds?

You could use that as a really weird rhythmic percussive device.

  • 12.30.2012 8:07 AM PDT

Posted by: T1B3R7uMB0YXVI
Chief vs the scarab? I find that hard to believe to roundhouse boot the scarab's figurative emotion out of the gaming zone.

I think the key lies in whether a person is physically using the item in question to produce music with through a performance of some sort. And being as that music is wholly subjective, there's plenty of room for argument there with just about anything.

  • 12.30.2012 8:15 AM PDT

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