Pat Metheny - Orchestrion Preview

[bloodoneiros]

ANIMUSIC comes to live! :))

[HEADSUPBERKELEY]

Great to hear the story behind that great player's collaboration.

[thestraniero]

So what? He has always played like a robot... now he plays with robots... big deal!

From Italy's one man band

[Mwhlr11]

Those thingd at 0:27 - they make the most incredible sound.

[cardwell]

It sounds like Band-In-A-Box.

[spencertron88]

I came up with this idea too! This is so awesome! Isn't it a nice feeling to compose whatever you want, and hear it performed live by robots? :D

[jimmycole12]

Steve Rodby and Paul Wertico's new band - Marbin

[pirodelanoche]

FIM DEL MUNDO!

[astudiocityguy]

no way in hell would I pay to see Pat play along with a click track.. that's what this is...I wonder if he just told Lyle to go F himself...YAY, so Pat can play with something off the Piano rolls.. who cares? UGH.. this guy used to be a musician I looked up to. this stuff is crap...he should just strap the bass drum to his back and be more open about it... bleccchhhhhh bye, Pat... you lost me here...

[MatuskaMachine]

@astudiocityguy The Mechanisms are the art, I'd like to see you try to build something like that. Bumba clart.

[astudiocityguy]

I"m thinking this is his way of telling Lyle and everyone else that they can just go suck it??? I don't find this in any way entertaining or musical...it's

[freephil630]

Just saw him on the Orchestrion Tour live tonight in Princeton... I consider my mind blown, and my face melted... Pat, you are a legend!

[ToasterFerret]

@freephil630 I was there too! Except his second improv was a little fuzzy....

Third one blew me away though.

[crabbyj]

@freephil630 - I saw him in Englewood, and he was rude...I don't know about you, but when I go to a concert, I want to hear random, inane discussions about mundane things, so I was really enjoying the loud conversation the people sitting the row behind me were having, but Pat kept interrupting them with amazing music and genius improvisation. The only upside to the whole night was that he wasn't able to block my view of the iPhone of guy in front of me doing some bootleg video. /sarcasm

[Bjouesbijou]

if richard james was a jazz player .. this would be his music

[maeleong2000]

kinda cool!

[SoundMusicVideo]

Stunning Performer

Pat Methany ROCKS !

[Mr0999987]

GJ!



[martinjp1958]

He is a true maestro.

[jdean9]

I want to see this so badly !! I would kill for a dvd recording of this ...

[OLugs]

Likely the most incredible concert I will ever experience! It's dramatic. I couldn't even speak about it for a few hours after the concert ended. I was just in awe. Pat Metheny is truly a modern-day Mozart. He advanced music in out lifetime. Wow...just wow

[teseomat]

WOW!!!

[someonelse06]

This is quite possibly the greatest development in music since the player piano.

[sickboy932]

I don't know what is more awesome. This awesome music making contraption or his awesome hair!

[Coronas135]

I went to see his concert......it was amazing. If Pat Metheny is playing in a town near you, GO! You won't regret it!!

[belynner]

Metheny in May!

[GMoeDrum]

I went to the concert last night. It was very interesting. My favorite part of the show was when Pat improvised with guitar and orchestrion. The versatility of the orchestrion was impressive. I look forward to the return of Mays, Rodby and Sanchez. There's nothing better than watching great musicians perform together.

[misizjackson]

OMGosh, I've got goosebumps on goosebumps on my goosebumps!

[zwartepiet412]

i'm really torn whether or not to go see his concert tonight in Morgantown, WV.. it will be the first US show on his tour so perhaps it is something special.. reason why i am torn is while i am a huge metheny fan, this music doesnt sound too different from standard metheny group catalog, and visually, i imagine the novelty of watching robots play this music would wear off after the first 20 minutes or so.. now if the robots could solo or make improvisational decisions, i would pay to see

[patientmammal]

@zwartepiet412 I saw Pat play the orchestrion last night...and I assure you it far surpasses the realm of "novelty." It sounds like typical Metheny because he is the one playing it. These aren't so much robots as they are an extension of Pat's guitar. Go see it. It will blow your mind. And if you missed it I'm truly sorry.

[waltonfan32]

How long does it take to set this "Thing" up for a concert?

[SalieriGroup]

What about emotions, the best part of any art? Yes it is interesting, spectacular, amazing, attractive, but something is still missing...

[MrSlimfinger]

I'm sure Pat's been searching like hell for that "emotion circuit" in every electronics store available - although I think he's entitled to play around in his usual genius manner on these machines after 36 years of musical success. I don't quite get what you're grasping for and I think you miss the point.

[SalieriGroup]

@MrSlimfinger

I am sure too. After 36 years of listening to his music I have no doubts. That chemistry among musicians, interaction, that juice... It is simply missing. Sorry. Remember Beatles and Rolling Stones? All their members went in the past for some solo projects, but magic never happened again. Here's even worse scenario. Imagine the best keyboard player plays Metheny's guitar via Orchestrion. Could it be possible for him to recreate that special touch of Mr. Metheny ever? Never.

[patientmammal]

@SalieriGroup Everyone wants to say the emotion is missing. I bet you haven't seen it live.

[2003dubrovnik]

Will see him next month in sunny Santa Cruz;-)!!!

[edopode1]

15 march 2010....

I will see pat's concert in milan, italy!!!!

[daschwarjazz]

I wonder if Pat is ever afraid that the Orchestrion will become self-aware a la Skynet from the Terminator movies and dedicate itself to the destruction of humanity. And if so, is there a killswitch installed to prevent this inevitable disaster?

[insaneguitarfreak]

@daschwarjazz

LOL

in any case that would result in a cool skynet because it would fill the world with good music!

[daschwarjazz]

@insaneguitarfreak

Not if the Orchestrion decided to play nothing but Kenny G covers. Trust me, if this thing becomes self-aware, we are all doomed. It's science.

[faopus14]

@daschwarjazz  hehehe

[maniacguitar]

@daschwarjazz haha it starts playing pop or somethin

[brunocadaques]

I`ve seened yesterday in Barcelona, it's incredible, very interesting and amazing. It's hard to believe he can do all that alone, well, with a technician , but he do practically nothing. It's a symbiosis with Dr Frankenstein and him self. I recomend to all of you !

[loslo]

for a second, i thought he may not be playing at all...thought he may be seated in the audience to get the full musical experience of being a listener

[CoolPotatoBeans]

oh my god! i hope pat metheny lives forever

[bergsund51]

Reading all the comments on this project on the diffrerent clips, there's a distinction between people having not whitnessed the gig live, and those that have. There's so much more to what the album gives you. It's the whole of the act - a totally novel thing, a never seen before thing. That in itself should lure quite a few to go and see for themselves which is good. Then i defy anyone to come out of that expererience degrading it!

[alexriesenbeck]

I can't wait to see this in person, even from rows away!

[lincruste]

I just saw the man in Paris a few hours ago, this is awesome! What a great musician.

[OLugs]

Pat Metheny is, creatively, one of the modern day "Mozarts", in my opinion. He's prolific and he never seems to be satisfied to stay in one place, musically. I think this experiment in creativity is fantastic. Who can question his musical ability? It seems to me that he has already proven himself in that regard. This organic robot he has built is very cool. It's alive!

[bynakainen]

the music is DEAD here, no one agrees..?

[AleGorymusic]

@bynakainen No, I don't agree. You are entitled to your opinion though... I am definitely going to come out and see it live. I imagine it will be a magical experience hearing and seeing this man's musical laboratory unfold in front of you. The concept behind this is awesome and I've never seen anything like that before, so for me even the novelty of it is attractive.

[myriamsm]

Saw the concert in Brussels this week, It was my first time that I saw Pat ( like we call him in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil). Could no breath looking at his hands playing in the begning! But, also, laugh at the things that he built to play! It was like to see a street teather show, with all that "parafernália" ... But, Pat playing "tranquilo", controling from the guitar!e is, very kind with the public! Plays like a boy with that stuff!

[Injato]

Just saw the show in Oslo! Wow! I have been listning to Pat's music for a long time. This concept might lack some of the magic that is happening between the musicians on stage, but this is an excelent opportunity to look into Pat's mind as a musician! Here he gets to play all the instrumensts excacly the way he wants to.. and it sound amazing!! I doesn't just sound amazing, but this is a live SHOW! You got to see it. I don't think it is the CD I will be listening to the most, but the show!! Wow!

[Bellizasmyth]

@Injato, great news! I'm buying tix for this genius' performance in the US, and wonder: is it better to sit as close as possible to the stage, orchestra seating, or upstairs, in the mezzanine?

How was the setting in Oslo, were you able to see all of the instruments in action?

Your reply is much appreciated. Thanks!

Pat Metheny rocks!! Can't wait to see this... : )

[Injato]

@Bellizasmyth I sat on row 8 or so, and that was quite good. Get close, because you want to see the instruments and what he is doing.

[fracarciofo]

I think he's sublimizing the concept of masturbation, aka when the rich go nuts XD

[kudt654]

WOW!!! I just saw the gig in Oslo! AWESOME! :D Go and see this if you can!

[bergsund51]

Alot of people comment on this project before having seen the show which is sad I think. Seing and hearing it performed by this master (and poet as someone said) does change many preconceived ideas one might have had. It's easy to diss the idea of triggered robots playing instruments in favour of real musicians playing theirs - but that's until you hear how the robots themselves are played!

[ARCmusiclabel]

It takes that many things to replace Lyle Mays... no, seriously, it's pretty cool...

[mooserwirt]

I'll visit his show in Groningen (The Netherlands) tonight. I'm realy exited to see him (and it) play. Hope all the switches work:)

[Demoras]

@mooserwirt:

How was the show? :)

[mooserwirt]

Realy breathtaking, I've been to Sonny Rollins last december, to Herbie Hancock etc... Good, but this...This was from the first chords on taking me to another level. Sitting 6 meters from him at the second row, I was flabbergasted...You have to see this....!!!

[Demoras]

I wish I could've been there! :D I hope there will be a DVD ^^;

[cuoregenoatoromerda]

I'm wondering why Jimi Hendrix is dead and Pat Metheny is still alive... there's no justice in this world

[liveeviltrypios]

Cause Jimi used drugs

and Pat uses his mental abilities

[cuoregenoatoromerda]

that's why Hendrix is a genius and Pat is nothing. Thanks

[liveeviltrypios]

Actually they're both amazing.

If you can't understand Metheny's work why are you even having a saying?

[Demoras]

@cuoregenoatoromerda:

You just don't like good jazz. Now scram!

[cuoregenoatoromerda]

where's the jazz in a machine playin' instruments? You don't need a whole metallic orchestra for some gool old jazz

[Demoras]

Your view is too simplistic. Do you really think Pat Metheny is stupid enough to sacrifice all that jazz? Of course not!

Where's the jazz? The jazz is in Pat. He composed the parts for every instrument on his guitar. He made sure that the mechanics used for the machines were able to express that jazz, and weren't just simple on/off switches.

That passion and drive for his music, that's where the jazz is. Haven't you heard? That's because you stopped listening and feeling.

[davidnicolald]

your gool old jazz is not the only art form that exists...

[MrBallarin23]

Last train home...for instrumentalist...very sad.

[remijazz]

I was at the first date In France , it was absolutely amazing, I can't say no words..You must go to this show , this is a unique experience ...

[00s00m]

In response to that, fingers are not inherently musical, either. They're simply extensions on the end of our hands. So where does technology end and creativity/artistry begin? And vice versa?

[panfranek]

How about some Pierre Bastien instead? Pat Metheny with his Orchestrion is Celine Dion of automatic music.

[CHIUSOPERFERIE]

Grandissimo e generoso musicista completo come mai nessuno prima di lui Pat Metheny non si arrende al successo ottenuto in tutti questi anni e ci dona un'altra pagina di storia di cui l'intera umanità dovrebbe essere orgogliosa.

Il disco non è soltanto bello... è una coperta calda in un inverno freddo.

[beaverteeth92]

This is brilliant. It's one of the only times I've ever heard non-human music used to produce emotional textures instead of pure technicality (a la Civilization Phase III by Frank Zappa.)

I think Zappa would have gotten around to something like this by now if he was still alive though...

[keryen2]

Without words... A genius

[boornos]

Just got it.Metheny goes with his well-known style but it sounds so fresh.Love those "familiar" breezy melodies with large arrangements.Day Trip was a bit disappointing for me, Orchestrion is a great atonement.

[JRBain7]

I love the album; received it in the mail today. But it's definitely not a full experience without seeing the machines at 'work'; watching this is just amazing. Pity that I probably won't be able to get to his only UK date... Hopefully he might do a live DVD?

[DJDJSMusic]

I think my Tenori-On would be a lot simpler to program :)

[tirkd2]

いよいよ発売だ!楽しみ!

[esinger3141]

As Director of LEMUR, the group who created most of the instruments for the Orchestrion, I was thrilled to be a part of this project. If you want to hear more work on LEMUR's instruments, check out LEMUR's site (Google us...can't post URL)

[RoknRolUSA]

Love it. MIDI is becoming MID-ME. Won't be long before a high energy attack player gets off being challenged by his unexpected musical mirror. Are we waking up to find the musical cousin of Big Blue the Chess Master can now be our twin? Shades of-- I Noizebot --I shall now go back to the woods for R and R.

[PialatBernard]

Pas vraiment intéressant et pas vraiment nouveau, ferait mieux de faire de la zique ...

[lalloghin]

@PialatBernard

pas vraiment nouveau?????????

vous pouvez faire IMPROVISER une vingtaine d'instruments en temps réel??????

[PialatBernard]

Non, ce n'est pas ce que je veux dire, ca c'est très bien, mais ... est-ce vraiment utile une débauche de technologie, ceci n'enlevant rien à la performance bien sûr, enfin, nous dirons que c'est de la recherche et aussi du spectacle et que c'est ce qui compte après-tout.

Et puis il y a d'illustres ancêtres (Ex : Xénakis et d'autres plus anciens encore ...)

Franchement je ne suis pas intéressé par la performance mais vivons l'expérience !

[ehituplebeo]

pat è un genio e la sua musica mi manda in estasi

[ngumusic]

I don't think you need midi at all.I think the wave from the guitar is decoded in to its parts, then sent through a digital interface with a code to say what to do, but it keeps the original wave (including pitch, amplitude, etc).Thats why some of the beaters are moving when they are not playing because its picking up the harmonics of each note. The wave is then sent through an inductor with a current related to the wave that was sent, which causes the beater to be moved. But thats just a guess.

[laurentius75]

pat is definitely not using midi from the guitar (no pickup installed for that). but how the hell can there be such great note detection?!?! if anyone has a clue. i know for instance that at some very upfront institute in paris they only have good pitch and score following for melody instruments or voice - chordal stuff is impossible in realtime.

[ngumusic]

@laurentius75 Well i think the wave produced is looked at and it is possible to separate it into the different notes used. When the machine has the value of each note, it can produce a current in a certain instruments beater and make it hit. I assume that because Pat mentioned solenoids.

[laurentius75]

@ngumusic well which software can abstract individual notes out of a polyphonic wave in realtime? that would be more than interesting to me? the solenoids have what exact function? i thought they are finally triggering the notes of the orchestrion instruments, right?

[ngumusic]

A software that can edit each part of a chord or wave is Melodyne. If it is possible with a recorded wave, it will be possible in realtime. The solenoids are coils of wire, and when a current is put though it, it causes a magnetic force through the center. The amount of current will determine the force. The force will push the magnet attatched to the beater, allowing different dynamics. There will be one on each beater. Some software like Melodyne determines which coil is used. Again a guess..

[laurentius75]

@mechanicalchris

because you have some insight into the project: do you know apporximately how much is a guitarbot? would be great to own one ;-)

[WayneJoness]

At least one guitar has a MIDI pickup installed, with the additional controls, and I believe there is an Axon Pitch-to-MIDI converter as well. Rather than using a stand-alone magnetic pickup, like the original Roland system, you can buy guitars with 6 piezo pickups in the bridge. The Ghost system is a good example. Invisible and reliable Pitch-to-MIDI.

[mechanicalchris3]

While there is some general midi messages associated with certain instruments and parameters (most of which are out of date and still not inherently musical) In the case of Metheny, they are his creative compositions and the timbre is that of the instrument. The only thing "midi" is the velocity, pitch, and "on/off" of the bot. For some reason, non-computer types throw the word midi around when it is completely irrelevant. It's like pointing at graphic design on a website and blurting out PHP

[mechanicalchris3]

You fools, midi is just a language on/off and it has nothing to do with the timbre of the instruments. Jazz types who are technologically inept call everything involving music and computers "midi". While the instruments may be triggered on/off by midi, essentially there is no difference between a robot hitting a drum and a human, so long as the velocity is the same.

[Tschugge]

@mechanicalchris3:

Who is the fool? Did you knwo, that the General Midi Standard has over 100 different parameters to send for Timbre/Filter/Modulation/Attac­k/Velocity and so on?? Music is mathematics, and you can synthese every playable sound with MIDI.

(and before you post stupid answers: I have studied that and I am a producer for computer music!)

[mechanicalchris3]

@tschugg Actually my best friend will be working with the legendary Metheny and will be on this tour, helped build the actual robots in this video, which I have seen and previewed myself. enough said

But just to add... I've been making computer music for 10 years. Midi is a language which is not inherently musical. In other words, you can use midi to turn a light bulb on. In the 1980's Midi was adopted as the language by music manufacturers so that systems could be universally synced.

[PurplePlayer99]

Would you or anyone on this page happen to know how much the whole set up or project in general has cost him?

Also does anyone think he'll perform some of the oldies on it lol. I'm only 17 and haven't seen him live but I am in May got second row seats so I'd really like to hear him play the songs that got me into Jazz.

[eysikal]

I'm almost certain he'll be playing some of his classics.

[mikeroephonics]

@mechanicalchris3 +1

As an owner of many Vienna Symphonic Library sample library licenses, knowing the difference between something like wave (.wav) data, and .mid (MIDI) data is crucial to my workflow. Think of MIDI like an electronic form of the sheet music for a player piano. It is just a language to tell synthesizers and samplers how and when to sound off a signal.

[staydrenched]

The Clever Hamsters love the jazzy-vibe of these robots!

[WowtownTV]

All respect to Metheny's innovation as a guitar player, but Thomas Truax has been playing guitar in a 'band' of only self-playing instruments like these all over the world for over a decade. Pat surely knows this as both artists have mutual friends/collaborators within the same circle of (living) musicians in New York.

[AoxomoxoA]

Seems like this is on a totally different and advanced level from the homemade stuff Truax does... also, I thought the primary "preprogrammed" item in his arsenal was just the bike wheel drum machine. It's not like he's built stuff to play entire compositions.

[lalloghin]

@WowtownTV

No, This is completely different.

With his guitar as a trigger device, using MIDI technology, a computer recorded which notes he played, how hard he hit them, and how long he held each note for.

When he performs live, this information is transmitted to all the instruments and

using software called Ableton Live, Pat will send the preprogrammed accompaniment off, on different paths each live concert, essentially IMPROVISING totally with himself.

[perchst]

Wow.....how can machines sound so human??

[vitgit]

sounds like midi file, far from human

[trippellol]

Real instruments don't sound like midi! I'm going to his concert Feb 6th and am really excited about it!

[machinate]

@perchst it "sounds so human" because it's been programmed by humans. And especially keyed instruments like the piano can be quite accurately controlled via midi - there's no vibrato or anything making it difficult.

[ngumusic]

electromagnets which responde to dynamics, in a flash

[JunkeKrInc]

Robots Reemplazando Musicos, Nahhhh

[junka22]

This is amazing, but I still find this concept a little difficult to swallow, but it's Pat and I heard some previews of the tracks and they do sound awesome!

[urbster1]

Yeah, but can they IMPROVISE?!

[GozTheGreat]

Great.

I hope you'll give us a short "documentary" about the "techincal aspects" of this project (how Pat "conducts" the "robots", what he plays in "real time", what he had "sequenced",...).

[SwimmingInReverie]

awesome!

[mattglad]

Captured! By Robots! has been doing this for years and touring. not quite the same style of music, but cool anyway.

[colfaxsound]

Brilliant! Taking Aphex Twin's Drukqs to another level.....a different place.

[stumm1000]

there were no robotic / mechincally controlled instruments on drukqs, just treated piano.

[colfaxsound]

Well, the cool thing about Druqks was that it was a prepared PLAYER piano. Mechanized but the old fashioned way (ie. Conlon Nancarrow).

The Metheny piece kinda reminded me of that but seemed more mechanical and the instruments themselves weren't quite as novel as say a prepared player piano.

I enjoyed it nonetheless.

[stumm1000]

It would definitely be cool to see Metheny's setup perform something from Druqks ;)

[fredcalife]

ساحِر

Magic

* * * * *

[eysikal]

At the end, are those freaking bottles with different sizes and amounts of liquid in them for pitch variation? And they light up? That's sick!

[theska]

great feeling!

i will be in Firenze and Rome.

CAN'T WAIT ANYMORE!!!

[2PinkFreuds]

wash uffitze drive me to firenze

[TrustNooooo1]

Pat, Pat, Pat.... greatest musician EVER!

[moranmanuel]

Intersting concept although... a bit of a "circus" if you ask me. Pat should be playing along with more great live musicians as he has always done. Replacing the amazing interaction with those top musicians with computer programming somehow downgrades Pat's amazing abilities.

[doedelie]

I don't think the point of the project is replacing musicians, just exploring possibilities and coming up with something unique, like pat has always done.

[hitsforhits]

Totally agree with you.Watching mechanical devices with no real time interaction in concert could also get boring.

[hitsforhits]

Love Pat's playing.Would just enjoy the band better than mechanical devices.

[LeonardandPaul]

@moranmanuel I don't think he's replacing musicians for good...it's just a concept record...he will ALWAYS play with great musicians...just like Herbie did in the early 80's...some may not like this but at least he's trying new and different things...because he's good enough to do it and pull it off...

[2PinkFreuds]

You said it, man. I have difficulty accepting just guitar loops, much less a whole computerized band.

Why anyone would want to pay good money to see machinery is beyond me. I can see a player piano for free in the middle of my local mall.

[2PinkFreuds]

But then again, I guess it's not all that different than if he were to tour solo.

[bobvanluijt]

Cool!

[kenleyneufeld]

When he heads out on tour this winter, will he be touring with all this equipment?

[aswichitafalls]

This is so metheny...!

[LAOMUSIC]

That' s great Music !

I'll be there on the fore front first fast seat belt line on March 2nd Berlin Philarmonie, ready to FLY !

Just a question:

Is that legal to record excerpts from "Pat Metheny Radio" and put then here in YouTube ?

LAOMUSIC ARTS

[Blinkwing]

Cool!