(no subject)

[usernamenumber]

I just read a really well-written, interesting and exciting short story about a deaf man with a bionic ear. It describes his attempts to tinker with his ear's firmware (think about that concept for a second), trying out different techniques and different technologies to improve his hearing, using his memory of what Bolero sounded like before his deafness as a baseline.

And the really amazing thing? It's from Wired. It's real. It's not sci-fi.

There's a lot to complain about in the world nowadays, but sometimes (most of the time, really) it seems like such an amazing time to be alive.

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.11/bolero_pr.html

Comments

[doctor-samuel.livejournal.com]

It makes me really sad that it's Boléro that he's so obsessed with, and that the article refers to it as a masterpiece. Boléro was written as an orchestration exercise. Ever notice how it's kind of repetetive and boring, thematically, and the only interesting thing about it is that the orchestration keeps changing? Yeah. That's why.

Double plus awesome for bionic ears though!

[rhosyn-du.livejournal.com]

Once again, you commented with exactly what I was going to say. Are you secretly monitoring my thoughts again?

[usernamenumber.livejournal.com]

From the story:

During the next few days I walk around in a haze of disbelief, listening to Boléro over and over to prove to myself that I really am hearing it again. But Boléro is just one piece of music. Jonathan Berger, head of Stanford's music department, tells me in an email, "There's not much of interest in terms of structure - it's a continuous crescendo, no surprises, no subtle interplay between development and contrast."

"In fact," he continues, "Ravel was not particularly happy that this study in orchestration became his big hit. It pales in comparison to any of his other music in terms of sophistication, innovation, grace, and depth."

So now it's time to try out music with sophistication, innovation, grace, and depth. But I don't know where to begin. I need an expert with first-rate equipment, a huge music collection, and the ability to pick just the right pieces for my newly reprogrammed ear. I put the question to craigslist - "Looking for a music geek." Within hours, I hear from Tom Rettig, a San Francisco music producer.

This leads nicely into my favorite bit, while he's sampling music with Rettig:

And some music just leaves me cold: I can't even get through Kraftwerk's Tour de France. I wave impatiently to Rettig to move on. (Later, a friend tells me it's not the software - Kraftwerk is just dull. It makes me think that for the first time in my life I might be developing a taste in music.)

*snerk*