Hi Marc,
A computer is an instrument, and a software is like a music sheet. I buy computers because I can't make them, but I can program them.
You could also cut wood and carve a violin - but maybe it takes you too long to learn and do it - and you may get stuck making violins instead of playing them. I don't see software as just a music sheet - it's my experience that using a certain software influences the musical style more than that could be regarded as an interpretation - and also that programming music software takes away too much valuable time from making music - i see the combination of computer+software as the instrument, maybe with even more emphasis on the software.
I both like lo-fi _and_ hi-fi-music when it's properly done.
The hi-fi concept relates to the quality of reproduction, not production.
I don't think so - but maybe i used the wrong notion. There's definitely a difference in the choice of instruments for playing a Ligeti or Feldman piece and playing folk music. I'm sure that "Triadic memories" wouldn't sound adequate on a bar piano, while the latter would be ok for playing some Waltz tunes.
Never ever would come to my mind that buying an expensive instrument is elitist if it is necessary for doing a special kind of music.
Some people can't buy what you consider necessary to create a certain kind of music, so they create other kind of music because they have access to free tools that allows them to create their own music.
That's true but i have a problem with calling the "certain kind of music" elitist just because it may be difficult or expensive to realize. Probably the realization results in cds or even mp3s that may be available for practically anyone (well ok, in the industrial world). As stated before, for my usage, PD isn't fit for replacing Max for all applications - but you will have hard times trying to make me say fundamentally bad things about PD.
and i really don't understand how someone could call a professional-grade 500$ software elitist, with their makers providing great support.
Some people can't spend $500 for a software, and this amount of money is now enough to buy a good enough computer that runs PD for professional work. I also like the fact that it's possible to get three computers running PD for the price of a single Max equipped workstation.
Yes that's great.
What I find really disturbing is the equation: "fancy gui = non elitist". It's like equating computer literacy to elitism. Scary...
Who did that?
best greetings, Thomas