Robot Takes Podium as Orchestra Conductor in South Korea (cnn.com) 31
An android robot, EveR 6, took the conductor's podium in Seoul on Friday evening to lead a performance by South Korea's national orchestra, marking the first such attempt in the country. From a report: The two-armed robot, designed by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology, made its debut at the National Theater of Korea, leading musicians in the country's national orchestra. The robot, with a humanoid face, first bowed to the audience and started waving its arms to control the tempo of the live show. "Movements by a conductor are very detailed," Choi Soo-yeoul, who led Friday's performance alongside the robot, said. "The robot was able to present such detailed moves much better than I had imagined."
Nope (Score:3, Interesting)
The real thing the robot did was act as a glorified metronome for musicians that already know what to do because they studied the piece with a real conductor before. Now, not being a orchestra musician, I do not know how much actual "leading" an orchestra needs when just running through a piece they know once. But my impression is that it will be very nearly zero besides that metronome-like function. What I expect a non-fake conductor does is look for deviations and issues and fix them before they become apparent in the next performance.
This robot cannot do that. They could have used a recording of a real conductor doing this job and played that on a screen for much the same effect.
Re:Nope (Score:5, Insightful)
Now, not being a orchestra musician, I do not know how much actual "leading" an orchestra needs when just running through a piece they know once. But my impression is that it will be very nearly zero besides that metronome-like function.
So you say you know nothing about conducting, and then offer an opinion?
The conductor is not a passive metronome. The conductor has many functions, such as correcting the tempo, balance, or timing during the performance; and before the performance, interpreting the music so that the musicians have a unified piece of music that they all play instead of each playing their own interpretations. Some musicians want more cowbell, others less; but the conductor decides ahead of time, rehearses the cowbells, and then during the concert inspires the musicians to give the exact right amount of cowbell with the most transparent, yet idiosyncratic, set of gestures.
tldr: Why can a robot not be a real conductor? Because it can count, but it cannot understand music.
Re: Nope (Score:3)
But that's pretty much what the PP said. Most of this is decided at rehearsal.
Some musicians want more cowbell, others less; but the conductor decides ahead of time, rehearses the cowbells, and then during the concert inspires the musicians to give the exact right amount of cowbell
At the first live performance, it's too late for a conductor to correct the cowbell after it has been struck incorrectly (in the conductor's opinion). I know this, having struck many a cowbell (and other percussion instruments) in orchestras in the past.
Those with a musical background will know the answer:
What's the difference between an orchestra and a bull?
A bull has its horns in the front and asshole in back.
Re: (Score:3)
Re: (Score:2)
"Yes any cowbell struck wrongly is beyond correction, "
The conductor might say:
"I have a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbells"
Re: (Score:2)
Yes, the conductor's wand may "illustrate" the tempo of the music, but how they gesticulate their arms and the wand shows things like volume and other things. If he wants a particular section to put in a little more volume, he will gesture that to the section, and the gesture is so perfectly timed unless you know what to look for, you won't notice it as it's implemented in keeping the tempo.
Sure the music tells you how loud to play that section, but at no point does it specify how loud is loud enough, or ho
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"The conductor has many functions, such as correcting the tempo, balance, or timing during the performance..."
And giving those musicians the threatening stink-eye who want to force their own tempo.
Re: (Score:2)
The article even agrees with you. "But EveR 6's "critical weakness," Choi said, is that it cannot listen." In other words, it's not conducting the music. It's waving the baton in a series of pre-programmed motions.
A deaf person could possibly conduct, unable to hear the music but able to see the musicians and feel the beats. There's still some sort of feedback mechanism. I suppose the robot could be doing
Re: (Score:2)
Now, not being a orchestra musician, I do not know how much actual "leading" an orchestra needs when just running through a piece they know once. But my impression is that it will be very nearly zero besides that metronome-like function.
So you say you know nothing about conducting, and then offer an opinion?
Yes, so? Are you one of these cretins that think you need to be a professional expert at anything to have an opinion on it? If so, be advised that the whole type of argument is invalid and a recognized fallacy. Incidentally, this was not about replacing the conductor. Maybe read the original story? This was about one run without a conductor but with a glorified metronome and very much _with_ the orchestra knowing what was going on.
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe read the original story? This was about one run without a conductor but with a glorified metronome and very much _with_ the orchestra knowing what was going on.
Yes, maybe read the original story, which said that the robot could only keep time and could not do the work of a real conductor. Even though you apparently read the article, you missed the part where it denied your interpretation of the conductor's job:
Lee Young-ju, an audience member who studies traditional Korean music, said the robot’s moves, though impeccable in keeping the rhythm, lacked “breath” — or the ability to keep the orchestra ready to engage collectively and instantly — which he said was essential in performance.
Despite that in tfa, you wrote:
But my impression is that it [i.e. the role of the conductor] will be very nearly zero besides that metronome-like function."
I also read the part which said the robot worked along side a real conductor
“Movements by a conductor are very detailed,” Choi Soo-yeoul, who led Friday’s performance alongside the robot, said.
It seems you didn't.
Re: (Score:3, Informative)
Re: (Score:1)
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Obviously I wat talking about a recording of a conductor specifically made for this and with the conductor knowing that. Try to keep up.
Lamest robot use ever (Score:2)
This robot does nothing more than act like a metronome. Period.
Re: (Score:2)
It's a little more than just a metronome. It's more like a MIDI controller. Except that instead of authoritative commands that a programmed instrument must follow it's providing suggestions that a human being is supposed to follow but are still subject to interpretation, and the human being as-instrument already knows the part.
I fully expect that most orchestras could manage to get by in performances without a conductor, particularly for music heavy on percussion where the beat can be maintained without l
Re:Lamest robot use ever (Score:4, Interesting)
Re: (Score:1, Informative)
People who don't understand orchestral music (Score:2)
..believe that the conductor works their magic during a performance. By the time the piece is rehearsed, the conductor is effectively dancing and the orchestra could almost play on their own
The conductor's real function is during rehearsal. The notes on the score only give a rough outline of how the piece will sound. The conductor turns the score into music during rehearsal by directing the players to interpret the notes according to the conductor's artistic vision
Re: People who don't understand orchestral music (Score:2)
Content of a conductors score:
"Wave the stick until the music stops. Then turn around and bow."
Re: (Score:3)
I never reached the pro level, but it's more than that. It is true that decent musicians playing a rehearsed piece shouldn't need much more than a glorified metronome. At my level (sub-amateur)... conducting a live performance was a waste of time because we were unresponsive, not being good enough to do more than try to stay in time while playing what we'd memorised. The conductor counted us in and presumably spent the rest of the performance waving the baton around and praying.
HOWEVER, a conductor can
Can it really do art? (Score:2)
Logical next step (Score:3)
Not very surprising (Score:3)
Why Do People Like Live Music? (Score:1)