{"id":293,"date":"2022-11-01T15:27:27","date_gmt":"2022-11-01T19:27:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/eng118st-fa22\/?p=293"},"modified":"2022-11-01T15:29:31","modified_gmt":"2022-11-01T19:29:31","slug":"mechanical-reproduction-a-conduit-between-art-and-audience","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.smith.edu\/eng118st-fa22\/mechanical-reproduction-a-conduit-between-art-and-audience\/","title":{"rendered":"The 808 Drum: A Conduit Between Art and Audience"},"content":{"rendered":"

A work of art and its audience exist in a symbiotic relationship in creating the concept of art. Culturally, the concept of art is constantly in question, malleable in nature, and has failed to be unanimously defined. Therefore, due to art\u2019s evolving form, it should be expected for its audience to respond correspondingly in order to maintain the concept. According to this logic, if both the work of art and the way it is perceived are constantly being reimagined, mechanical reproduction serves as a conduit for art to be shared in an accessible form. The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer serves as a perfect example of how mechanical reproduction can be utilized for the ultimate good of the artist, the artistic process, and the audience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The TR-808 Rhythm Composer is neither a drum nor a drum set in its original form, yet it mimics the well-known sounds of the traditional drum set. More commonly known as the \u201c808 Drum,\u201d the instrument connects to a computer through an audio interface and is then played through a DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) such as LogicPro or ProTools. Similar to a synthesizer, the 808 mimics a specific instrument. Yet, synthesizers and digital instruments such as guitars or violins are bound to an eight-note octave and only a selection of chords. The 808 Drum takes the concept of the traditional drum a few steps further\u2013creating distinct, original drum-like sounds that even a drum kit can\u2019t replicate. Influenced by the original, the 808 surpassed the abilities of its inspiration so successfully that the 808 is now considered its own instrument.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Roland TR-808 Rhythm Composer was invented by Ikutaro Kakehashi and successfully shocked the music community. Sociologically, across all populations, there is a desire to maintain tradition and culture, and shock value is often overlooked. Being thrown into a completely foreign experience is difficult, regardless of whether the experience revolves around a new food, location, or event. For example, \u201cculture shock\u201d is a very real, researched, and proven phenomenon. Yet, over time, individuals ease into their surroundings once it becomes familiar to them. The creation of the Roland TR-808 definitely created a form of \u201cculture shock\u201d within the music world before becoming a momentous implementation and a crucial instrument in the industry. According to Jamie Milton, the first 808 was a \u201ccommercial flop, discontinuing in 1983. Electronic music wasn\u2019t in vogue, and to many, the 808\u2019s programmed beats weren\u2019t palatable\u201d (Processed Beats). In alignment with the process of culture shock,\u00a0 it took time before the 808 was finally recognized for its value. Though, in current day, the 808 Drum has taken over a variety of genres such as EDM, Trap, R&B, Pop, New Wave, and Hip-Hop. One especially pivotal song that eventually popularized the 808 was Marvin Gaye\u2019s \u201cSexual Healing\u201d, released in 1982. Yet despite its use in \u201cSexual Healing\u201d and its current-day popularity, the 808 was not initially welcomed with open arms when it was first introduced.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that The Roland 808 Drum was not only central to the expansion of various musical genres; it affected how listeners experienced music as well. Historically, the way that society experienced art and music was incredibly clear-cut; it was well-known and familiar. In Walter Benjamin’s \u201cThe Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction\u201d, he claims that \u201cmechanical reproduction emancipates the work of art from its parasitical dependence on ritual\u201d (6). Before access to technology, experiencing art and music was a ritual within itself and everyone was aware of the cultural expectations and the experiences that they were about to step foot in. Especially when it came to music, audiences expected a live performance with the incorporation of traditional instruments such as a guitar, bass guitar,\u00a0 drumset, keyboard, and vocals. Yet, oftentimes, these traditions of concert-going were rooted in economic stability and privilege. With the implementation of the 808 Drum, audiences had the ability to experience music in a non-traditional way. Electronic music changed the music scene and culture, expanding the once incredibly rigid social norms audiences had to follow during live performances. This meant that dress code, applause, and social gathering traditions become more flexible with the invention of the 808, not limiting the audience to expensive clothing or ticket sales.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

This newfound access to both fine art and the performing arts through mechanical reproduction allowed for previously inaccessible art to become available for mass consumption in more than just one way. In Susan Sontag\u2019s social criticism, \u201cAgainst Interpretation,\u201d she quotes Nietzche in his belief that \u201cthere are no facts, only interpretations\u201d (etd. Sontag) and further states that interpreting is \u201ca conscious act of the mind which illustrates a certain code, certain \u201crules\u201d of interpretation\u201d (3). This concept of following a set of rules while interpreting art is a form of gatekeeping\u2013something that the art community quietly prides itself on. To formally interpret art in the way Sontag is referring to, the audience must adhere to a strict vernacular\u2013one that is learned through privilege and education. Additionally, when there is less access to certain works of art, there are fewer interpretations to account for. Therefore, each interpretation is more heavily considered\u2013boosting the egos of those who have the ability to experience it. With the incorporation of alternative listening devices such as the iPod and streaming services such as Spotify and Apple Music, people are now able to critique music from afar, something that had been impossible to achieve during the era of solely live performance. In addition, the 808 played a major role in the recording and production world of music, with special effects that altered the way people listen to music through earbuds. Because the 808 hooks up to a computer, the ability to control musical aspects such as panning, volume, reverb, and much more have allowed musicians to be more creative when it comes to the audience\u2019s experience of their art.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Yet, even with the 808 Drum evolving music in its creation, performance, and audience experience, Walter Benjamin still argues that art separated from its original form eradicates its fundamental aura. He states that \u201cit is significant that the existence of the work of art with reference to its aura is never entirely separated from its ritual function. In other words, the unique value of the \u201cauthentic\u201d work of art has its basis in ritual, the location of its original use value\u201d (6). Yet, he fails to acknowledge that aura can be transformed. Aura is experienced by the perceiver and changing the delivery of the art simply reconstructs the aura rather than destroying it. For example, Benjamin blames mechanical reproduction because \u201cit enables the original to meet the beholder halfway\u201d such as how \u201cthe cathedral leaves its locale to be received in the studio of a lover of art; the choral production, performed in an auditorium or in the open air, resounds in the drawing room\u201d (4). Though it is arguable that listening to a choral work in a drawing room makes space for the cultivation of a new aura. Perhaps the drawer can only create work they\u2019re proud of with choral music in the background and attending the concert in person would only sadden them\u2013wishing that they could be drawing along to the beautiful music. Yet, due to the aforementioned rules of tradition, drawing in a cathedral would be socially taboo. It is not the choice of any critic to determine how art should be experienced; because the concept of art half relies on an audience and the enjoyment of art should be utilitarian by nature.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Altogether, the aura surrounding the traditional drum didn\u2019t disappear in response to the evolution of the 808. Instead, it inspired musicians to look at beats in a new light while still paying homage to the original drum\u2013its irreplaceable influence. Occasionally, art needs a slight nudge in a new direction in order for it to expand and flourish. While there is value in traditional art and classic display, art is a concept that cannot be confined by definitions constrained by the past. Though, it is important to note that the evolution of art is rooted in its inspiration and influence. The 808 would fail to exist without a drum kit and iPods, and radios would serve no purpose without the initial joy found in live performances. Ultimately, it is important to recognize the value of art in all of its nuance and multiplicities. Constantly evolving, art has become accessible due to mechanical reproduction. The audience that was once assigned to solely performance has transformed into any individual who wishes to engage. Serving as a conduit between a work of art and its audience, mechanical reproduction has expanded the concept of art\u2013diversifying its experience, impact, and the endless ways it can be perceived by the world today. Technology is a forever-expanding part of our reality and while it is often a tool causing chaos and corruption, on the rare occasion when it is utilized to make art thrive and change people\u2019s lives for the better, it is truly a gift.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Works Cited<\/b><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Benjamin, Walter. <\/span>The Work of Art in the Age of Mechanical Reproduction<\/span><\/i>. Translated by J. A. Underwood, Penguin Books, 2008.<\/span><\/p>\n

Milton, Jamie. \u201cProcessed Beats \u2013 the 10 Best Songs Made on a Roland Device.\u201d <\/span>NME<\/span><\/i>, 19 Apr. 2018,<\/span>https:\/\/www.nme.com\/blogs\/nme-blogs\/processed-beats-10-best-songs-made-roland-2032666<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

Sontag, Susan. <\/span>Against Interpretation, and Other Essays.<\/span><\/i> New York, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, 1966.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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