Are knobs electric?

The Lounge General Discussion
#1

I’ve been wanting to ask about this for a while but my best google fu is coming up with nothing useful…

I like listening to and watching other musicians for inspiration and to pick up tips about how they do what they do. I’ve always been fascinated with the amount of skill that it takes to manipulate all those knobs on multiple machines to create those amazing performances.

But something I don’t understand is the way many people touch the knobs and pull their hand away like they just got an electric shock. And they do it the same way over and over again. I know there has to be a reason for this since so many do it. I have some theories, but I’d love to hear from someone in the know, how this technique improves the performance.

cheers
David

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#2

I think it’s a combination of familiarity with an instrument, and possibly a touch of dramatic effect. When you’re in the moment tweaking parameters while you’re making a video, it just happens. :slight_smile:

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#3

Are you talking about pots or endless encoders? With endless encoders this is just a technique that gives a bit more control.

#4

Are you talking about those overly dramatic knobbery moves some DJs do while rocking their mixer? IMO it always looks foolish, but its surprisingly addictive to do yourself once you get into it.

#5

From my point of view that’s exactly it. You’re in the moment, you’re going to whip a knob to its extent, and it’s got to be on the beat. It’s definitely in the flair department.

#6

Probably the same reason Pete Townshend has to strum his guitar with a windmill motion.

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#7

not sure if you seriously asking or having just little Sunday fun with us. Both are fine with me. Short answer is: we are doing that because it puts us into the groove.

You see, synths/samplers are flexible sound sources but terrible performance tools. There is always a disconnection between the synthesiser and the musician for several reasons. We never can ‘play’ the knobs of instrument the way we are playing guitar or piano or a drum set. So we need those little movements to connect us physically with the music we are making. It’s in the same category with filter mouth and headbanging. It helps to transform our bodily energy into our music, act and react so we can become closer to our art. Some artist do it more, some less, some wont do it at all (I’m looking at you, Kraftwerk).

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#8

That, but it also helps with timing; it’s easier to time the end of a knob tweak and to make the movement stop when you pull your fingers off “dramatically” than when you keep your fingers on it.

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#9

A different kind of Knob!

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#10

Maybe we are all just trying to mimic Jeff Mills?

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#11

DJ Albert is just amazing :slight_smile:

#12

Thanks to everyone who answered.

For me, I would say it was a serious question asked in a light-hearted way. The first time I noticed this was watching someone using sliders on a TR-8. Instead of slowly moving the slider he nudged it something like 20 times. After that, I started to see it everywhere. I noticed the encoders on the elektrons being often rotated by people in many small steps rather than one continuous move. I find myself doing this because if I rotate them too slowly, they dont engage and nothing changes, so tiny, but quick movements are more effective and reliable.

But when I see it being done the same way with pots, I just began wondering if there was another reason - showmanship aside I mean - even though the performance is more than enough justification I suppose.

#13

Both good points.

#14

amazing, people need to see this. not easy to watch…

#15

There’s of course an element of theatre in it. But I think many find it easier to do parameter changes over time in small steps. You hear the result and it’s easier than trying to hit some kind of 4 bar filter sweep super smoothly at once. The super fiddly style of tweaking might simply come from the performer being in a very energetic and anticipating mood. I do all kinds of stupid swaying around, foot stomping, finger wiggling and drumming on the synth rack when I’m working on music. When I’m not playing or tweaking something the energy has to go somewhere.

Live performance wise, I have only been performing with acts where I have been either playing keyboards, singing or both. I’m personaly not really into the idea of just twisting knobs in front of audience, even if I have seen people with nothing but a laptop on some knob board have an amazing energy and chemistry with the audience.

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#16

Musically there is no difference between the wild theatrical electric shock treatment. To the minimal movements of another performer. Its not a piano.

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#17

The knobs heat up from the hot shit the artist ist dropping. It’s like juggling with a hot potato.

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#18

It’s because self doubt is so prevalent in artists, every time we make a decision we instantly regret it and flinch away from the knob. That’s why it looks so awkward

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#19

I just thought that there are some awesome track names for the next EDM LP mixtape

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#20

“wild theatrical electric shock treatment” takes the cake for me

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