Max Alper is best known for La Meme Young, his popular Instagram account turning niche experimental music jokes into dank memes. But a deep interest in music pedagogy is at the heart of everything Alper does, including his non-profit Sonic Arts For All!, an organization that puts music technology directly into the hands of K-12 and special needs students. We talk about the importance of creativity, memes as pedagogy, the limits of traditional music education, and how to democratize music technology.

Episode 19: UNFOLLOW ME

Interview recorded between Montreal and San Juan, January 2021
Produced and mixed in Montreal, May 2021

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SP* at Anchor 

Wolf Eyes / Psycho Jazz meme, Jon Olson

 

Why? Creative process, decision making (down plays the technical)

But also rejects a hierarchy that privileges musical notation and virtuosity, that is, takes music technology seriously. Free software, like Pure Data, Audacity, VCRack, etc rather than expensive modular synths or vintage gear. The focus is always on creativity and access

Anything can be a musical instrument

Zoom, Covid

 

MEME PEDAGOGY

Meme culture

 

Memes

Sonic Arts for All! (SAFA!)

Music Pedagogy

Music Tech

Arts and Tech

Community

Sound Propositions mission statement, WHY? Anti-gear fetishism, anti-virtuosity (for own sake), anti-mastery narratives.

Memes, philosophy

Future of music

Constraint as generative, free tools, using what you got

Anon -> Max

Pedagogy: workshops, crit, studio visits, pandemic

SUNY Purchase, Brooklyn College

IMPROVISATION + TAPE RECORDER = COMPOSITION

 

 

 

 

 

LINKS

La Meme Young (Insta)

La Meme Young (Patreon)

Sonic Arts for All!

Peretsky

Linktr.ee

 

TRACKLIST
ARTIST – "TITLE" (ALBUM, LABEL, YEAR)

Peretsky – "Pase que lo que" (Bandcamp, 2019)

George Clinton (RBMA, 2015)

Parliament – "Supergroovalisticprosifunkstication" (Mothership Connection, Casablanca, 1975)

SP Intro

Peretzky – "Cuarentena Canovanas (edit)" (Cuarentena Canovanas, Bandcamp, 2020)

Konono N°1 – "Lufuala Ndonga" (Congotronics, Crammed Discs, 2004)

Eddie Palmieri – "Bilongo" (El Lunatico / Bilongo, Tico, 1968)

DJ Riobamba - Latin LDN #2 (Boiler Room, 2019)

Valentine - "Odysseus Matrix" (SAFA!, 2020)

Les Filles de Illighadad – "Eghass Malan" (Eghass Malan, Sahel Sounds, 2017)

Francis Bebey – "Sahel" (African Electronic Music 1975​-​1982, Born Bad, 2011)

George Lewis & Douglas Ewart - "Homage to Charles Parker" (Live at Palasport, Novara, Italy, November 11, 1978)

Extra Life –"Strong Brother, Weak Brother (Laurel Halo remix)" (Ripped Hearts, Last Things, 2010)

Eric Whitacre's Virtual Choir – "Lux Aurumque" (2010)

Angélica Negrón – "Soundscape Backing Track"  (by Audiopuerto / Ariel Alvarado & Manuel Vázquez) (Marejada, 2020)

Angélica Negrón – "Excerpt" (Gray Sound Sessions, July 21, 2020)

Mike Huckaby - " Wavetable No 9" (My Life With The Wave EP, S Y N T H 2007)

Maria Chavez – "Sara Sleeps" (Bandcamp, 2020)

Mauthausen Orchestra – Side A (They Never Learn, 1983)

Luigi Russolo / DJ Spooky - Corale_FTP _ Bundle_Conduit (Sound Unbound, 2007)

Luigi Russolo – "Veglio di una Citta" [1914) (Dada for Now: a collection of Futurist and Dada Sound Works, 1985)

Twodeadsluts Onegoodfuck "live excerpt" (Live @ Basement 414, Lansing, MI, 17 October 2007)

John Cage + Sun Ra – "Empty Words And Keyboard" (John Cage Meets Sun Ra: The Complete Concert  June 8, 1986 Coney Island, Modern Harmonic, 2016)

Pauline Oliveros /Stuart Dempster / Panaiotis "Suiren" (Deep Listening, New Albion, 1989)

Jeremiah Cymerman / Charlie Looker - "I'll show you what you are" (A Horizon Made Of Canvas, Astral Spirit, 2021)

Greg Fox – "Stone Pillar"  (Stone Pillar, Longform Editions, 2019)

Clipping - "Dominoes" (CLPPNG, Sub Pop, 2014)

Manitoba [Caribou] – "Children Play Well Together" (Stop Breaking My Heart, Leaf, 2001)

David Grubbs – "The Chimney Swifts" (Airport Symphony, Room40, 2007)

Wolf Eyes – "Ancient Delay" (Burned Minds, Sub Pop, 2004)

The Mad Lads – "Gone, Promises of Yesterday" (A New Beginning, Volt, 1972)

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Sound Propositions is written, recorded, mixed, and produced by Joseph Sannicandro.