Concert pianist plays iPad onstage | Hacker News Reader

Concert pianist plays iPad onstage

news.cnet.com

20 pointsshard10 comments

Jordan Rudess, the keyboardist for Dream Theater, uses a number of synthesizer apps on the iPhone, and has played the iPhone live

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFG7-Q0WI7Q

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ONGpprZBkrs

EDIT: Heh, Monday he'll even be in SF "hosting a discussion" about the iPad, among other things: http://rudess-pyramind.eventbrite.com/

menu > settings > songbook no-fail mode: on

menu > songbook > flight of the bumblebee

tap, tap, tap, tap...

What is songbook?

I touched an iPad for the first time today, in the Burlingame Apple Store. I wanted one more than I had expected. And: I really do see what Apple is going after with it. This is what the computer will evolve into -- an appliance that facilitates media participation. The point isn't the computer, it's what it enables.

"an appliance that facilitates media participation. "

I just can't see that as evolving. It's a step backwards.

"The point isn't the computer, it's what it enables."

Agreed, and it's what a completely reprogrammable computer excels at.

It's not that the iPad is without merit, but it's more the evolution of the TV than of the computer.

Well, evolution doesn't always mean improvement.

I think the personal computer will split into two branches, with power users keeping today's form factors, while average users who just want to surf the web or check their email will go for the appliances.

> Well, evolution doesn't always mean improvement.

I think you mean: evolution doesn't always mean _adding things_. Taking away something that causes a net loss is evolution. Much like, say, the tail in certain higher primates. Or the ability to install and run absolutely anything (including malware, trojans, and viruses).

(Whether a thing causes a net gain or loss is its own entire argument, of course.)

Sorry, but when someone refers to "one of the world's most dazzling piano players", here is what comes to mind:

http://fatkiddiary.com/liberace.jpg

That guy used Candelabras to attract attention, this new one uses an iPad.

My point is, so this legitimizes the iPad as being something super-special?

I can assure you that Lang Lang is a seriously good pianist, something that nobody would claim about Liberace.

This is Liberace playing a Liszt concerto:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl6vCZSD70U

Liberace was a professional concert pianist -- that is, he actually played as solist with professional orchestras. I'd say that fits my definition of "seriously good pianist", though he was probably not good enough to be at the top so he chose to be more an entertainer than a pianist.

But then, Lang Lang is not too far from that (he played a fake piano at the Beijing Olympics ceremony).

Reply on news.ycombinator.com