The Scarf Would Be Like Dancing

I’ve never been tempted to play an accordion
and I’ve never been tempted to play a drum machine
but I can’t stop thinking about these technologies.

Modern synthesizer accordions have bellows
just like classic accordions. They breath, in and out.

An accordion player can take a breath and sing
just like a singer, shaping a note by breathing out.

A modern performance-oriented drum machine
has switches, knobs, sliders. And pads, like high-tech bongos,
and if, say, a woman percussionist was playing
with a long silk scarf tied to her wrist her hand motions
across the controls and up and down over the pads
would cause the scarf to swirl, fly up, twist, catch the light, shine.

And the performance of the scarf would be like dancing.

I’ve never been tempted to play an accordion
and I’ve never been tempted to play a drum machine.

But these technologies—They can sing and they can dance.

One time at a wedding I asked a woman to dance.

I told her I don’t know how to dance but I’d pretend.

When we were dancing, I said, “Am I doing okay?”

She smiled and said, “Everything is about pretending.”

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‘Tempest’ at Dave Smith Instruments


‘V-Accordions’ at Roland


*


An Orchestra That Goes In And Out


I Don’t Know If People Dancing Care