John Gibson: Director of the Center for Electronic and Computer Music @ Indiana University, Internationally Respected Composer, and Inspirational Pedagogue (they call him Coach!)

Anthony Plog on Music

I had the pleasure of speaking with John Gibson, a distinguished expert in electronic music who has had a fascinating journey through many aspects of the musical world. As someone who didn’t know much about electronic music going into this, I was pleasantly surprised by how accessible and engaging the discussion turned out to be. That’s thanks to John’s depth of knowledge and, just as importantly, his approachable nature and great sense of humor.

With the help of our intrepid producer and tech guru, Eddie Ludema, we navigated some foundational concepts in electronic music, and Eddie took us deeper into the subject in the second part of the conversation. Whether you’re a dedicated electronic music fan or someone who’s still wrapping their head around it, I think you’ll find this discussion both fascinating and enlightening.

John’s professional background is impressive—he’s an Associate Professor of Music and the Director of the Center for Electronic and Computer Music at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music. But beyond his credentials, what truly stands out is his passion for the intersection of music, technology, and creative expression.

In Part 1 of our conversation, we explore John’s musical background, starting with his early work as a guitarist and acoustic composer before transitioning into electronic music. We dive into his approach to teaching, get into a deep discussion on one of his recent pieces, Air Traffic (written for our very own Eddie Ludema), and insights into his unique writing process. We also discuss the different ways we listen to music—narrative versus meditative—and how these approaches can evoke emotions or engage intellect.

[Subscriber Content] In Part 2, we get even deeper into the world of electronic music where we talk more about the emotional potential of electronic compositions and the relation of artificial intelligence with music in general, and how that relation might differ with experimental music. We also briefly discuss how programming languages can be used to create sounds and music, share tips on introducing kids to the electronic music world, and explore how acoustic musicians can begin experimenting with electronics. We wrap up with a few real-world stories about the unpredictable nature of technology—especially in live performances—where things don’t always go according to plan!

Would you like more inspirational stories, suggestions, insights, and a place to continue the conversations with other listeners? Visit anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com to learn more!

As a Contributing Listener of "Anthony Plog on Music," you'll have access to extra premium content and benefits including:

• Extra Audio Content: Only available to Contributing Listeners.
• Podcast Reflections: Tony's written recaps and thoughts on past interviews, including valuable tips and suggestions for students.
• Ask Me Anything: Both as written messages and occasional member-only Zoom sessions.
• The Show's Discord Server: Where conversations about interviews, show suggestions, and questions happen. It's a great place to meet other listeners and chat about all things music!
• Can I just donate instead of subscribing? Absolutely!
• Cancel at anytime and easily resubscribe when you want all that extra content again.

Learn more about becoming a Contributing Listener @ anthonyplog-on-music.supercast.com!