the tourist said:
Hand-played? How many instruments are there that aren't hand-played?
I took from it, he was talking about electronic live percussion.
As in, electronic drum kits vs. drum machines
Also sequencers vs. live playing.
The loop in 'Bad' for exmaple is a programmed sequence, rather than 'playing' and 'writing' to something like this in the studio, it's a live keyboard/guitar. Still electronic, somewhat more organic.
This could vastly improve certain chord progressions because playing to a set loop/riff/melody limits where your ear thinks it 'can go'. If Eno is jamming out some various synthology, then they could feel that the sky is limitless to an extent.
as for other elements, they could have eliminated samples and loops altogether and have chose to play everything live.
Also, although handplayed, rather than using the synthesized symphonic strings, perhaps they have chose to use actual string sections, if at all. Maybe rather than use a synthesized organ, they've wheeled out an old Hammond or something. Handplayed yes, but possibly more organic.
When Bono or whoever it was said 'polyrhythmic' I figured what he meant was a live drum kit (regular drums) playing along with various percussions , in non standard (4/4) time sigs and I hoped it was not drum machines. My guess is that it's not, it's something with a live feel, which IMO can only improve the sound.
