What is River?

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What is River?

Artist - Techno-Age Polymath

A new trend fostered by the need to deal with complexity and the computer environment calls for generalists who can organize a steep learning curve to execute projects. This need for generalists with a broad base of reference in multiple disciplines defines the new "Techno-Age Polymath."

The Seventh Discipline is a stage of learning.

River describes it as a qualitative attainment of organizational overview. This perspective he calls "spherical". The ability to cross-reference these attained seven disciplines produces the "Spherical" perspective. It takes dedication to organize complexity. It takes a method to apply a metaphorical concept to that task.

Some of his disciplines include: / process analyst / visual artist / musician / composer / author / poet / movie maker / applied techno-science researcher / computer consultant / systems developer /

Interdisciplinary
The foundation of interdisciplinary studies is arriving at universal dynamics sustained by cross-referencing. The wider the field of reference the greater probability of pattern recognition. A centered awareness moving freely across disciplines is the keystone of the mature interdisciplinary. The ability to zoom into specifics of a unfamiliar discipline and quickly orient an organizational overview is the flower in the interdisciplinary garden.

Process Analyst
Any path, whether electronic, legal, logical, or theoretical, is defined by causal impetus, environmental regulation, and completion of cycle. The insights necessary to create a path, or alter a path, spring from the analytic process. Conceptual organization combined with advanced discipline knowledge and the skills to gather critical application information, are key to successful analysis.

Visual Artist
As most obviously exemplified by Leonardo Da Vinci, art and science are bound from the core of discovering creation. Methods and materials for the artist are the science in the discipline of painting. Physical applications, intellectual organization, and theory are documented by many authors, including; Ralph Mayer 1957, Sir Charls Lock Eastlake 1869, and Cennino Cennini published in 1400, (The Artist's Handbook) ~ As literature, art enters the domains of documentary, theology, psychology, symbolic studies, and human history. While periodic trends may produce artists specializing in commercial applications, the master artist continues the profound investigation of our existence. The digital domain as new media is another chapter in the science of art. The human scale migrating into a newly defined universe continues the marriage of art and science.

Musician / Composer
Music as performance is the discipline of the musician. Music as original creation is the role of the composer. The tradition of crossing these borders are widely accepted in contemporary music. The quality of high esthetics remains a personal definition. Mathematics is the foundation for organizing time in both composition and performance. Musicians sometimes refer to the science and art of performance as "chops and groove." "Chops" refer to degree of expert skills, and "groove" refer to attainment of poetic spirit. Composition similarly depends on knowledge, organization, and spirit.

"Just as I cross borders in disciplines, I also cross genres in music." - River

The advancements of technology has made music a leader in the migration to the computer environment. Tools such as MIDI instruments, synthesizers, samplers, sequencers, and multi-track recording bridge the gap between art and science.

Author / Poet
"A good metaphor will maintain it's meaning in variable environments. Telling a story is the writers craft. Evoking a primal response is the poets craft. In both, arriving at an essential center is the kernel necessary for the work to unfold. As in other disciplines my way is in multiple genres. Action-adventure, science-fiction, murder mystery, allegorical fantasy, non-fiction, memoir, plays, movie scripts, and the forever flexible poetry. " - River

Movie Maker
This is the most un-traditional work. Everyone knows that movie making is for an audience. Not when you strap a camera on a rover and send it to Mars. That is pure research movie making.

"My movie process is closer to research. I have made many movies which fit normal definitions, however with few exceptions they were part of a larger process of art investigation. " - River

Many "Documentaries" as interviews with artists are actually one conversation crossing over a group of artists. Other movies present animation, computer art, traditional art, learning, documentary, and narrative.

Applied Techno-Science Researcher
Electronic Instruments: Rolland Keys, Shadow Guitar MIDI Converter, Arp Avatar, Rolland GR-300, Oberhiem Expander Modules, Yamaha v-15, Proteus 2000, Rolland Synth, Propellerhead Reason, Eventide Clockworks Harmonizer, Echoplex, Fender Stratocaster, Allen Heath Mixer, Macki Mixers, Rolland Mixers, Pro. Studio Multitracks, Cakewalk, Pro Tools, Steinberg, Sonar v3, Soundforge, Song Writer Pro, Hologramaphone Laboratories, theremin, Moog, Analogue & Digital Delays, Keyboard Computer Control Surface, Anvil Studio MIDI program, Music Masterworks program, Jammer Professional, Sample Tank, J L Cooper Digital MIDI Patchbay, Furman power conditioner, Joe Meek Studio channel, Ken Shafer Omnipressor, Phase Shifters, Alisis Air FX, ART guitar multi effects processor, DigiTech GNX-3, Parametric EQ, Graphic EQ, Sonic Foundry, and a multitude of minor effects processors chained in various configurations. Various microphones including; Sennheiser, Samson, Electro- Harmonix, AKG, Audio-Technica, Beyer Dynamic, VHF-UHF Wireless Mics, Shotgun, Lavalier Neumann, Crown, and various sets populating recording studios.

These examples are restricted to audio discipline. Similar tools and processing systems are part of "Applied Techno-Science" in movie making, visual art, web arts, and computer consultant.

Systems Developer
A good metaphor will maintain it's meaning in variable environments. In painting various systems are developed fore each application. Similarly in exploratory music systems are basic to the creative process. "Sound At The Mountain" was a project building a multiplex voice. I chained off a Fender Stratocaster with a MIDI converter to Arp Avatar, Rolland GR 300, Specter 360, 3 Oberhime expander modules, Minimoog, echoplex, split guitar signals via direct box, to many effects processors and used 4 Rolland 6 channel mixers to sub mix and bus to a master mixer output to active parametric 3 way crossover to BGW Try-Amping to 2 Cerwin-Vega big speakers. I played with various configurations for a few months.

Equestrian
As a young man River developed equestrian skills. Starting with 4-H, pony club rallies, hunting, showing, 3 day competitions and Olympic 3 day training. He studied with George Tossick, Harry Gillheise, Col. R. Ragoose, and Victor Hugio Vidal. The disciplines learned influenced his approach to other areas of life.

Cross-Genre
"From the beginning of enjoying music and art, it was obvious I was not going to join anybodies army. The idea of upholding and defending a genre to the exclusion of all others seemed ridiculous." - River

Spherical Thinking
1569: Gerardus Mercator (1512–1594) was a Flemish cartographer who in his quest to make the world “look right” on the maps developed new projection (called Mercator projection) using mathematical formulas. From then on, the image of the world that he produced on his map from 1569 becomes a conventional view of the world that we are accustomed today. It is worth noting that scientists at the US Geological Survey have designed the Space Oblique Mercator Projection, based on the Mercator's projection, which allows mapping from satellites with very little distortion.

Hermeneutics is a widely defined discipline of interpretation theory. Hermeneutics includes the entire framework of the interpretative process, encompassing all forms of communication. The concept of spherical thinking accepts complexity as a necessary process to "Make the world look right." Similar to the Mercator Projection a process of assignment of relative values is a starting point in spherical thinking. By expanding a sphere to include a greater context often predicts with greater accuracy the outcome of actions. A basic question in adding a spherical context is what is the polar opposite of what we are looking at? How does that re-shape our understanding of the subject. River's cross disciplinary explorations not only describe context of individuality but also indicate patters of universal constants which replicate themselves in localized context.