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♪ (David Byrne music) ♪

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♪ I used to think that[br]I should watch TV ♪

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♪ I used to think that[br]it was good for me ♪

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The recording part of music[br]has gotten much cheaper.

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People can record on their laptops.

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They can edit and compose[br]on their laptops,

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and the quality is fine.

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The means of production[br]have been handed to the creators,

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which is kind of wonderful,

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but it means that[br]there's a lot being created,

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and not all of it is good.

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♪ And I would lose myself[br]and it would set me free ♪

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The software that allows us[br]to record on laptops

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tends to encourage us[br]to record in certain ways.

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It tends to make the songs[br]very regular, repeatable.

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The tempos are usually[br]very strict and steady,

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which at some point in the past[br]was an ideal,

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but an absolutely steady tempo is[br]maybe not the best thing in the world

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In some ways computers and technology[br]push us in a certain direction,

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and we have to know creatively[br]when to resist that.

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When to resist the things that[br]computers make too easy.

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Depending on what kind of music it is,

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I'll start off with maybe a guitar[br]or something first to get a framework.

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Starting without the computer allows me[br]a certain kind of freedom.

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I'm not restricted by what[br]the computer tries to get me to do.

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♪ I know, I like,[br]Behold and love this giant ♪

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♪ Big soul, big lips,[br]That's me and I am this ♪

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♪ Everybody gets a touched up hairdo ♪

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♪ Everybody's in the passing lane ♪

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♪ Adoration makes you touch dark shadows ♪

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♪ Weird things that live in there ♪

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I don't think the quality of recordings[br]is the most important thing.

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The music that I heard when I was young,[br]I heard on a horrible-sounding little radio.

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But it completely moved me.

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It completely changed the way[br]I thought about music and other things.

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Obviously when I'm recording[br]or capturing a piece of music,

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I try to get the sound to be[br]as good as possible.

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But I realize that[br]somewhere down the line,

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people might be listening[br]on their phone with their headphones

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They might even be listening[br]holding their phone in their hand.

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Maybe on their computer speakers,[br]that's very likely.

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You know, the speakers that[br]are maybe this big.

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So I realize that[br]it's there if people want it.

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But if they don't want it,[br]or can't afford it or don't need it,

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I hope that the song and music works,[br]in whatever format.

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♪ How am I not your brother? ♪

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♪ How are you not like me? ♪

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When I see people listening to music[br]on their phones,

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maybe without even headphones,[br]just holding the phone up,

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it makes me wonder:[br]what kind of music works well like that?

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A global pop music?

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Is that the kind of music that[br]sounds best like this?

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Or is it some other kind of music[br]that sounds best?

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Like maybe a solo violin,[br]or something very, very simple.

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If one were to compose music that[br]sounds good when you just hold up a phone,

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what would it be?

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I don't know.

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♪ Maybe someday understand them better ♪

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♪ The weird things inside of me. ♪

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(applause)