Quote johnny h:

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Dont think you ever did

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No - I probably didn't.

But if you want to believe that some tunesters banging out (in all fairness, rather good) ditties to order have a deeper understanding of music and 'soul' than others, so be it.

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Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

I'm constantly dismayed by the suggestion that 'popular' automatically equates to 'good'. By that standard McDonalds must be the best food on the planet.

And if longevity is anything to go by then 'three blind mice' must be one heck of a song.

Simplicity sells, but some of us are looking for a little more.

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An Eagle for an Emperor, A Kestrel for a Knave.

here here

I more or less agree, but at the same time simple tunes have their place.

If I'm a bit stressed and want to chill out, a nice easy-listening tune is exactly what I want.

I read some time ago (sorry can't remember where) that when you listen to music your brain tries to guess what the next note will be, and every time it gets it right, gives itself a mental pat on the back. Whereas when it's wrong a sort of alert warning is given and you end up paying more attention.

This would seem to fall in line with my experience that when I specifically want to listen to music, the simple stuff doesn't cut it.

The exception (for me) is music that is obviously composed purely to show of how clever the performer is - that irritates me and i'll get away from it as fast as I can.

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It wasn't me!
(Well, actually, it probably was)

Quote hollowsun:

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Quote johnny h:

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Dont think you ever did

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No - I probably didn't.

But if you want to believe that some tunesters banging out (in all fairness, rather good) ditties to order have a deeper understanding of music and 'soul' than others, so be it.

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I'm not sure how you can conclude this to be honest.

Quote Folderol:

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I more or less agree, but at the same time simple tunes have their place.

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Of course they do.

But the assertion made earlier that Motown's writers had a deeper understanding of music than others was absurd.

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Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

Edited by hollowsun (21/02/10 03:42 PM)

Quote hollowsun:

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Quote Folderol:

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I more or less agree, but at the same time simple tunes have their place.

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Of course they do.

But the assertion made earlier that Motown's writers had a deeper understanding of music than others was absurd.

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Oh no it wasn't...

I thought the panto season was over now!

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Website / Music Lab Machines / Blog

What's so great abou having a deep understanding of music, anyway? Surely to have a deep understanding means to have a deep knowledge of what has gone before, and that just means you are efficient at making things that are like stuff that's been done before. Ok if you do that for a living, perhaps an orchestrator or arranger, but not much good if you aspire to make new fresh and exciting contemporary music. All that education will just be a hinderance.

As Roger Waters said "if you can play it's hard not to copy things, but we couldn't play, we couldn't copy things."

If by 'understanding' you mean being in touch with your wizard spirit muso soul, then ok, i'd go along with that.

Quote The Southern Baptist:

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Surely to have a deep understanding means to have a deep knowledge of what has gone before, and that just means you are efficient at making things that are like stuff that's been done before.

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I don't think that necessarily follows. For instance, if I have a greater knowledge of the guitar and how to make it sing, where the notes are and how to do various techniques, it helps me construct music that goes to different places compared to if I only had a basic knowledge (a few chords for instance).

Sometimes that knowledge helps you break away from things that have gone before (in as much as it's possible to do these days.)

Sure, knowledge doesn't guarantee *good* music - there are plenty of widdly widdly guitarists who have amazing technique but not much originality, soul or inspiration. And I'm sure that sometimes it *can* get in the way - lots of good music is made by people who have seemingly less skills or technique.

Limitations can be good, and they can be bad. Really, it's not down to any one thing - the quality of the music is purely down to the creator, and the listener, and are the result of many many variables on a given day.

Quote desmond:

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Limitations can be good, and they can be bad. Really, it's not down to any one thing - the quality of the music is purely down to the creator, and the listener, and are the result of many many variables on a given day.

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That quote should be framed and hung over the entrance to the forum.