Why are these views prevalent in electronic music?

[corpu5]

Q. Why did the silly pianoist keep banging his head against the piano?

A. He was trying to play by ear!

seems relevant to me

that may be true for the piano. Not for a guitar though. I know nothing about scales but i can make some sick licks ya getme

[skanky beats]

that full first post

[nowaysj]

Next person to quote that full first post is getting banned.

I'm beginning to develop an affection for our new overlord.

[3za]

Q. Why did the clever EDM producer take algebra lessons?

A. He was trying to learn the formula

[kaiori breathe]

3za going ape shit with jokes he got in his christmas crackers, awwwww

Theory only relates to tones. I don't get how you could apply theory to perc/etc in a way that'll help you write tunes.

Theory relates to rhythm too.

I wonder why people are so obsessed with this topic and why they get so very frustrated with it.

Like I already said I'm not frustrated.

why the fuck would you take the time to write this out???????? shut up and make some music

That question has been covered numerous times, read the thread and contribute or don't read it and leave it without posting - either option would be more constructive than making such a waste post. As for the 'shut up and make some music' I think the best judge of how I should spend my time is me. Thanks for your input.

quanity > quality?

Just because somebody has a high output shouldn't instantly lead to the thought that it must be of a low quality. My output is as high as it is not because I'm lazily throwing tunes out, but because my life is entirely built around music - when your life entirely revolves around music it becomes natural to have a high output. As for quality, I don't release a song unless I've done several things, firstly I have to look at the tune and be able to say 'there is honestly nothing more I can do to this that would add to it', secondly I have to think and verify via fellow producers input and honest friends that it's of a high enough level of musical and production quality for public consumption, thirdly the song has to actually mean something to me and contain real thoughts/views/memories/experiences and finally I have to be able to say I like everything about the tune. To me that ensures quality is maintained while I keep up a high output.

Cause, in another thread, I accidentally said "theory-beating, and cookie cutter" in a one off joke

Did you? I don't think I saw it. It's not all about you This thread is not born out of something you've said

K, why u always talking about chords? Who gives a shit about chords?

Because it's the most accessible aspect of theory to most people, those with strong levels of knowledge in theory will understand it just as those with a minimal understanding of theory will understand, even the average joe who knows nothing about music will probably have heard the words 'chord sequence' and have a vague understanding of what it is, as such I feel chords are a good place to start and one of the best and most useful representations of 'theory' that I could use here.

Chords are different nowadays. Take this chord: The first is lawnmower on a sunny California morning, the third is Oregon creek through sequoias, the fifth is Manhattan yellow cab tire screech.

I disagree. Chords are not different nowadays, saying those things are chords doesn't make them chords. If you really want to define them according to theory they're better defined as unordered tone clusters or unordered pitch class sets. Chords are ordered, the sounds you listed are not.

When you start to look at chords like this, all that I iv V mumbojumbo seems awfully formulaic and pretty uninteresting... to me at least, to each their own.

'Normal' music that follows harmonic sequences and melodic movements is far more rousing to me than music from the avant-garde spectrum, like that you describe, and that to me is far more important than whether something is interesting or original. I'm sure to many people avant-garde/20th C music is original and interesting and more pleasurable to listen to than 'normal' music, but I just don't enjoy it and it's not out of a lack of understanding or a lack of exposure, it's just I have a preference for hearing notemusic voiced in traditional ways rather than through taxi tires and creaking floor boards.

I like serialism that's as 'weird' as I get... And even then I ruin it by liking it for the pure application of maths and formula and it's rigorous structure.

[nowaysj]

far more rousing to me than music from the avant-garde spectrum

Jokes. Maybe you could consider Prefuse73, The Books, James Blake, Flylo to be avant-garde, I wouldn't, maybe middle garde at most. Skeletal beats and tonality wrapped with ample body of TEXTURE TEXTURE TEXTURE!

---

Was said that you can't possibly consider knowledge of music theory a hindrance to writing good music. And for me, lack of music theory knowledge has been a hindrance in many instances, but still, I've seen it repeated nearly ad infinitum, the dreck turned out by those well schooled in theory. In honesty, I'd rather listen to the naive constructions of enthusiastic school boys than the masterful compositions of the educated elite.

As always, to each their own.

[deadly_habit]

[Basic A]

@Kai, you quoted me without the wuote box ... Ive an alias now.

[Biscuit]

Hey great post OP. I generally agree with what you had to say. I'd like to know more theory and stuff than I do because I basically know none in the traditional sense. Nearly everything I know about music I've picked up through that "third way" you described.

Don't have a lot else to add but my progression through music goes something like this:

Oldies riding around with my parents in the car > MC Hammer/Vanilla Ice type of stuff > Shitty pop R&B > "Grunge" > Thrash and Death Metal/Reggae at about the same time > Punk Rock > better Hip Hop Stuff > Hardcore (in the punk sense) > Trance > Gabber/Hardcore > Kind of fell out of EDM stuff but still into punk > Ska/Dancehall/Dub Reggae > Dubstep > just recently finding new appreciation for DNB cuz I used to really not like it when I was into trance and gabber, Getting into Dubstep made me hear it with a different set of ears I guess.

When I got into grunge and Nirvana and stuff is when I would say I became what I'd call an active consumer of music instead of a passive one, music was just kind of filler that broke up quiet for me before that but after I really became interested in it for itself. I played bass in a hardcore punk band for like 4 years. I've always wanted to be a drummer but despite a sincere effort to learn on my part my feet are retarded and won't operate the kick and hi hat the way I want them to. That's part of what drew me into recently starting to produce some dubstep is it's given me a way to express myself through rhythm and drums that I haven't been able to do before.

The Dub Vultures thing me and my friend Jesse do has been still mostly me thus far but I'm getting my friend more actively involved because he understands melody and chords and structure far more than I do but he knows fuck all about rhythm and has trouble putting beats and things together, and while I don't understand rhythm and percussion in a technical sense I think I have a decent feel for it and enjoy it a whole lot. It's kinda like I have melody in my head but I'm terrible at extracting it, and the same is true for him with beats. But we worked together in the punk band I was in where he played lead guitar and we know how to communicate with each other and be able to sort of create what we each have in mind. We complement each other that way. So hopefully once he gets in on the mix a little bit more we will be able to put together some sweet tunes.

Anyway sorry for being long-winded and all that. Just really enjoyed the post.

[gravity]

In honesty, I'd rather listen to the naive constructions of enthusiastic school boys than the masterful compositions of the educated elite.

As always, to each their own.

i guess theres no accounting for taste. id rather smash my brains out with a shovel than listen to some atonal fucking racket, unless its obviously meant to be that way (trust me you can tell).

[skanky beats]

[therapist]

I hate this thread so much but can't stop looking at it.

[skanky beats]

I hate

[Phase Down]

You care too much about other people's opinion

[Eplo]

Not sure about the first bit, i wouldnt phrase it quite like you did, as surely the majority of electronic genres have a basic formula e.g. dubstep - 140ish, half step, prominent bass, drum and bass - 170ish, syncopated kick with snares on 2 and 4 (I may be wrong). i think people have a problem with pop music being 'generic' whatever that means, but not neccesarily formulas. other than that pretty well articulated

[kaiori breathe]

I hate this thread so much but can't stop looking at it.

Don't really know what could make you feel 'hate' since the whole way through I've been pretty diplomatic and I haven't assaulted anybody's character/taste/ideas, not only that but I've said on numerous occasions I'm not asking anybody to think the way I do or agree with me or change their views. I may have disagreed with people, but it's been left at that. With that taken into account I'm really not sure how you could end up feeling hate. Regardless, I offer apologies for creating such a feeling of 'hate' in you during your time spent on these forums.

fuck this thread and its large amoutns of text

Yea, fuck this thread!

Anyway sorry for being long-winded and all that. Just really enjoyed the post.

... This is a Kaiori Breathe thread. Be as long winded as you like

You care too much about other people's opinion

I'm pretty sure I've already stated on numerous times now I don't care what opinion anybody chooses to take or voice. I may disagree with their opinions but I don't care about changing them. Maybe you should read a thread before trying to contribute in future because that has been made pretty painfully obvious on numerous occasions. Coincidentally, even if I did care about other people's opinions 'too much' according to your standards, well, who are you to tell me what the appropriate level of caring about the opinions others hold is? I'll care to whatever degree I feel appropriate, not the degree you think is.

[deadly_habit]

dood you're preaching to a generation of kids who any time someone dislikes something be it theirs or something they like, they spout off "haters gonna hate durrrr", like you're immediately jealous, which often is not the case, they're often just too egotistical or dense to understand that

[paravrais]

fuck this thread and its large amoutns of text

If you don't like reading why are you on a forum?? XD

kapow.

[deadly_habit]

fuck this thread and its large amoutns of text

If you don't like reading why are you on a forum?? XD

kapow.

i'm here for the vast abundance of bitches who like smiley faces, it's how i get all my poon

[Phase Down]

you still care too much dude!