Anyone Else Dislike Most Long Songs?

Trollheart · 08-15-2012, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

My point is that if bands or composers haven't been able to make their musical point in the first six minutes, then I don't expect them to do so after that time, and I don't have the patience to wait around and find out if I'm wrong.

What "musical point"? I don't listen to music to hear what point the artiste is trying to make: that's often clear from the title, if needed, or else from the first verse. It's seldom any song would go over six minutes before the artiste "made their point". Don't understand what you mean there.

Quote:

Recently I've been trying to listen to some 10 minute long metal songs, but when the last 4 minutes of the song are exactly like the first 6 minutes (which often seems the case), I don't want to listen to those final 4 minutes, since they offer nothing new.

Yeah, but then you apply that logic to ALL longer songs? If they go over your stated maximum length then they MUST all be songs that sound the same all the way through, so no point listening? Have you heard Iron Maiden's "Rime of the ancient mariner"? All thirteen minutes of it?

Quote:

I think my opinion on song length is a direct result of my personality: I tend to like to *do* things actively rather than sit still and absorb (music) passively. I almost never listen to music without multi-tasking, for example.

It's fine to multitask when listening to music, if that's your thing, though I prefer to listen as closely as I can. That's not to say I just sit there and do nothing else (I'm usually typing) but unless it's the album I'm reviewing or part of the piece I'm writing I usually find music can distract from my flow of thought, and thereby from the writing. But sometimes music just should be "soaked in", and for that the longer pieces do come into their own.

Mrd00d · 08-15-2012, 02:53 PM

You can bring a horse to water but ye can't make him drink.

Trollheart and I are on the same page point by point.

These comments are all as referred to OP, not you Vegangelica (WB!); I understand where you're coming from more than OP because my friend is the same way. But like I said earlier, there's always a time and a place for this sort of thing, where it's appropriate. Like car rides or doing chores around the house.

I don't feel like quoting it but the fact that OP said he tries to tune out the music that he is trying to listen to... it's a /facepalm "I give up before I really begin trying to help" moment.

Screen13 · 08-15-2012, 03:43 PM

I'm sure that this will turn out to be a phase later on. Maybe not, but there's a chance that something will break the barriers, but it's up to the listener.

Maybe the "Right Long Song" has not appeared...yet.

Urban Hat€monger ? · 08-15-2012, 03:46 PM

To be fair if the only long songs I had heard were by Richard Marx, Guns n Roses & The Eagles I'd probably hate all long songs too.

Trollheart · 08-15-2012, 03:54 PM

Yeah but that's what I don't understand: it doesn't happen that way.
If you hear a bad metal song (in your opinion) do you decide that's it, no more metal for me? It's as mad as saying that song was too long, so I won't listen to any more long songs. I just cannot wrap my head around it at all. What difference does it matter if the song lasts 2 minutes, 20 minutes or 2 hours? If I hate it, then it doesn't matter how long/short it is, I won't listen to it, but it won't stop me listening to others of the same length, and vice versa.

The only two reasons I look at length with songs is 1) when reviewing, as I like to see what's the shortest and longest songs, and if they deserve to be and 2) when an album has few tracks, I expect at least one of them to be over 10 minutes to make it worth while buying. Also, if I'm enjoying a song for the first time and haven't noted its length, I will probably look to see how much longer there is to go.

Other than that, I couldn't give a

**Janszoon** · 08-15-2012, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Yeah but that's what I don't understand: it doesn't happen that way.
If you hear a bad metal song (in your opinion) do you decide that's it, no more metal for me? It's as mad as saying that song was too long, so I won't listen to any more long songs. I just cannot wrap my head around it at all. What difference does it matter if the song lasts 2 minutes, 20 minutes or 2 hours? If I hate it, then it doesn't matter how long/short it is, I won't listen to it, but it won't stop me listening to others of the same length, and vice versa.

Now if we could just get you to apply this same line of thinking to all the "street music" you refuse to give a chance we'd be getting somewhere.

Trollheart · 08-15-2012, 04:12 PM

Like what, Jansz? I'm open-minded enough musically, but I do know certain styles of music I don't like: punk, hip-hop, gangsta rap, death metal and so on, so there's probably little point in trying any of those. I have, let's see, about close to a terabyte of a music collection on the PC, with perhaps half of that music I have yet to listen to, so I'm careful about what I try out.

Knowing my tastes, if you have anything you think I'd like and want to shoot my way, feel free, but remember I hate death vocals and I'm just not able to get into rap, does nothing for me at all.

Incidentally, I'm looking for guest reviewers for the journal: interested?

**Janszoon** · 08-15-2012, 04:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Like what, Jansz?

I don't know, I'm just paraphrasing a comment I saw you make about why you've never listened to trip-hop I believe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

I'm open-minded enough musically, but I do know certain styles of music I don't like: punk, hip-hop, gangsta rap, death metal and so on, so there's probably little point in trying any of those. I have, let's see, about close to a terabyte of a music collection on the PC, with perhaps half of that music I have yet to listen to, so I'm careful about what I try out.

Knowing my tastes, if you have anything you think I'd like and want to shoot my way, feel free, but remember I hate death vocals and I'm just not able to get into rap, does nothing for me at all.

Heh. You're dismissing absolutely massive swaths of the music out there in these remarks. You don't see the parallels to what the OP is saying? How is "I'm just not able to get into rap" any different from "I'm just not able to get into long songs"?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Incidentally, I'm looking for guest reviewers for the journal: interested?

Sure thing. Send me something and I'd be happy to do a little write up.

sopsych · 08-15-2012, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VEGANGELICA

No, I'm not saying they are talentless, since we aren't talking about talent but rather listener preferences.

My point is that if bands or composers haven't been able to make their musical point in the first six minutes, then I don't expect them to do so after that time, and I don't have the patience to wait around and find out if I'm wrong.

Recently I've been trying to listen to some 10 minute long metal songs, but when the last 4 minutes of the song are exactly like the first 6 minutes (which often seems the case), I don't want to listen to those final 4 minutes, since they offer nothing new.

I think my opinion on song length is a direct result of my personality: I tend to like to *do* things actively rather than sit still and absorb (music) passively. I almost never listen to music without multi-tasking, for example.

I very much agree with this and thank her for making the points so well. (It figures that the first two bands on her profile's list are two I like a lot.)

Also, to reply to someone else...

Quote:

I'm not necessarily talking about extended plays. But if you hear, for instance, the "radio" or "single" or "edit" version of a song you like, and it clocks in at, say 4 minutes, and you discover there's a seven-minute version on the album, you wouldn't want to listen to it? Or a longer instrumental perhaps?

Yes, in that case, I would. Edited versions often are inferior to the original. If only most of the extremely long songs were editable....

By the way, I have a similar attitude toward movie length - except there it's a rule more than guideline (very long means no, won't even start).

-----------------------------------------

Psst, there probably isn't any 6-minute Richard Marx song

It would be hard for me to excuse a solo artist making such a long tune.

Key · 08-15-2012, 05:15 PM

^You responded to the only person who agreed with you and refused to respond to anybody who is against your opinion. Yeah, i'm done with this thread.

08-15-2012, 02:53 PM	#52 (permalink)
Mrd00d Stoned and Jammin' Out Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Northern California; Eugene, OR; mobile Posts: 1,602	You can bring a horse to water but ye can't make him drink. Trollheart and I are on the same page point by point. These comments are all as referred to OP, not you Vegangelica (WB!); I understand where you're coming from more than OP because my friend is the same way. But like I said earlier, there's always a time and a place for this sort of thing, where it's appropriate. Like car rides or doing chores around the house. I don't feel like quoting it but the fact that OP said he tries to tune out the music that he is trying to listen to... it's a /facepalm "I give up before I really begin trying to help" moment. __________________ Mrd00d's Last.fm Last edited by Mrd00d; 08-15-2012 at 02:58 PM.

08-15-2012, 03:46 PM	#54 (permalink)
Urban Hat€monger ? The Sexual Intellectual Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Somewhere cooler than you Posts: 18,605	To be fair if the only long songs I had heard were by Richard Marx, Guns n Roses & The Eagles I'd probably hate all long songs too. __________________ Urb's RYM Stuff Most people sell their soul to the devil, but the devil sells his soul to Nick Cave.

08-15-2012, 03:54 PM	#55 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Yeah but that's what I don't understand: it doesn't happen that way. If you hear a bad metal song (in your opinion) do you decide that's it, no more metal for me? It's as mad as saying that song was too long, so I won't listen to any more long songs. I just cannot wrap my head around it at all. What difference does it matter if the song lasts 2 minutes, 20 minutes or 2 hours? If I hate it, then it doesn't matter how long/short it is, I won't listen to it, but it won't stop me listening to others of the same length, and vice versa. The only two reasons I look at length with songs is 1) when reviewing, as I like to see what's the shortest and longest songs, and if they deserve to be and 2) when an album has few tracks, I expect at least one of them to be over 10 minutes to make it worth while buying. Also, if I'm enjoying a song for the first time and haven't noted its length, I will probably look to see how much longer there is to go. Other than that, I couldn't give a __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

08-15-2012, 04:12 PM	#57 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	Like what, Jansz? I'm open-minded enough musically, but I do know certain styles of music I don't like: punk, hip-hop, gangsta rap, death metal and so on, so there's probably little point in trying any of those. I have, let's see, about close to a terabyte of a music collection on the PC, with perhaps half of that music I have yet to listen to, so I'm careful about what I try out. Knowing my tastes, if you have anything you think I'd like and want to shoot my way, feel free, but remember I hate death vocals and I'm just not able to get into rap, does nothing for me at all. Incidentally, I'm looking for guest reviewers for the journal: interested? __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

08-15-2012, 03:43 PM	#53 (permalink)
Screen13 Music Addict Join Date: Jan 2010 Posts: 1,388	I'm sure that this will turn out to be a phase later on. Maybe not, but there's a chance that something will break the barriers, but it's up to the listener. Maybe the "Right Long Song" has not appeared...yet.

08-15-2012, 05:15 PM	#60 (permalink)
Key . Join Date: Dec 2010 Posts: 13,153	^You responded to the only person who agreed with you and refused to respond to anybody who is against your opinion. Yeah, i'm done with this thread.