What is music, what is not?

Machine · 10-12-2014, 09:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds

I think of music as similar to electricity, in that it's all around us, but needs to be harnessed. Random noises aren't music to me unless they've been organized.

What about seemingly random noises that are done specifically in this way to seem random if that is what has inspired this artist to make a carefully constructed randomness who's to say whether that is art or not again that would be putting something in a place it may not expand from.

Pet_Sounds · 10-12-2014, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machine

What about seemingly random noises that are done specifically in this way to seem random if that is what has inspired this artist to make a carefully constructed randomness who's to say whether that is art or not again that would be putting something in a place it may not expand from.

Those noises truly wouldn't be random, though. I really can't call myself an authority on this, since almost everything I listen has a melody.

BTW, Machine, you've made quite a splash! Stick around, we need more like you.

Machine · 10-12-2014, 09:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds

Those noises truly wouldn't be random, though. I really can't call myself an authority on this, since almost everything I listen has a melody.

BTW, Machine, you've made quite a splash! Stick around, we need more like you.

True this is true, can the same be said about field recordings and the such?

Oh thanks a lot so far everyone has been really cool so I think I'll stick around it's a pretty cool forum.

Pet_Sounds · 10-12-2014, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machine

True this is true, can the same be said about field recordings and the such?

Oh thanks a lot so far everyone has been really cool so I think I'll stick around it's a pretty cool forum.

I don't think I'd consider field recordings music. But, then again, I don't know. My ears know what music is, but it's hard to rationalize.

Machine · 10-12-2014, 10:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pet_Sounds

I don't think I'd consider field recordings music. But, then again, I don't know. My ears know what music is, but it's hard to rationalize.

I totally get what you're saying that's why I was saying part of this topic is subjective to what you believe. I'm saying the artist who made those field recordings might have been musically inclined to do so.

DwnWthVwls · 10-12-2014, 11:07 PM

I don't consider ambient sounds as music unless something is added to them. I do enjoy the sound of it but there is nothing about it that screams music rather it's live or recorded.

Ninetales · 10-13-2014, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frownland

If it's music when it's recorded, what stops it from being music when it's occurring outside of a recording?

Interesting. I could probably be convinced that anything some particular person says is music actually is, but I think there is a distinction between the dogs barking at my neighbors house and something that's recorded for consumption/enjoyment. Im absolutely open to other theories tho

grindy · 10-13-2014, 03:38 AM

Another interesting aspect of this whole discussion might be, what is left of music if you break it down. Half a song is still music. What about a note? What about the silence between notes?
What about Alvin Lucier's "I am sitting in a room"? As it progresses it does become some kind of ambient, but what about the first repetitions?
And what about skits? What about intros and outros?
What about the 1,2,3,4 so popular in punk rock? Is it just a tool for the band to start at the same time?
Then what about its use in The Gerogerigegege's "Instruments Disorder"? It's there constantly and does seem to be part of the music somehow.
Just throwing some questions around, not sure about the answers myself.

Machine · 10-13-2014, 05:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grindy

Another interesting aspect of this whole discussion might be, what is left of music if you break it down. Half a song is still music. What about a note? What about the silence between notes?
What about Alvin Lucier's "I am sitting in a room"? As it progresses it does become some kind of ambient, but what about the first repetitions?
And what about skits? What about intros and outros?
What about the 1,2,3,4 so popular in punk rock? Is it just a tool for the band to start at the same time?
Then what about its use in The Gerogerigegege's "Instruments Disorder"? It's there constantly and does seem to be part of the music somehow.
Just throwing some questions around, not sure about the answers myself.

Oh I completely forgot about "I Am Sitting In A Room" this is a good point the ambiance between notes can be just as important as the notes themselves.

grindy · 10-13-2014, 05:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Machine

Oh I completely forgot about "I Am Sitting In A Room" this is a good point the ambiance between notes can be just as important as the notes themselves.

It's a great piece. Sure the concept is cool and all that, but it's also really beautiful in a hypnotic way.

10-13-2014, 03:38 AM	#78 (permalink)
grindy . Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: . Posts: 7,201	Another interesting aspect of this whole discussion might be, what is left of music if you break it down. Half a song is still music. What about a note? What about the silence between notes? What about Alvin Lucier's "I am sitting in a room"? As it progresses it does become some kind of ambient, but what about the first repetitions? And what about skits? What about intros and outros? What about the 1,2,3,4 so popular in punk rock? Is it just a tool for the band to start at the same time? Then what about its use in The Gerogerigegege's "Instruments Disorder"? It's there constantly and does seem to be part of the music somehow. Just throwing some questions around, not sure about the answers myself. Last edited by grindy; 10-13-2014 at 04:09 AM.