Experiencing Music

I've had this thought since there are as many opinions on music as there are opinions, do you think that people experience music differently? I know that there is something inherent in our humanness that draws us to music. Even those of us that do not dance well still enjoy swaying to the rhythms. But I think that people enjoy music on various levels. For instance I think that some people if you provide an appropriate hook and turn a phrase in lyrics that is in a way catchy, enjoy it immensely but then tire of the sound as it becomes too familiar. Others seem to be drawn to the complexity of the rhythms and patterns and lyrics seem to not matter at all. I had a friend of mine that is a professional musician, graduated from Tech with a music degree and the got his masters at USC (California) and today is a professional musician tell me "you can't hear music the way I do". I was not at all insulted by this because I assume it is true and he wasn't saying it to brag, just stating a fact.

For me I enjoy music on so many levels. I hear a lot of you talk about this band or that being crap, etc. I don't get that. There are sounds I don't like, the scream or throaty growl of some harder bands turns me off in an instance. I'm sure there is some redeeming quality in that type of music but I just can't get to it. For me it depends on my mood, but I can get lost in the most bland tune out there at times and at others can't stand to hear the same song. Or I can listen to a song that I have heard literally thousands of times an focus in on the bass line, or a drum part or whatever and find something new that I like. Other times the simplicity of a lyric can strike me as so poignant I wonder how it too so long for someone to think of it. Or I can listen to the rhythmic ramblings of Bob Dylan and wonder how anyone could ever think to say the things he said in that manner.

OK, so I'm turning into Spinoza here so I will wrap it up. In a nut shell as Hank Williams Jr once said, "you're the only one that you are screwing, when you put down what you don't understand".

Cheers,

Gonzo

It's like learning a language. Most people in the South can count to 10 and say basic words they hear over and over in Spanish. Others can speak it fluently, understand dialect, know slang terms, etc. Music is no different.

The same goes, by the way, for music composition. You won't see someone like, say, Green Day writing a symphony any time soon...or venturing far from the 4 chords they know, for that matter. Listen to many bands and you will notice 2 things...1. other people often write their music and 2. their songs, for the most part, all follow the same form.

I must have ADD or something because I just can't enjoy music that is simple or formulaic. I need layers and complex patterns (rhythms and/or melodies) or changes in the musical elements to focus on for music to keep my attention. Something that is dense requires greater attention to follow what is going on, but I feel like the reward is much greater. For example, you can turn close your eyes and follow the rhythm and listen to how everything plays off of it.

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Originally Posted by Guisslapp

I must have ADD or something because I just can't enjoy music that is simple or formulaic. I need layers and complex patterns (rhythms and/or melodies) or changes in the musical elements to focus on for music to keep my attention. Something that is dense requires greater attention to follow what is going on, but I feel like the reward is much greater. For example, you can turn close your eyes and follow the rhythm and listen to how everything plays off of it.

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When I mentioned the enjoying rhythms and patterns you were the person I had in mind. Like I said I think people enjoy different things in music. I think we hear it differently. I don't think everyone can follow those patterns like some people can. I think I hear music more in blocks of tones. It's why I'm able to follow chord patterns. I wonder, are lyrics very important to you? My theory is that they are not.

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Originally Posted by GonzoDawg

When I mentioned the enjoying rhythms and patterns you were the person I had in mind. Like I said I think people enjoy different things in music. I think we hear it differently. I don't think everyone can follow those patterns like some people can. I think I hear music more in blocks of tones. It's why I'm able to follow chord patterns. I wonder, are lyrics very important to you? My theory is that they are not.

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Lyics will not make a song for me, but they can break one. They can really add to the music when they effectively capture the imagery of the music or when they are thoughtful.

I saw Cat Stevens, or Yusuf Islam as he is known now on Chris Isaac's show a while back, and he said the main reason he started writing his own music was because he was such a lousy guitar player that he found everyone else's music to be too complicated. I think most lousy guitar players would find his music to be way too complicated. I guess you have to be inclined to march to the beat of a different drummer sometimes.

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Originally Posted by Guisslapp

Lyics will not make a song for me, but they can break one. They can really add to the music when they effectively capture the imagery of the music or when they are thoughtful.

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I get that. It is however quite subjective.

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Originally Posted by GonzoDawg

I get that. It is however quite subjective.

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Good lyrics or good music?

Good MUSIC without repetitive lyrics.

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Originally Posted by DocMarvin362

Good MUSIC without repetitive lyrics.

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Doc prefers music that does it all for the nookie

the nookie







the nookie

Example of GOOD lyrics according to Guisslapp: Lateralus, by Tool

The song is really about the beauty of the universe and the seemingly infinite creative possiblities of humanity. The song relates the two to the "golden ratio" which appears throughout nature and is relevant in many different creative fields (and alchemy). The golden ratio can be calculated by computing the limit of the successive terms of the fibonacci sequence (1.618...). The golden ratio and fibonacci numbers (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13...) appear throughout the song. The "golden spiral" is a particularly well known graphical representation of the fibonacci sequence, and there are several references to it.

First, the lyrics begin at 1:37 in the song which is ~ 1.618 minutes. The chorus is in a successive 9/8, 8/8, 7/8 time. 987 is a fibonacci number. The verse lyrics are also presented in fibonacci numbered syllables. The lyics are below and I have noted the fibonacci numbers so you don't have to count on your fingers.

Black [1]
then [1]
white are [2]
all I see [3]
in my infancy. [5]
red and yellow then came to be, [8]
reaching out to me. [5]
lets me see. [3]

As below, so above and beyond, I imagine [13]
drawn beyond the lines of reason. [8]
Push the envelope. [5]
Watch it bend. [3]

Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition, missing opportunities and I must
Feed my will to feel my moment drawing way outside the lines.

Black [1]
then [1]
white are [2]
all I see [3]
in my infancy.[5]
red and yellow then came to be, [8]
reaching out to me. [5]
lets me see [3]
there is [2]
so [1]
much [1]
more and [2]
beckons me [3]
to look through to these [5]
infinite possibilities.[8]
As below, so above and beyond, I imagine [13]
drawn outside the lines of reason. [8]
Push the envelope. [5]
Watch it bend.[3]

Over thinking, over analyzing separates the body from the mind.
Withering my intuition leaving all these opportunities behind.
Feed my will to feel this moment urging me to cross the line.
Reaching out to embrace the random.
Reaching out to embrace whatever may come.

I embrace my desire to
feel the rhythm, to feel connected
enough to step aside and weep like a widow
to feel inspired, to fathom the power,
to witness the beauty, to bathe in the fountain,
to swing on the spiral
of our divinity and still be a human.
With my feet upon the ground I lose myself
between the sounds and open wide to suck it in,
I feel it move across my skin.
I'm reaching up and reaching out,
I'm reaching for the random or what ever will bewilder me.
And following our will and wind we may just go where no one's been.
We'll ride the spiral to the end and may just go where no one's been.
Spiral out. Keep going, going...

That is very cool Guiss. You've obviously spent a lot of time listening to that song and I can see where the intricate nature of that song and it's relation to the universe and it's order appeals to you. To answer your question" both. They must be subjective otherwise we would all agree on what music is best, and what lyrics are best. I've tried to look at things from a little different perspective in that I try to find something that I like in all forms of music rather than shutting myself off. It's is sometimes a fruitless effort. Some music I can find no redeeming qualities in at all, especially as I get older. But I am careful not to write of the music of "these kids today". I grew up in a house with a Dad that listened to Jazz, Big Band, 50's Rock, my Mom was classic country and gospel. She actually sang on the radio on a Sunday morning program. Then I had two older sisters who were listening to all kinds of Rock so by the time I was formulating my own tastes I had a very eclectic background. I loved the rock of the 70's but I also loved Funk. Lyrically I tend to like more abstract lyrics that allow me to make my own interpretations, but I also enjoy a good story. So there you go.

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Originally Posted by Guisslapp

The song is really about the beauty of the universe and the seemingly infinite creative possiblities of humanity. The song relates the two to the "golden ratio" which appears throughout nature and is relevant in many different creative fields (and alchemy). The golden ratio can be calculated by computing the limit of the successive terms of the fibonacci sequence (1.618...). The golden ratio and fibonacci numbers (1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13...) appear throughout the song. The "golden spiral" is a particularly well known graphical representation of the fibonacci sequence, and there are several references to it.

First, the lyrics begin at 1:37 in the song which is ~ 1.618 minutes. The chorus is in a successive 9/8, 8/8, 7/8 time. 987 is a fibonacci number. The verse lyrics are also presented in fibonacci numbered syllables. The lyics are below and I have noted the fibonacci numbers so you don't have to count on your fingers.

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Did you see the episode of Criminal Minds where the killer is obsessed with the Fibonacci sequence??

It's a fantastic episode with Jason Alexander as the serial killer. If you get the chance to catch that episode, I highly recommend it.

http://www.tv.com/criminal-minds/mas...2/summary.html

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/crimina...408/recaps.php


And a link to the song.... :icon_wink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDlC7oG_2W4

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Originally Posted by DocMarvin362

Did you see the episode of Criminal Minds where the killer is obsessed with the Fibonacci sequence??

It's a fantastic episode with Jason Alexander as the serial killer. If you get the chance to catch that episode, I highly recommend it.

http://www.tv.com/criminal-minds/mas...2/summary.html

http://www.cbs.com/primetime/crimina...408/recaps.php


And a link to the song.... :icon_wink:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDlC7oG_2W4

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I did, actually. My wife loves those types of shows.