Aesthetics of Music

Hey guys,

I have recently been wondering, what do YOU define 'good music'?
I am very open-minded when it comes to music. I mainly like experimental music, my favourite musicians being Aphex Twin, Frank Zappa and Deerhoof, however I also enjoy mainstream radio music, classical, and many other genres. In fact, I'd like to think I would give EVERYTHING a go. Even then, if I didn't like it I would still appreciate it as music, as I know someone out there is having a blast.

So, what's your opinions?

Calum

The crucial thing for me is an interesting, appealing melody. Inventive production is just a bonus.

Love Aphex Twin.

I'm pretty diverse as well. I have to actually hear something, before I can say I don't like it, and I can't think of any genre I know of, from which I don't like at least one song.

Taking that into consideration, there are many different things I use to denote "good music." It really depends on what I'm looking for.

If I feel like dancing, something with a really pronounced drum line (most notably: breakbeats) and some melodic content is what I'd figure "good." (As opposed to just the flat 'boom boom booms' and 'bleeps bloops and sirens' of a lot of other dance music.)

If I'm listening to a guitarist, it depends on their specialty. I appreciate speed-metal soloing for its technicality, but it's often lacking in any emotion whatsoever. I tend to gravitate toward artists who can incorporate the two elements together (Stevie Ray Vaughan, Hendrix, Orianthi). When it comes to hip-hop, I'll take technical, conscious lyrics over gangster-movie commercials set to music and a nursery rhyme level format. It's really hard to quantify "good" music. I guess, for me, it's just that certain blend of technicality and soul that strikes me a specific way.

I think the bad is a little easier to define. Something that just seems completely uninspired. Something that's been done to death, or uses shortcuts to try to make someone who isn't very talented sound like they are (auto-tune, excessive editing). I can't stand Happy Hardcore, for the most part, or any other genre that passes off structureless noise as music. (Some times of house, drum and bass, industrial and metal fall into that category, but I also love many selections from each).

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Originally Posted by Oneironaut

Love Aphex Twin.
or any other genre that passes off structureless noise as music

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Interesting...I agree with the most part of your comment, however what do you think about Noise, Drone and other experimental (often improvized) music? Considering you enjoy Aphex Twin I may as well use his music as an example.

YouTube - AFX - Ktpa1

That song is basically noise, and I doubt there was much composing that came into it. However I find a place in my heart for it, I guess cos I know Richard D. James probably had a hell of a time mucking around with all those crazy, glitchy noises. In addition, I genuinely find it quite enjoyable - why, I don't know.

Another point I'd like to make is I have always had the aesthetic that music does NOT need to be well produced. An example of this is The Microphones. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbpSkTPr1g0 I think that musician (and that song specifically) is wonderful and dripping with emotion, and the poor lo-fi production simply gives it that much more rawness and emotion.

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YouTube - AFX - Ktpa1

That song is basically noise, and I doubt there was much composing that came into it. However I find a place in my heart for it, I guess cos I know Richard D. James probably had a hell of a time mucking around with all those crazy, glitchy noises. In addition, I genuinely find it quite enjoyable - why, I don't know.

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Yeah, I can't say that I'm a fan of that one. This one is more my speed:
YouTube - Aphex Twin - Stone In Focus

YouTube - Aphex Twin- Piano Tuners (though it's a remix, and not his original production)

And I usually have to have some kind of structure, for me (personally) to label it as music. There are some enjoyable sounds out there, of course, but I tend to put them into a seperate category. For instance, just a track full of random sounds and tones, scattered about with no hint of pattern or flow, I would call noise. Whether or not the sounds are enjoyable is a different story. However, those same mundane sounds, structured together with a sense of rhythm or discernible flow, I would call music. Here's a good example of the latter:

YouTube - Lasse - Hyperactive

Just a matter of personal preference, though. :wink:

I find music totally subjective. From an objective standpoint, I don't see music having different value except for maybe lyrics.

The music I tend to like is more on the experimental side of things. One band I have recently fallen in love with is Deerhunter. I love their lyrics, which are often about nostalgia, drugs, alienation and such. I fell in love with Radiohead a while back because of their lyrics. I really love music that has something important to say and pertains to me.

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Originally Posted by CazmoV

YouTube - AFX - Ktpa1

That song is basically noise

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there is no "just noise", in music. It is all art. one mans trash etc
anyways I have no real criteria for what I consider good, just the cheatyface roundabout answer that I enjoy it.

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Originally Posted by no-Name

there is no "just noise", in music. It is all art. one mans trash etc.

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Oh yes, I agree there completely. I didn't word it properly, I love it personally. However generally that is the genre put on it to make the description of it easier :-)

I like metal core (not to be confused with new metal...) it has screaming in it, it takes a bit to get used to. After you get used to it, it becomes very enjoyable. There are good and bad metal core bands. Some just have lots of cuss words and are stupid, while others have good lyrics and actually mean something. I usually look for good lyrics in music, that is what I consider good. By the way, some good bands that I listen to are All That Remains, As I Lay Dying, August Burns Red, Trivium, etc... I also like alternative, it just depend/s on what mood I am in.

I personally don't care much about the type of music, or the perfect voice, what I use as a measurement is the mood that it puts me into, if it is a good song, it puts me in a good mood.

To me the most appealing music from an artistic perspective is music that follows a more unconventional structure (or lack thereof) in order to allow maximum artistic expression.

So basically I think Yes is incredible. It's basically like taking a classical symphony and reskinning it with rock-oriented sounds.

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