Instuments you hate/hated.. change of mind?

[Glooper]

Steel drums, still sound shit, especially when played at carnivals by yokels

ahhh... I have a sampleset especially for you then krim http://www.phunkynutts.com/steeldrum.php

hmm... can't think of an instrument I dislike...

Ben

[Ildon]

I can't stand the bagpipes. Annoying things they are.

[griels]

Hey, I thought this thread was about changes of heart?

Anyway, another example here is supersaw leads... I've always loved 'classic' trance but in about 1998 a wave of supersaw sounds/that JP 'pizzicato' preset invaded the charts... Initially I loved it but when I hear those sounds now it sets me teeth on edge. Still love the 'classic', more analogue sounding stuff though

Oh.. and ANOTHER one.. Plinky acoustic piano emulations, a la Korg M1.. Loved them in the early 90s rave days, but they just sound horrible to me now...

[griels]

hmm... can't think of an instrument I dislike...

Ben

Learn-with-griels leads?

[zeoy]

It may seem odd but I never really liked the ... piano. I think it's the most overrated instrument. I always had argued about it with other musos. I know that it has one of the highest polyphony among all instruments a very wide dynamic range and one can play everything on it but my main point is that is one of the less expressive instruments. I mean in how many ways a C3 (or any other note) on a piano can sound? The player has the least immediate contact with the sound source. He hits the key then a mechanical thing translates it and hit the strings. In all other instruments (brass-wind, strings, guitars, percussion etc.) the player's technique has an immediate effect on the timbre of the sound. In fact he's in physical contact with the source but with piano there is a whole "interface" device which is very restrictive IMHO.

Now shoot me

[bluedad]

It may seem odd but I never really liked the ... piano. I think it's the most overrated instrument. I always had argued about it with other musos. I know that it has one of the highest polyphony among all instruments a very wide dynamic range and one can play everything on it but my main point is that is one of the less expressive instruments. I mean in how many ways a C3 (or any other note) on a piano can sound? The player has the least immediate contact with the sound source. He hits the key then a mechanical thing translates it and hit the strings. In all other instruments (brass-wind, strings, guitars, percussion etc.) the player's technique has an immediate effect on the timbre of the sound. In fact he's in physical contact with the source but with piano there is a whole "interface" device which is very restrictive IMHO.

Now shoot me

then you just haven't listen to the right pianist.
On a well regulated grand piano you have so very much control over how the note sounds. You're right, it does come down to technique. There's much more than "He hits the key then a mechanical thing translates it and hit the strings."
When I sit down at a Yamaha C-7, or Steinway 9 ft,
damn, I can make thunder roll or the sound of teardrops falling.

[Bunnyboy]

I dont think that its instruments that i hate but cheesy styles - world music was a hateful zone for me for many years due to Big White Man trying to be "ethnic". Now I cant see how any music would come about if it wasnt for disparate elements of music from across the world

[griels]

I dont think that its instruments that i hate but cheesy styles - world music was a hateful zone for me for many years due to Big White Man trying to be "ethnic". Now I cant see how any music would come about if it wasnt for disparate elements of music from across the world

Yeah, I think that's the largest part of it.. Those plinky M1 pianos still sound great to my ears in those classic rave tunes that Adsinthe played at Vurtstock, but fall horribly flat in much 'house makeover music'.. Same with sampled double bass - 4 Hero can get away with it, Changing Rooms fails every time

[multree]

yeah I think that's a funny one... I remember how the counting crows convinced me that an arcordeon is cool just by playing one in their songs.... but then again it's not only the "i like the band now I gotta love everything they do" factor (it's there of course: guilty) but rather the fact that they use these instruments in a different way then we were used to.....

[Bunnyboy]

yeah I think that's a funny one... I remember how the counting crows convinced me that an arcordeon is cool just by playing one in their songs.... but then again it's not only the "i like the band now I gotta love everything they do" factor (it's there of course: guilty) but rather the fact that they use these instruments in a different way then we were used to.....

If you like accordians, check out a group called cerberus shoal, who use one as a lead instrument - they are a drone/math/prog group!!

[zeoy]

It may seem odd but I never really liked the ... piano. I think it's the most overrated instrument. I always had argued about it with other musos. I know that it has one of the highest polyphony among all instruments a very wide dynamic range and one can play everything on it but my main point is that is one of the less expressive instruments. I mean in how many ways a C3 (or any other note) on a piano can sound? The player has the least immediate contact with the sound source. He hits the key then a mechanical thing translates it and hit the strings. In all other instruments (brass-wind, strings, guitars, percussion etc.) the player's technique has an immediate effect on the timbre of the sound. In fact he's in physical contact with the source but with piano there is a whole "interface" device which is very restrictive IMHO.

Now shoot me

then you just haven't listen to the right pianist.
On a well regulated grand piano you have so very much control over how the note sounds. You're right, it does come down to technique. There's much more than "He hits the key then a mechanical thing translates it and hit the strings."
When I sit down at a Yamaha C-7, or Steinway 9 ft,
goddamn, I can make thunder roll or the sound of teardrops falling.

I know what you're saying bluedad and yes I haven't heard much of piano music but I can appreciate a good performance. My main question about the instrument still holds. If we are talking about a single note what else except for velocity affects the sound? I know there are the pedals; one makes sound sustain, the other one is a damper ... what's the third for (I am a bit ignorant , ain't I?)
The fact that sample libraries can reproduce almost perfectly (I said almost, right?) the piano sound but they sound totally artificial when they try to emulate a sax or a guitar must have something to do with what I am saying about the expresiveness of the instruments, don't you think.

[the_nihilist]

Hammond B-3 and the Rhodes organ. But you people already knew that, right?

It's possible to make a song sound cool with a Rhodes in it, but I don't think you can make music that isn't cheesy with a B-3.

[rockstar_not]

Sax will be back one day, when folk have forgotten the crap 90's 'Smooth Jazz' from Kenny G, David Sanborn, Boney James, etc. Remember, everyone thought that the synth explosing of the 80's hailed the demise of the guitar; particularly acoustic guitar. How wrong we all were. Same thing will happen with the Sax, I hope.

-Scott

[Sascha Franck]

I think I can't stand harpsichords, regardless of musical context.
Funny, as some clavinets are not all that different, and those I love.

[bluedad]

If we are talking about a single note what else except for velocity affects the sound?

yes velocity, but do you understand the range of velocity you have control over? it's huge and makes all the difference in coloring the sound. It's all the in the players' hand.

I know there are the pedals; one makes sound sustain, the other one is a damper ... what's the third for (I am a bit ignorant , ain't I?)

right pedal is the damper pedal, which controls the sustain. There's more technique than press, hold and release, which add color to the sound.
Middle pedal has different functions on different pianos..some it sustains the bass notes only; others it pulls down a strip of felt to go between the strings and hammers which cuts down the volume by 50%.
This is for parents when the kids are practicing, it's not a performance tool. More expensive pianos have a sostenudo function, where you play (for example) a handful of notes, press down the pedal and those notes sustain while you continue playing.
Third pedal is more often called a soft pedal..on a grand, where it works best, the action slides over to hit only 2 of the three strings. There's a great, however subtle shift of color in using this, as not only does the sound change because of hitting fewer strings, but also the hammer hits the strings in a different way (between the grooves of the hammer felt)

The fact that sample libraries can reproduce almost perfectly (I said almost, right?) instruments, don't you think.

nah! really, no comparison. That is, if you're going for a piece where the piano is the focal point, I'm just not satisied with samples. For rock music, where it's buried in the mix, well, samples suffice.