What you normally consider "electronic music" is mostly popular dance music.spacefox wrote:What we normally consider "electronic music" is mostly popular dance music, as opposed to earlier, more experimental works. Dance music needs to be predictable, to a degree, so you can dance to it.
Why is electronic dance music typically very simple?
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- KVRAF
- 1898 posts since 4 Mar, 2004 from The Forests of Lombard
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- KVRian
- 938 posts since 16 Nov, 2006 from Amsterdam
It probably has been said already - but I'm too lazy to spell out these 8 pages of answers for a second time:
In addition to the classical complexities (chord progressions, modulations, counterpoint, etc), much modern electronic music contains different complexities, that were unheard of in the time of Bach or Schumann or Gershwin. The complexities of mixing rhythms and sounds, moving sounds, layering, etc. That might make the main melody simple, but apparently now we have sounds that can pull it off.
In addition to the classical complexities (chord progressions, modulations, counterpoint, etc), much modern electronic music contains different complexities, that were unheard of in the time of Bach or Schumann or Gershwin. The complexities of mixing rhythms and sounds, moving sounds, layering, etc. That might make the main melody simple, but apparently now we have sounds that can pull it off.
<put your signature here>
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- KVRAF
- 2362 posts since 24 Jan, 2001 from In your head...
No troll boy -- I did it with no originality, no insight, no depth or cleverness and it STILL went 'swooosh' over your f**king head didn't it...Cryogenic wrote:Yeah you did that with so much originality, insight, depth and cleverness, it just went over our heads, that it was 'humor'.adj wrote:The Chase wrote: dribble dribble dribble...
*relax DUDE and get a sense of humour..
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- KVRist
- 363 posts since 13 Apr, 2004 from NYC, USA
Xnah wrote:It probably has been said already - but I'm too lazy to spell out these 8 pages of answers for a second time:
In addition to the classical complexities (chord progressions, modulations, counterpoint, etc), much modern electronic music contains different complexities, that were unheard of in the time of Bach or Schumann or Gershwin. The complexities of mixing rhythms and sounds, moving sounds, layering, etc. That might make the main melody simple, but apparently now we have sounds that can pull it off.
Yes. That and listeners on drugs.
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- KVRAF
- 10128 posts since 16 Dec, 2002
anyone mentioned autechre or flanger ?
both of which sound even better on drugs Lol
both of which sound even better on drugs Lol
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- KVRAF
- 6519 posts since 13 Mar, 2002 from UK
Music's been getting gradually less complex ever since the baroque period.
Possibly rococo.
Though, long term, 4:33 might have started a backlash.
I'll get me coat. Again.
Possibly rococo.
Though, long term, 4:33 might have started a backlash.
I'll get me coat. Again.
Now with improved MIDI jitter!
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Chuck E. Jesus Chuck E. Jesus https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=108246
- R.I.P.
- 7301 posts since 23 May, 2006 from in between a cornfield and a river
i don't think anything you've said has gone over anyone's head...adj wrote:No troll boy -- I did it with no originality, no insight, no depth or cleverness and it STILL went 'swooosh' over your f**king head didn't it...Cryogenic wrote:Yeah you did that with so much originality, insight, depth and cleverness, it just went over our heads, that it was 'humor'.adj wrote:The Chase wrote: dribble dribble dribble...
*relax DUDE and get a sense of humour..
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- KVRAF
- 1898 posts since 4 Mar, 2004 from The Forests of Lombard
Jazznuffink wrote:Music's been getting gradually less complex ever since the baroque period.
Possibly rococo.
Though, long term, 4:33 might have started a backlash.
I'll get me coat. Again.
Bluegrass
Last edited by RTaylor on Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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- KVRAF
- 2608 posts since 26 Aug, 2002 from here
have you ever heard the aphex twin mix of popcorn - just sounds like the origngal speeded up with a much harder drum track and lots of filteringdalor wrote:No please, let's forget Popcorn. It was funny as a child. Let's leave it there.BONES wrote:And let's not forget Popcorn.ericj23 wrote:lets see jarre's first album 1977 - not exactly a pioneer then - stevie wonder, gorgio moroder & even throbbing gristle predate his work
and they were good as well
works for me
and while my list of pioneers is up there I forgot all those 70's fusion jazz mofo's - herbie hancocks sextant and joe hendersons canyon lady particulaly stand out as being absolutely covered in electronic noise
Last edited by ericj23 on Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I believe every thread should devolve into character attacks and witch-burning. It really helps the discussion.
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- KVRAF
- 2813 posts since 14 Feb, 2001 from What do you care? :)
It seems like there are several discussions going on here, but one thing that someone touched upon that I agree with is that a lot of dance music needs to be simple because of how it gets mixed by djs. That is, if something is overly complicated then it's more difficult to blend things together from different albums/tracks. I'm not a dj, but having worked with people who are, I was told that some of the things they were looking for were very long intros, distinctive interesting sounds/hooks... stuff that might not have a good strong beat of itself but that might be easy to mix and match and marry with other stuff that might.
So, one distinction might be music that would serve as good source material for djs creating their mixes vs. music that one might just put on and listen to. The two may or may not always be the same, e.g. some stuff might sound kind of on the boring side and overly simplistic if you were to listen to it alone, but might be perfect for dj purposes.
Another thing that people seem to be hinting at is what to do with some of the sounds they have access to, like orchestral stuff. This is something I've been toying with myself with mixed results. Actually, the results have been extremely polarized. Many people have completely loved the results while some have been completely turned off by it. Not too many in-betweeners.
I'm not sure if Hybrid would be considered dance as such, but they use real orchestras and seem pretty successful at it.
I've become a big fan of Autechre over the years and I don't think their productions are simplistic at all. Also a big Shpongle fan here.
So, one distinction might be music that would serve as good source material for djs creating their mixes vs. music that one might just put on and listen to. The two may or may not always be the same, e.g. some stuff might sound kind of on the boring side and overly simplistic if you were to listen to it alone, but might be perfect for dj purposes.
Another thing that people seem to be hinting at is what to do with some of the sounds they have access to, like orchestral stuff. This is something I've been toying with myself with mixed results. Actually, the results have been extremely polarized. Many people have completely loved the results while some have been completely turned off by it. Not too many in-betweeners.
I'm not sure if Hybrid would be considered dance as such, but they use real orchestras and seem pretty successful at it.
I've become a big fan of Autechre over the years and I don't think their productions are simplistic at all. Also a big Shpongle fan here.
Available on iTunes, Amazon, etc.
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- KVRist
- 380 posts since 27 Jul, 2004 from london
nuffink wrote:Music's been getting gradually less complex ever since the baroque period.
Possibly rococo.
Though, long term, 4:33 might have started a backlash.
I'll get me coat. Again.
You know what Nufflink your a funny bugger when you want to be
Athlon 3800+ x2, 1 gig ram, 200gb SATA
Terratec 24/96 sound card, ATI all-in-wonder x600 graphics card, Windows XP Home SP2, Steinberg Cubase SX2, Reason 2.5
Terratec 24/96 sound card, ATI all-in-wonder x600 graphics card, Windows XP Home SP2, Steinberg Cubase SX2, Reason 2.5
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- KVRAF
- 6519 posts since 13 Mar, 2002 from UK
Jazz and Bluegrass as a reaction to 4:33?RTaylor wrote:Jazznuffink wrote:Music's been getting gradually less complex ever since the baroque period.
Possibly rococo.
Though, long term, 4:33 might have started a backlash.
I'll get me coat. Again.
Bluegrass
Challenging stuff.
Now with improved MIDI jitter!
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- KVRAF
- 1898 posts since 4 Mar, 2004 from The Forests of Lombard
Jazz and Bluegrass in response to your assertion that music has become less complex.nuffink wrote:Jazz and Bluegrass as a reaction to 4:33?RTaylor wrote:Jazznuffink wrote:Music's been getting gradually less complex ever since the baroque period.
Possibly rococo.
Though, long term, 4:33 might have started a backlash.
I'll get me coat. Again.
Bluegrass
Challenging stuff.
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- KVRian
- 509 posts since 15 Jul, 2002 from NYC
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- KVRAF
- 1898 posts since 4 Mar, 2004 from The Forests of Lombard
They are a good place to toss ideas around and get different perspectives. Generally they get filled up with people who have some need to be "right" or "compete" or win an argument or something rather than people who are actually interested in considering {different} ideas.