This 16 year old producer from London really has something special

[whyterabbyt]

But obviously as real musicians, we are not allowed to criticise. We have to like everything musical.
Why?

why what? i can not like something without criticising it.

[billcarroll]

Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves.

-- Brendan Francis Behan

Which is a strange quote to use on a site frequented by musicians. Because in actual fact almost everyone here is actually doing it themselves, both well and not so well. But obviously as real musicians, we are not allowed to criticise. We have to like everything musical.



Why?

Somebody else posted this kid's music here on KVR, not him. I take my hat off to any 16 year old who is interested in producing music and is actively pursuing that goal.

His music sounds happy, positive, and shows considerable skill. I hear hard work in his music, and if he keeps it up he'll probably go a long way. I enjoyed listening to all of the music on his Soundcloud page. He's posted plenty.

Any 16 year old who has produced this much music showing this level of skill is 'something really special' in my book. Thumbs up.

In addition to creating music and having the guts to put it out there for public consumption he'll have to learn to put up with the likes of some of the nasty critics here on KVR. Creators are faced with the critic. From family, to friends, to strangers, the artist finding encouragement amongst the negativity can be brutally difficult.

Make no mistake, there is a difference between constructive criticism and some of what is being spewed in this thread. Calling some kid's music "crap" says more about the person saying it than it does about the kid.

There might be one or two critics in this thread that can do better. Most of you cannot. I also doubt any of you were doing anything better at 16, and if by chance you were, what happened to you?!? Do any of you have a major success or successful career in music to point to? Is your music even listenable?

If I had to put my money behind someone, and bet who would have a successful career in music, I'd pick this kid before the KVR critics.

[Aiynzahev]

Calling some kid's music "crap" says more about the person saying it than it does about the kid.

Yes there is a point at which criticism becomes a bit vitriolic. If you don't like dance music at all I don't think there is much point weighing in on this kind of music. I agree with you on that.

[robogone]

Calling some kid's music "crap" says more about the person saying it than it does about the kid.

I think it says a lot more about the music than it does about the two people invovled. Music is a matter of taste - people comment on other people's music according to their own personal taste - criticizing people for doing so seems rather fractious on the part of the person feeling the need to do so.

[Tricky-Loops]

Creators are faced with the critic. From family, to friends, to strangers, the artist finding encouragement amongst the negativity can be brutally difficult.

+ 1,000,000 (regarding my own life)

BUT -- in this case, a 16 year old boy who succeeds in producing this kind of music seems to have gotten MUCH encouragement & training since childhood. Otherwise he wouldn't be able to make this music at all.

When I was a teen, I got no encouragement. At least not from my family... The only music instrument that my parents played was the radio - they switched it on and off. I didn't get any musical education like many other kids who had musicians as parents... I've had to learn everything myself...

[Aiynzahev]

Calling some kid's music "crap" says more about the person saying it than it does about the kid.

I think it says a lot more about the music than it does about the two people invovled. Music is a matter of taste - people comment on other people's music according to their own personal taste - criticizing people for doing so seems rather fractious on the part of the person feeling the need to do so.

Yes but this is a music forum and so our criticism is a little different from that of a sort of "bystander" who just thinks in terms of "this is good" "this is crap"

We really of all people should understand differences in taste and criticize constructively. Calling something "crap" just wont do IMO there really is no point contributing at all, in fact it's not even a contribution.

I don't think we should use this forum to indulge in that kind of behavior because it's a very specific kind of community with certain aims. I suppose we do have aims right?

[billcarroll]

I don't think we should use this forum to indulge in that kind of behavior because it's a very specific kind of community with certain aims. I suppose we do have aims right?

I quite agree. My aim is to support the creators.

[Numanoid]

Critics are like eunuchs in a harem; they know how it's done, they've seen it done every day, but they're unable to do it themselves.

-- Brendan Francis Behan

So that guy Behan, was he speaking from experience then?

[robogone]

Calling some kid's music "crap" says more about the person saying it than it does about the kid.

I think it says a lot more about the music than it does about the two people invovled. Music is a matter of taste - people comment on other people's music according to their own personal taste - criticizing people for doing so seems rather fractious on the part of the person feeling the need to do so.

Yes but this is a music forum and so our criticism is a little different from that of a sort of "bystander" who just thinks in terms of "this is good" "this is crap"

We really of all people should understand differences in taste and criticize constructively. Calling something "crap" just wont do IMO there really is no point contributing at all, in fact it's not even a contribution.

I don't think we should use this forum to indulge in that kind of behavior because it's a very specific kind of community with certain aims. I suppose we do have aims right?

Point taken, but at the same time I think name calling at people who do say it's crap is no more beneficial than the initial calling it crap.

We all have opinions and should be allowed to express them. It would behoove us to do it in a more positive way though, I agree.

[billcarroll]

Calling some kid's music "crap" says more about the person saying it than it does about the kid.

I think it says a lot more about the music than it does about the two people invovled. Music is a matter of taste - people comment on other people's music according to their own personal taste - criticizing people for doing so seems rather fractious on the part of the person feeling the need to do so.

Yes but this is a music forum and so our criticism is a little different from that of a sort of "bystander" who just thinks in terms of "this is good" "this is crap"

We really of all people should understand differences in taste and criticize constructively. Calling something "crap" just wont do IMO there really is no point contributing at all, in fact it's not even a contribution.

I don't think we should use this forum to indulge in that kind of behavior because it's a very specific kind of community with certain aims. I suppose we do have aims right?

Point taken, but at the same time I think name calling at people who do say it's crap is no more beneficial than the initial calling it crap.

We all have opinions and should be allowed to express them. It would behoove us to do it in a more positive way though, I agree.

I guess "critic" is a dirty word. Other than that, I don't remember doing any name calling. I'm just standing up publicly in support of the kid and the work he has done.

[lotus2035]

people comment on other people's music according to their own personal taste

True but personal taste shouldn't be the barometer by which we measure if something is "good" or well produced which is pretty much the standard behaviour for most people.

I can listen to music I don't like and still know whether or not it is a well produced example of it's particular genre. My own personal musical preference is irrelevant. In fact any musician worth their salt should have the ability to remove the influence of their own taste from their ability to detect the amount of expertise gone into a piece of work.
After all the differences between genres are not as large as we might think if we remove all the superficial social BS layered on top of everything. It's all just sound in the end right? If we work in this area we should be able to identify with it ALL not the just the parts that appeal to our Ego.

For example, I don't like Country and Western music, but I can sure tell the difference between a seasoned professional Country and Western band and some guys who are only at it a year or two.
I will FULLY respect the efforts of both the professional and amateur Country and Western musicians just as much as I would someone working in a genre I DO like. I may appreciate the bass guitar work in a track, a guitar solo, a drum beat etc even though I don't like the genre in general. I won't dismiss it all all as CRAP just because I don't personally like it which is what most will do.

If the question happens to be "Do you like it?" Then I can say no. I can try to explain WHY I don't like something but in the end the reasons will always lead to the phrase "There's no accounting for taste" in which case all that is left to do is respect each others taste and leave it at that.

This is not all directed at you robojam, your comment just triggered some thoughts.

[highkoo]

If someone cant separate their technical assessment from their taste, and present both civilly, they should just not comment at all.
At least not in a setting like this, with the vast majority being creators themselves.
And almost conversely, discussing taste is almost impossible in a wide ranging group of creators. We necessarily disagree.

[SODDI]

He needs to be told not to drown everything in effects - and that when he does use them to track them separately and EQ down the higher frequencies so everything does not get swallowed up in sonic mush.

"No more reverb mister please - it is like tomato soup in my ears." My review of the first This Mortal Coil CD.

[robogone]

I guess "critic" is a dirty word. Other than that, I don't remember doing any name calling.

Telling people to grow up?

[billcarroll]

I guess "critic" is a dirty word. Other than that, I don't remember doing any name calling.

Telling people to grow up?

Seems like something I would say to people caught bashing some 16 year old and his creative work.