Why does modern electronic dance music sound like...

[Tricky-Loops]

... a construction site?

[rant]

It's all about the kick and bass nowadays, as loud as possible. I always see threads here like "How can I make my kick louder and bigger and phatter?" Does anyone still know what a snare is at all? I've rarely seen any threads with "How do I make a good sounding clap, guiro, shaker, rain stick or conga etc.?"

The only important elements seem to be the bass and the kick...

Whenever I listen to more than 10 modern EDM songs, I even get headache from these permanent kicks. I want to make modern dance music, too, but I cannot stand these 4-to-the-floor speaker-shaking, knocking plastic kicks...

[/rant]

[VitaminD]

Welcome to old age!

I'm sure 20 years ago someone was thinking the same thing about the music then. And 20 years before that the same.

[hibidy]

... a construction site?

[rant]

It's all about the kick and bass nowadays, as loud as possible. I always see threads here like "How can I make my kick louder and bigger and phatter?" Does anyone still know what a snare is at all? I've rarely seen any threads with "How do I make a good sounding clap, guiro, shaker, rain stick or conga etc.?"

The only important elements seem to be the bass and the kick...

Whenever I listen to more than 10 modern EDM songs, I even get headache from these permanent kicks. I want to make modern dance music, too, but I cannot stand these 4-to-the-floor speaker-shaking, knocking plastic kicks...

[/rant]

I have nothing against most EDM but it does all sound the same. And it's so one dimensional and you are right, the kick it so powerful there is nothing else to concentrate on. And the side chaining Good god, that "whosh whosh whosh" makes me seasick!

[Sendy]

This is what I call dance music:



See, it's not clobbering me over the head with a sign that says "epic" until I bleed, it's like a vast rhythmic ocean, inviting your body to swim and dive into it's depths. It's repetetive, but it's repetition becomes hypnotic and shifting, rather than tedious and annoying.

That, to me, is what defines good dance music. But then I tend to (a) dance to music that people say is too hard to dance to (how can it be too hard when there's no faliure condition? it's not a game!) and (b) not really care if I look silly when I dance. What can I say, I was brought up a raver

[RunBeerRun]

The only thing I have close to that is 2 Yelle albums, they're good, actual vocals, no autotune, songwriting with synths. I imagine when they play live it's an actual band not a Sony Walkman.

[ZenPunkHippy]

Why does music you don't like or listen to, bother you?

I "don't like" modern EDM, but the only reason I know what it sounds like is because of kids asking how to create sounds here on KVR.

It's not in my life.

No one I know listens to it.

Therefore, it doesn't matter to me.

Seek out new music elsewhere ...

[Sendy]

Why does music you don't like or listen to, bother you?

I "don't like" modern EDM, but the only reason I know what it sounds like is because of kids asking how to create sounds here on KVR.

It's not in my life.

No one I know listens to it.

Therefore, it doesn't matter to me.

Seek out new music elsewhere ...

The objection comes because of (a) it's ubiquity, and (b) because people act like it's the only kind of electronic music that there is, which is both arrogant and ignorant in one fell swoop. I think there's also a healthy amount of jealousy going on - i.e. outrage at why the most padestrial, cookie-cutter stuff gets the most promotion and success.

Definitely, there is so much great music out there, but mostly it's made by starving artists who nobody's ever heard of. That's disheartening. It also encourages a knock-on effect, discouraging the next generation to produce music from the heart, which feeds back into the ubiquity problem and a vicious, expanding cycle.

We see this in all areas of modern life, "industry" trampling over nature and humanity, until one day nothing's left.

[Tricky-Loops]

@ Sendy

This one sounds like straight from the 90ies...everything but modern...

What I like about it is:

1. there's much space and variation
2. there are other percussion elements (and melodic elements)
3. the (deep) kicks aren't that obtrusive
(4. I'm a big acid house fan!)

Anyway, whenever I listen to a (modern) mainstream EDM channel, it's boom-boom-boom-boom the whole song for 5 minutes (you can be lucky if there's a breakdown at all), then the next comes with the same annoying plastic kick, and after 10 songs I'm feeling dizzy and I cannot dance anymore...

[Tricky-Loops]

Back again...

[trimph1]

Me like some EDM...I have something to compare my garbage to.

[jancivil]

Why does music you don't like or listen to, bother you?

well, I go up in Jack in the Box for breakfast, 8 in the morning and I'm hearing CLUB four-on-the-floor, here is something that seems to be stealing my oxygen. I'm already subject to super-amped bass in cars and touring bikes, day and night. I wish I was better privileged.

[hibidy]

:says in sarcastic southpark voice: Jus go lizen somtin ellzzz :end scarastic southpark voice:

I wish I had the captain marvel suit with the built in future detector (mad by starks industries) that allow to to shied all the stuff I didn't want to listen to. At the pool, walking by the school, sitting in your house, watching tv, trying to find new music, being on the bus, train, at the gym, in the grocery store, what they play at the HS games. My ears were not born with an auto detect/mute function for those situations.

[Skorpius]

Why does modern electronic dance music sound like... a construction site?

Because it's not music. As simple as that. Music is defined by harmonies and melodies which people can (or should be able to) memorize, sing along with, or whistle. If you can't memorize a tune, or if you can't even whistle the melody of an EDM song because there is no melody in there, it's not music.

I know this sounds radical, but no-one's going to remember any of those EDM songs in a few years from now, whereas Mozart, Bach, the Beatles, Abba and a lot of other real artists will be listened to even in a hundred years from now.

To cut it short: If you can remember and whistle a tune, it's music. If not, it's simply (electronic) noise.

[Tricky-Loops]

Why does modern electronic dance music sound like... a construction site?

Because it's not music. As simple as that. Music is defined by harmonies and melodies which people can (or should be able to) memorize, sing along with, or whistle. If you can't memorize a tune, or if you can't even whistle the melody of an EDM song because there is no melody in there, it's not music.

I know this sounds radical, but no-one's going to remember any of those EDM songs in a few years from now, whereas Mozart, Bach, the Beatles, Abba and a lot of other real artists will be listened to even in a hundred years from now.

To cut it short: If you can remember and whistle a tune, it's music. If not, it's simply (electronic) noise.

That's a good point!

Whenever I listen to a modern EDM (radio) channel, I forget 90 % of all songs because they all sound similar...

[paterpeter]

Why does modern electronic dance music sound like... a construction site?

Because it's not music. As simple as that. Music is defined by harmonies and melodies which people can (or should be able to) memorize, sing along with, or whistle. If you can't memorize a tune, or if you can't even whistle the melody of an EDM song because there is no melody in there, it's not music.

I know this sounds radical, but no-one's going to remember any of those EDM songs in a few years from now, whereas Mozart, Bach, the Beatles, Abba and a lot of other real artists will be listened to even in a hundred years from now.

To cut it short: If you can remember and whistle a tune, it's music. If not, it's simply (electronic) noise.

That's narrow minded BS. I'm a drummer. Are you telling me I'm not making music when I do a drum solo, because you can't whistle what I'm playing?

Music = organized sound.