|
|
Post by MartinT on Dec 7, 2017 7:04:46 GMT
Difficult one, this, as it stretches our ability to describe the sometimes indescribable. However, it's worth asking the question as I remain fascinated by my own likes and dislikes as well as the wildly differing opinions others have for the same music.
I think I can summarise my musical likes, both modern and classical, into two categories:
1) I listen for soundscapes more than tunes
2) I love human voice, especially female
Of course, I like a good tune as much as anyone but hooks are of less interest to me than the feeling and emotion that the sound creates. Soundscape is the best word I have to describe it. Think Tangerine Dream, Vangelis and Hybrid and you'll understand. It also probably explains my love for big sweeping classical pieces or solo organ rather than chamber music. As for voice, again I love the sound it makes. Truly another instrument, I am much less concerned with the lyrics they are singing and am just as happy listening to Latin or Russian choral music as the words then don't distract me.
|
|
|
|
Post by Barrington on Dec 7, 2017 9:35:22 GMT
I was playing Roger Waters' Is This The Life We Really Want last night and it made me think about this very question , I had during the day played other stuff and it wasn't until I put this album on that this is indeed the music I want , I can listen to all his work endlessly , this all stated for me with The Final Cut . So what has it got I want ? There is a melody , vocal timing , sound effects , recorded clips and tracks that drift into each other . I like a tune and I like a distinctive vocalist , Dave Cousins , Shane MaGowan , Roger Chapman , Jon and Ian Anderson. I also like music that builds to a storming finish , my favourite track of all time has it all The Musical Box by Genesis , in fact I could have just answered the OP with that track  . |
|
|
|
Post by MikeMusic on Dec 7, 2017 10:34:25 GMT
Very difficult for me to pinpoint and I have tried so many times.
Vocals can be the killer or the reason to listen.
Very happy to listen to instrumentals all day long.
Most female vocals turn me off yet Mark E. Smith (The Fall) nails it every time. He must be the least favourite for many.
Used to think I preferred complicated pieces, say Gentle Giant but very happy to listen to Eno, Harold Budd and similar where one note goes a very long way and lots of space between notes. Jeff Beck being a master of leaving space rather than notes.
My search continues....
|
|
|
|
Post by davidf on Dec 7, 2017 12:55:18 GMT
Something different.
But I like nice tight, dynamic snare drums and crashy cymbals. Crystal clear vocals. And some nice, low, chunky bass.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2017 13:29:44 GMT
I look for everything in prog pre 1973 thats not in prog post 1973
|
|
|
|
Post by Slinger on Dec 7, 2017 13:46:32 GMT
Apart from the obvious answers (an emotional connection, a great guitar solo, blah-blah, etc.) I'll add "something that makes me take notice of a genre-type that I usually dismiss or believe that I dislike."
|
|
|
|
Post by Jof on Dec 7, 2017 14:09:14 GMT
Soundscape, yes. Music to change or enhance a mood, yes. Lyrics, dont care about, never been one for " this song speaks to me ". I like most ,like all sorts of music styles, all have a different if not the same effect.
Some say Soul music can stir the soul, well Motorhead can do that too. Many a year now been listening to music from all over the world, strange instruments, even stranger singing, all ads to the enjoyment for me, the vocals are more like an instrument rather than singing if that makes sense.
Music for memories too, songs/ tracks which take me back to times in my life, not just from first hearing that song, but more of a feeling.
So big band Jazz ,reminds me of feet... as my father was a well known session guy, when down the BBC studios with him if he was doing any big band ( 21 musicians+) stuff. They would all have to take their shoes off ( apart from him being the drummer) so the mic's didnt pick up all the foot tapping along to the music whilst playing, as a young kid at the time, the stench was too much.
|
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on Dec 7, 2017 18:53:18 GMT
Barrington you're making me listen to the Roger Waters again. At his best he's brilliant but he's a bit variable for me MikeMusic yes I agree with much of that, and we do have a reasonable overlap in tastes davidf crashy cymbals not for me! Crisp cymbals with long shimmering decay, much better! @rectified there is some awesome post-1973 music that I just can't ignore Slinger I do look for new genres and am sometimes successful, then I can go discover more artists Jof I think you and I listen for similar things yet our tastes remain very different
|
|
|
|
Post by MikeMusic on Dec 7, 2017 19:03:09 GMT
I also find moving targets.
Expectation of an album I love - hang on, not as good as I thought, occasionally not at all good.
Going through albums in order, not expecting much from one, how did I not realise how great this was until now ?
Another example Bent. Radio 2 territory, not mine. How come I love this so much ?
Has my taste in music moved ?
|
|
|
|
Post by naim1425 on Dec 7, 2017 19:40:45 GMT
PRaT= Pace, Rhythm and Timing and foot tapping music,because your feet don`t lie and to me no PRaT and foot tapping emotion in music means no music
|
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on Dec 7, 2017 21:50:46 GMT
There's a lot of 'soundscape' music with no discernible PRaT, such as Tangerine Dream's Phaedra or Shostakovich Symphony No. 9.
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Dec 7, 2017 21:55:23 GMT
@rectified there is some awesome post-1973 music that I just can't ignore But it does not have the Qualities of Pre '73 Prog its as simple as that. |
|
|
|
Post by John on Dec 8, 2017 5:22:05 GMT
This is hard to narrow down as I can enjoy a variety of different styles. I do like good lyrical content usually dark and existential in themes but I also enjoy a lot of instrumental music. I love guitar based music, dynamics are usually part of this. I am not really keen on bands like Tangerine Dream just does not grab me in anyway. I quite like exotic scales and listen to a lot of music that mixes eastern and western music, But I can also enjoy Blues based music as well as music that is heavy with lots of time changes.
|
|
|
|
Post by pinkie on Dec 8, 2017 8:57:19 GMT
I too find this fascinating, not least because it is not constant .
So - thanks to a recent album choice, I have rediscovered Hawkwind.
Maybe its the things that turn me off, which define what I look for. Bland plastic machine made music (a lot of pop) turns me off. Musicianship, timing, variety and structure attract.
Mostly, I like a "live" feel - even if that is quite "soundscape" music. Mrs S has bought me a new LP of Meddle (the missing vinyl in my collection) for Christmas. It's not an original pressing. Its a studio album , not a live performance, but it will still have those qualities of musicianship, timing, variety and structure. So does Hendrix "Little Wing" and The Who "My Generation". Or Bach's Double violin concerto, or "A Kind of Blue"
|
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on Dec 8, 2017 9:08:31 GMT
I love guitar based music, dynamics are usually part of thisI think it's why you like drums too, John. |
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on Dec 8, 2017 9:10:12 GMT
Fantastic example of soundscape music, negligible PRaT in most of Echoes but a very strong mood creator with its big sweeping narrative. |
|
|
|
Post by pinkie on Dec 8, 2017 10:20:11 GMT
Fantastic example of soundscape music, negligible PRaT in most of Echoes but a very strong mood creator with its big sweeping narrative. That's the track Seamus, but what about the rest of the album? |
|
|
|
Post by MartinT on Dec 8, 2017 12:07:35 GMT
Echoes and One of These Days are my favourites, the others are more songs with tunes to which PRaT applies.
|
|
|
|
Post by puffin on Dec 8, 2017 12:52:06 GMT
Yes Martin, Soundscape describes exactly what I look for/like in a piece of music, a homogenous whole that stirs the soul.
|
|
|
|
Post by Chris on Dec 8, 2017 15:34:02 GMT
What a hard thing to describe! I suppose I'm just looking for something that holds my interest no matter what style. It's too hard for me to narrow it down to what I like but hearing musicians playing well together is just fantastic. I also like accuracy in music and love the perfection that's there too.
|
|
.
