Music Cannot Be Cloned
Posted: 10 Nov 2021
I should never have posted this.
Well that depends, if it is making you a living (or famous) keep it up (until you get sued). If however, it is stopping you from finding your own groove (like in maybe writing a song about a differently-abled kid in Hazard being accused of murdering his friend) then it is a hobby and not your art.
I understand your point. It's not elusive it complex.Benedict wrote: ↑11 Nov 2021I rather get the feeling that either no one gets what I am really saying or I didn't make it clear enough. Due to the nature of social media, the title may be a bit simplistic, as "A Treatise On How People Are Making It Hard On Themselves Through Misunderstanding The Nature Of How Great Music Gets Made" may just fall flat. Even though it is more accurate.
That's cute.Benedict wrote: ↑12 Nov 2021Here's another approach. I could show a pic of something like an Andromeda and play these two paired and people would be excited, feeling they needed an Andromeda. It is false (on several levels).
Note how each synth's sound has something unique about it, something strong, something weak. By understanding that and putting them together I have made something lovely. It is only by working with what is in front of me that I can do this properly.
I agree, pretty much what I said above. Copying the style and approaches of your influences won't necessarily make you sound like them, it will still sound like you because you're not them but it enables you to understand their approaches and what made the songs great and make a similar sound (unless you're tryna just recreate their track obviously.)avasopht wrote: ↑12 Nov 2021I understand your point. It's not elusive it complex.Benedict wrote: ↑11 Nov 2021I rather get the feeling that either no one gets what I am really saying or I didn't make it clear enough. Due to the nature of social media, the title may be a bit simplistic, as "A Treatise On How People Are Making It Hard On Themselves Through Misunderstanding The Nature Of How Great Music Gets Made" may just fall flat. Even though it is more accurate.
But you have to understand that there are other needs.
I have you a very specific example. I was often requested a specific sound from clients.
I explained the ongoing conversation.
I explained the need to make a beat that suits the rapper (if you've never served this market you might not have any idea what's involved).
Learning how to reproduce sounds gives you an option and understanding.
But also, sometimes it's just the desired style (not to merely copy or because they think that THAT is what will make them a hit).
Again, this is just a different genre and culture. If you're not in it you just have no idea and may be misguiding people.
I remember forum members (maybe you included) discouraging me from reproducing Timberland beats.
I gained a fuck load of knowledge and insight through the process that simply would not have happened had I not done so.
I wasn't seeking to merely imitate.
Same with knowing what keyboards Scott Storch used. It's hard to communicate because a lot of our it cultural and social. You either get it or you don't.
I wanted to understand what was different with the sounds be used and what I had in Reason I got the same old tired lectures. But they were all from people who weren't serving the market or clients that I was.
But also it must was a different sound, and it was hot.
Sure, I could probably get my desired sound from Maelstrom now But that Aaliyah remake I made played a huge role in why I can make entirely new sound scapes.
As I said the first time - we are all different.
You have to understand that everyone isn't you and that your recommendation might not help.
It might also be a helpful message to remind them to explore and value their own sound.
But again, when you're seeking to serve a market you have to know the trends and the language.
Exactly.Creativemind wrote: ↑12 Nov 2021I also get what Benedict is saying in that, it's the era, the gear, the life events, many elements that went into making whatever track you find great, great. Just tryna copy the sounds and gear won't automatically make you make a record like theirs.
That is true. Spot on. Although saying that, sometimes I've written a song on guitar and it sounded 5 out of 10 but after adding a bass line, drums and perhaps strings, really did sound great but more often than not, yes, it has to be "wow" when just played on a guitar / piano and sang.mcatalao wrote: ↑12 Nov 2021I couldn't agree more with you, Benedict, but you know you're beating a dead horse, right?
For me music is something so gruesome that it has to work in it's rawest form, and that's what the "cloners" don't get. A song by the Beatles was and is great because at some point it was one of a Kind. For the song to work, you must strip it of it's clothes, take out all the production, and the pretty gimmicks, and naked in the wild you know, it is a great song. It has to be great with a guitar and vocal, it has to be great if you play it on a piano, or if you simply sing it to yourself.
Thanks for at least understanding.
When has ANYONE demanded that YOU be like anything at all?