OK a fool on a forum I use quite a lot has stated how he can only see how Renoise could be good for music with “no feeling.” Well ignoring the feeling that is put into a lot of more electronic music with groove can somebody recommend their favourite pieces from the song section of this site that show the other side of Renoise.
I have already linked to a couple of IT Alien’s composition (as he was the first person to come to mind who regularly breaks the usual tracker mould) but any pieces that really stand out for musical composition would be great. Electronic is fine, as long as the emphasis is on feel and texture rather than on hard stomping beats, syncopated basslines or cut-to-fuck drums.
Thanks for anything you can recommend and maybe we can expand these people’s minds
The only way to expand their minds is to use a crowbar… opening them to the possibility that the music they criticize actually DOES have feeling and emotion.
It isn’t made with Renoise, but ask him to listen to ‘Draw the Line’, ‘Sarah’s Song’, ‘Oceans from Rain’, or ‘Your still here’ by Hunz, all made with Buzz. (Or even better, ‘Traffik’ by Hunz - no vocals, but full of emotion.) (I’m presuming the ‘fool’ on the forum thinks that all music made with trackers lacks emotion.)
I don’t know why you would say that you couldn’t make emotional music whatever software you use? Is it because certain software could be better for certain genres?
Edit: Sorry I should make sure there’s no more replies before posting when I’ve been away from the computer. Thanks for all the direct examples lads and ladies. I will listen and link up all/best once having a listen myself.
I’ve tried to expand people’s minds, but some can’t separate from the long-haired guitar guy idea of music, or from Hip Hop beats with accompanying “relevant” lyrics they can bob their empty heads to. I personally think the problem is in the way people view music. Many see it as an entertainment supply rather than an art form. Fashion, for example, is a testament to this tragedy. There are millions of people who wear the music they listen to like a badge of honor, or even worse, treat it like a “gang”.
At the risk of flaunting elitism, I view music as an art form and further, I resent the idea that electronic music is “soulless” or “emotionless” simply because it’s circuitry and not a guitar, saxophone, piano, whatever. At times I like to think people in an age of technology have abandoned the idea that electronic music is soulless and takes less talent, but then I run into people who think Philip Anselmo is still somehow relevant with his drug warbling, that the new Metallica album is somehow interesting or exciting, and who reply with “What the fuck is a Squarepusher?” when I try to talk about music with them.
This post is just my opinion, but because of all this I’ve given up on trying to introduce the music I produce and listen to with people. So many of them simply don’t get it, and return to Lil Wayne, Metallica, and contrived Pop ridiculousness.
Quickly if I had to think of any who do it with ‘real feel’ I’d have to say much of the work of kaneel. Certainly nearly anything by Beatslaugher. Mick Rippon has moments of magic too. Some of Mushen’s tracks. Achenar in places. A lot of guys have had little moments when you’ve gone ‘ahhhh’ but I probably couldn’t cover them all here.
I’ve aimed for this a lot in my own music, and it’s no easy thing in a sequencer environment. Got a little project happening with Alex Strain that has a lot of emphasis on ‘feel’ too.
I actually disagree with Björk on this. First of all, I think computer CAN write music if you teach it how to. And second I think the “soul” in music comes mostly from the listener rather than writer. That’s one of the reasons why people don’t like some kinds of music, and never can really see the soul in one genre or other.
I was reluctant in responding but the jester in me escaped the shackles of manners. Maybe you should kick that fool in the gonads, maybe then, he’ll have some “feelings”.
Yeah… a bad mood can make you unreceptive for the most magnificient stuff, while a good mood can find anything beautiful… but still: “play from your fucking heart”, anything else is just a waste of time. I’d rather put heart blood into something that gets ignored then hack something together which I personally hate but that gets praised by others.
I agree with the Bjork quote (and I adore her music) for the post part, but I also understand what you’re saying here. I have a friend who’s a big Metal guitar guy and he tried to tell me that John Petrucci is a soulful guitarist. I actually laughed at the notion, because listening to John Petrucci made me feel like I was being beaten in the face with “Music Theory: Guitar Edition” repeatedly. I heard nothing emotive about it, rather, I just heard some cat showing off what he learned at Berklee.
I guess a lot of it boils down to a difference in preference, but still… it bothers me when people who don’t know music accuse “my style” of being soulless and devoid of skill.
Some of you have already heard my In-Fatuated track, which is probably my most emotive one to date, albeit rather generic. On In-Fluence.com - 3rd track down.
Good topic though, will listen back to others when I’m back from work
Only available as stream for now, but not too long anymore.
Otherwise i really appreciate songs from It-Alien, Foo, Achenar and also Keith303. Especially his last one is simply incredible, song title is “En Vie”.
