I Just Don't Get It

R-A-N-M-A · Post by **R-A-N-M-A** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 8:41 pm

Define metal.

Flint the Dwarf · Post by **Flint the Dwarf** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:24 pm

Which of these do you find emotional? And in what ways? What inspires the emotion? Which has more appealing qualities?

Can you explain to me why Jackson Pollock is a more emotional artist than Caravaggio? You can't. The compositions are too different. Pollock doesn't draw your eye anywhere, everything is sprawled out in front of you. And if someone were to tell you precisely what the appeal to Pollack's art was, would you understand it? It's still just a mass of swirling colors, however easy it is to see chaos or anger or even tranquillity in various parts of his art. With Caravaggio it's more defined. The eye is drawn to the white flesh of Christ, and the surrounding black contrasts. Everyone around him is in motion, clearly mourning. It's almost mathematical. And if someone were to find a lack of genuinity in this almost mathematical process of art, who are you to find fault in that?

Some things you just have to accept without a definite, satisfying explanation. Art is subjective, and everyone will find different aspects appealing. If you still persist in thinking that metal has enough to offer to sate everyone's appetite, I don't see how I can persuade you otherwise. At least consider that yes, while metal offers immense diversity, it doesn't always offer that diversity in large enough quantity to satisfy what someone's looking for. Other genres do offer that, and thank god.

madbunny · Post by **madbunny** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 9:42 pm

While you've refined your question a few times, the original question as stated is kind of retarded. You might as well be asking why anybody would bother listening to anything other than Country Music, as it contains pretty much the same things.

The FUNCTION of art is to evoke emotion, or trigger some kind of reaction. Your milage will vary. It's a given that a lot of the time this fails abysmally, but that's fwhat it's supposed to do. That's also one of the reasons that 'classic rock' stations are always updating their music to about 20 years ago. It's designed to appeal to a certain age bracket. So, yes, in 2010 you'll be hearing matchbox 20 and linkin' park on the classic stations.

You've obviously been enamoured of your chosen musical style, and find it appealing for whatever reason (perhaps the guitar solos, perhaps the in your facy lyric style). You mention Def Leppard a couple times. Interestingly enough, Leppard isn't what most people would consider metal, though it has some of the same elements, in the same way that some Peter Frampton songs have some of the same elements yet would also not be considered metal.

On to my actual response on why I like what I do:

I listen to 'almost' anything. Seriously. When most people say that, what they really mean is that they don't cry and moan when something they are not used to gets played, even though all their personal music is mostly of one type (metal for instance). I listen to what reflects my mood, unless I'm feeling EMO, which is just wrong, so I'll play something cheerful, like country music, or cartoon soundtracks. When I'm at work, I play everything from Linkin park, Korn, Trapt, William Shatner, Beethoven, tons of soundtracks like Passion, and mortal combat, and Shania Twain in my room.

At home.. pretty much whatever perks my mood. AMVs tend to influence that alot, thus I'm accumulating a lot of Jpop. In the car.. mostly classic rock, or progressive rock unless my wife wants to listen to NPR.

HeavyMetal · Post by **HeavyMetal** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:27 pm

I can list exactly why I like metal. Nobody else has offered shit for reason why they like something not why I should. If you don't want two way communication shadowkiller don't post. Your piss poor psych analysis is not relevant to the topic.

The question is always the same what value do you find in your music.
From the start it was about understanding another view point not my own. Thats been done years ago. (I keep rephrasing the question toward a better connection with a relatively unknown audience.)

No more drugs for nails. haha

Im not defining metal. I could as I did it by analysis to my own satisfaction, but it is a muddy subject often prowled by total assholes.

Yes Flint art is subjective, but it is made of elements and people can describe a preference beyond simply I like it.

THIS IS NOT ABOUT METAL. Metal was the example because after sampling about every music you can imagine, that is what I liked most. But apparently I am the only jackass on the planet that knows his own tastes and drives.

YEAH for Madbunny. Somebody that has a basis for a selection. Holy crap I think we found the holy grail. Not genre explicative, but thanks for actually getting the point. Kickass. Reason = Selection.

Madbunny recieves awesomeness award.

Lets try a non-musical comparison for everyone else.

Videogames have much more polar characteristics so perhaps that will help.

Type - Typical point of Interest

2D Fighting - Childhood Memory, Quick Action, Simple Controls
3D Fighting - More realistic fights, intense action, more complex controls
RPG - Compelling Story
MMORPG - Interaction, Neverending
Puzzles - Interactive and Thought Provoking
Platformer - Action with Story to various combinations

Each game has its own merits beyond its genre, but it will likely share characteristics that draw repeated fans. Same with any art form.

Parts equalling more than the whole may yet be beyond the grasp of reason, but the parts themselves are not.

Flint the Dwarf · Post by **Flint the Dwarf** » Tue Oct 10, 2006 10:43 pm

Wait, wait, you honestly needed someone to tell you that they listen to varying music depending on their mood? What the hell? You need this shit spoon fed to you? I really don't see what you aren't understanding.

Okay, you've listed elements of why you like metal, and I think pretty much anyone who's brought up any point has basically said that those same elements are present in pretty much any kind of music. So what are you waiting for someone to say? Me, I'm a metalhead, but I have no problem understanding why people like other music. Why they prefer other music. Do you really need someone to come out here and say that they like the content of lyrics or the emotion or the arrangement of instruments or the composition or production or type of instrument used or vocal melody? Because all those elements are in any genre of music, but with a different emphasis. Maybe that's what you need to understand.

Either way, I'm done with this. Until you can further clarify your non-understanding, I don't see how anyone can answer.

Iamshadowkiller · Post by **Iamshadowkiller** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:07 am

HeavyMetal wrote:If you don't want two way communication shadowkiller don't post. Your piss poor psych analysis is not relevant to the topic.

there you did it again, why the long responses with the annoying spaces and poor structure? you're not really saying anything

also, I'm not trying to analyze anything, we can all agree that you've changed your question many times and don't even seem to know why exactly you like metal, you've just been disagreeing with anyone, what you've been asking for is a definitive answer that doesn't exist, stop it with your supposed logic and what I guess you believe to be really intelligent responses, this is not the first time that I've seen your posts and well...I guess i will now stop posting here as well, this is the internet after all...insert a comparison to the special olympics where it fits.

/end

wurpess · Post by **wurpess** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 12:41 am

I like metal. It's shiny and pretty. I also like elves. They're neat. And they make me cookies. I like cookies. I also like arguments. Just not when they're silly and pointless. Except if I'm that bored. I also like being different. It's boring when everything's the same. Like music. If everything sounded the same, that would be silly. . .and boring. HOORAY FOR DIVERSITY!!!!!!!!!! WEHOO!!!!

Because of diversity, stuff will distract me from staring at the walls for hours on end and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy. . . .or like killing stuff. But hey, it makes life more interesting. FWEEEEEEEE!!!!

R-A-N-M-A · Post by **R-A-N-M-A** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:03 am

This thread is going dangerously down hill. It has down graded from an attempt to explain that opinion is simply opinion and yours applies to no one elses into a god damned pissing match about whose opinion on opinion is more sound.

CerebralAssamite · Post by **CerebralAssamite** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 1:10 am

R-A-N-M-A wrote:This thread is going dangerously down hill. It has down graded from an attempt to explain that opinion is simply opinion and yours applies to no one elses into a god damned pissing match about whose opinion on opinion is more sound.

I always thought that Opinions were like assholes, everybody has one.

ORLY!!!

YA RLY!!!

downwithpants · Post by **downwithpants** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 4:03 am

HeavyMetal wrote:what value do you find in your music.

oh, the underlying values i look for in music are (roughly in descending importance):
-chord progression that flows naturally yet evokes some emotion, sensation, or idea
-stylized ornamentations of any musical element (such as rhythm, melody, or timbre)
-quality of performance
-if it's a recording, quality of production (recording, sound engineering)
-tricks like counterpoint, polyphony, and polymeter always impress me
-lyrical content is probably of least importance to me

but as you may notice, none of these are specific to any genre.