At the risk of being controversial...

[Starkravingdead]

Maybe it is just part of growing up, of maturing, but seriously, I am sick of music both amateur and professional. At the cantankerous age of 27 I find myself loathing 99.8% of the dross my ears are subjected to. I'm tired of technically perfect yet utterly meaningless electro; bland, clueless indie bands trying to get a record contract; of music labelled "experimental" when a more apt term would be "excremental."

Everybody bangs on about the heartless commoditisation of music by the big bad industry but rarely is anyone willing to put their ass on the stove and challenge it. But by doing what? By repeating the dull, clueless, self-serving mantra "How do I monetise my music?" By creating endless reams of stream-of-consciousness tripe where you might garner a favourable and pointless comment or two about how transparent the mix is? By adding random people until it looks like you've got lots of interest in your music? Imagine the challenge to your skill if you put half your music-making time into generating a concept before even considering sitting at that infernal computer. Imagine placing the clarity of your message above technicalities.

Music both creates and reflects our culture. Given that the Internet has made it simple to access a myriad of bands and artists, you have to conclude that if there is not much on offer but poseurs, tech-heads and dullards, then our society (the developed world) must be filled with poseurs, tech-heads and dullards. The communal ejaculation that usually follows a Steve Jobs keynote speech is testament enough to this.

But then again, maybe I shouldn't complain at the complete lack of a vision in culture, at the inability to grasp the concept that music is actually an art form, no. I mean, the overwhelming majority of us are sat at a nice, big computer in a nice, big middle class house with a nice, stable job to go to every day. Isn't that culture? No?

[LoopStationZebra]

....and the endless prattle about how a Kenton knob is the only knob that allows for magical, fluid, micro adjustments that really just MAKE the mix! lol.

[UKRuss]

Hi! Welcome!

Your post needs more sausage.

[ChiDJ]

@ the OP,

Do you write? Produce? DJ? or just consume?

[UKRuss]

I think it's a neat reverse psychology trick:

I hate music, but post my soundcloud link, you say 'Oh yeah? Whats your music like then, come and check me out and say' Wow, you're like the greatest band evah and go against everything you hate and now I am your biggest fan?'

27 is the new 16.

[LoopStationZebra]

Am I the only one who's b0unce radar is intact and functioning? lol.

[ChiDJ]

Am I the only one who's b0unce radar is intact and functioning? lol.

Fuck! You're probably right! Nice! Welcome back Bounce!

[davepermen]

big bunch of bla

old times where always better. blablabla .. new is heartless overproduced blablabla.. old ones wheren't blabalabla?

anything new? no, you're not maturing. you just try to "be better than the rest" and thus bash everything new in favour of the things you knew back then, back when it was new to you and thus impressive.

i like nowadays music and find much stuff that is made with a lot of passion and love, both in amateur and professional land. and i honour that instead of making myself feel like an old grumpy 70 year old grandpa.

[AceLuby]

27 is the new 16.

Please god say this isn't true, I don't want to be 16 again.

[liveISlife]

Yeah, I was thinking about moving in with an American Indian tribe myself.

[ethios4]

Am I the only one who's b0unce radar is intact and functioning? lol.

Oh come on, the real bOunce would never ever post any actual music!

Starkravingdead, you should check out the newest BT album...loads of innovative ideas hiding in there if you care to listen. It might even upset a few paradigms.

[LoopStationZebra]

Am I the only one who's b0unce radar is intact and functioning? lol.

Oh come on, the real bOunce would never ever post any actual music!

Starkravingdead, you should check out the newest BT album...loads of innovative ideas hiding in there if you care to listen. It might even upset a few paradigms.

Oh no. He has in a recent incarnation!

[UKRuss]

27 is the new 16.

Please god say this isn't true, I don't want to be 16 again.

You'll feel different about that when you hit 40.

[Starkravingdead]

If I hadn't posted a link to my music I would be guilty of hypocrisy considering the thrust of my argument. I'm not too bothered whether anyone listens to my music, but I would much, much rather have discussions like this as opposed to what compressor I'm using.

you should check out the newest BT album...loads of innovative ideas hiding in there if you care to listen. It might even upset a few paradigms.

Who is BT aside from British Telecom?

[mikemc]

fwiw, i tend to agree with the OP about a lot of music, not all of it, but a lot of it.

Part of it has to do with the overexposure to my own ceaselss sonic futzing, part of it has to do with the 'designed to be disposable' approach that most artists/producers/labels, even the more successful pop ones, have.

Top it off with degraded quality digital sound. 44.1k is lacking. 97k/24 sampling rate sounds really, really good... full and deep. But you need a quadcore ultra-rig to use it effectively.

Then there is a needless seriousness to all of it, also. Few seem to have a sense of humor about what they are doing.