Ableton Forum

Well, I got quite shocked by a post in another thread saying that everyting had been done in music: all notes, chord changes, sounds, rythms and all that was left was regurgitating them.
So instead of picking on the original poster, I thought it would be a bit more constructive to ask everybody's opinion about that.

So is there hope? Can something new be created?

Hmm well. combinations. There are so many factors its nearly impossible to see an end on the varieties.

Of course most chord changes have been done, but then if you add a new things in between etcettera. All sounds done? Hm no. but so what? Many tracks use a supersaw and a guitar. Its not that big deal.

RYTHMS? Again combinations. Besides, if you listen, there are often new rythms in. And then again, the sounds counts here. And lots of things. And effects.


Don't worry, i'd say.

In a way yes, there's only 12 notes in a scale. About as much chord colors.
Rythms are a bit more numerous IMO but maybe we found them all.

Can new sounds be invented? Like the synthesizer in the 70s?
Well, we know a lot about the physics of sound so maybe we've reached the end here. But I'm not sure.

But does that make us regurgitating what's been done? I think even just with a piano you can create some new stuff until the end of times.
But hearing someone say the opposite really depressed me.

It's like a friend of mine a few days ago telling me he didn't want to have children cause the world was a tough place to live in and that it would only get worse.

Well tell him to stop being so negative. Tell them both. Don't worry there will be plenty of things to create with music.

Rythms are a bit more numerous IMO but maybe we found them all.

We are quite flexible as humans. I mean we can grab one drum loop, perceive it, and then we can change it so no one will say they are the same thought they share some similarities. Same with so many other things. Its endless dude, don't worry. And a song consists of MANY components. Then there is the rythm, then the sound design, then arrangement, then melodies etc etc. The only problem i can see is the chord progression but even then, you can create pretty unique leads and melodies on top of them.

It's like a friend of mine a few days ago telling me he didn't want to have children cause the world was a tough place to live in and that it would only get worse.

Well tell him i have a great time


sometimes tough, sometimes just lovely you know.

IMO, true talent, originality, and passion (none of which I possess!) will still shine through the exponentially increasing amount of useless crap.

It's only my opinion. One man's useless crap may be another man's treasure!

Actually, my biggest fear is not that there won't be anything left to play, it's that I won't be here to check it out.

everything has been done, but not by me yet...
so i'm going to carry on...

Well, there's more crap music but we also have better search tools and selective filtering now than ever before. I think the filtering tools a will continue to improve. Hardware has helped with the filtering too, for example: I haven't had to listen to crappy radio ever since MP3 players arrived. More and more the music that I don't like is filtered out of my life.
My daytime listening is mainly achieved by typing keywords into shoutcast.

And on the plus side : these days it's a lot easier to hear something in passing and say "what was that song? I liked it" and follow a trail of info to the artist, their influences and anyone else in their 'scene'. In days gone by that would have been a lot harder, you had to meet someone knowledgeable and know the right questions to ask them.

In terms of being musically 'original' it just doesn't matter.
JS Bach was considered old fashioned in his time, not being 'original' in the music he wrote, yet now he is revered as one of the greatest classical composers.

Music of the moment simply has to match public taste to be 'good', it's a relative thing. So you get a lot of people into LSD and pot and having certain social ideas and the music simply needs to suit that to be 'good'. Of course their music might be unfavourably reviewed as just some wibbly blues rip-off, or some sped up gospel, and attract criticism for lack of 'originality'

But criticising their music as unoriginal misses the point as it isn't up for an originality competition prize. Music is about enhancing or generating certain moods and if it does that then it has succeeded.

shhhhh wrote:In a way yes, there's only 12 notes in a scale. About as much chord colors.

could always start using quarter tones

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarter_tones

I'd say Yes, everything has been done. Get over yourself and do what YOU need to do. I just say Yes, because music can't be about the quest for novelty. Stupid UK music mags!

I agree with the above. Still, nowadays there is no more a mainstream in fashions or genres, so that potentially everything can be mixed up together and lead us to wonderful and unexpected accidents, yet to occur though...

Well, who cares? A few chords, redundant lyrics, a nice melody and possibly a good song in the end.

WGAF???... get on with it! enjoy making it, and stop worrying over such BS!

Hd

heavensdaw wrote:WGAF???... get on with it! enjoy making it, and stop worrying over such BS!

Hd

true

shhhhh wrote:

heavensdaw wrote:WGAF???... get on with it! enjoy making it, and stop worrying over such BS!

Hd

true

Hey man, glad that you saw what I was saying there.. even though it was a bit brusk.

But really I don't think that it is for us 'artists' to decide about such things...

Ok... Let's say for a minute that yeah everything has been done already. What you gonna do now? Stop making music and take up summat else?

I don't have a choice.. I have to make music.. I LIKE it.. ENJOY it even.. When I first started making music, I wasn't thinking ' oh maybe what I'm doing now has been done already' I wasn't and am still not making music, specifically to be different.. But I AM...We ALL are.. Unique just by our very nature.. Take a three cord guitar progression and give a simple acoustic guitar to ten different guys, they will all make that chord progression sound different, if they play their way. ie NOT trying to sound like someone else..

Basically.... Individuality is a wonderful thing... and you know what? ..... We have IT!

Peace

Hd

might be that all has been done before.

it's our job to do it again, in our own way, and to teach it to the next generation.