What Ever Happened To Melody?

[ggalen]

Steve,Thanks for the clarification. I agree we likely agree on more things than we disagree on!

[liamkelly]

'De gustibus non est disputandum''In matters of taste, there cannot be dispute' or 'one man's meat is another man's poison'

[matto]

Quote:When you say your impulse is to ask me to "prove" that melody is not as strong today in the currently popular music...I ask how could I do that? What would constitute proof?Glenn, in a previous reply to Steve you imply that music is not ALL subjective, that there are objectively interesting and exciting melodies and objectively flat and boring ones. That it's NOT all in the ear of the beholder. If that's the case (and I happen to agree), then there MUST be proof. Objective facts can be proven, subjective opinions cannot.Quote:I listened to all the songs you were so kind to name. Honestly? I thought they were more melodic than most, but nothing gave me a happy surprised smile about the melody.Hmmm...if the melody to "Brothers In Arms" gives you a happy surprised smile and the one to "Angel" doesn't, then I must respectfully submit that your happy smile might not be caused by surprise, but by nostalgia.Otherwise please analyze the two melodies for me and show me exactly how and where one is exciting and surprising, and the other isn't.matto

[ggalen]

Quote:[quote author=ggalen board=general thread=1192905540 post=1193686639]Hmmm...if the melody to "Brothers In Arms" gives you a happy surprised smile and the one to "Angel" doesn't, then I must respectfully submit that your happy smile might not be caused by surprise, but by nostalgia.mattoMatto,You are right. Brothers In Arms is the weaker melody compared to Angel. By far.As I said earlier, one feature of interesting and creative melodies are "skips"...where the next note jumps to an interesting place.Have you read Jimmy Webb's book "Tunesmith"? It's on my shelf here. He has a good chapter on melody and it's stylistic changes through the years.He quotes Leonard Bernstein: "...what is variation anyway? It's always in one way or another a manifestation of the mighty, dramatic principle known as Violation of Expectation."I just think that great melodies delight and surprise us with the unexpected in a way that is pleasing and exciting.I don't know how else to describe it.

[matto]

Quote:I just think that great melodies delight and surprise us with the unexpected in a way that is pleasing and exciting.I agree 100%. It's about finding the right balance between familiarity and surprise.And I hate boring melodies too btw.

[horacejesse]

Quote:My reason for posting is that I believe all forms of musical expression are equally valid.Valid is a copout pure and simple. What is it supposed to mean? That the man singing in the shower has just as much right to do it as the man writing a symphony? Agreed. So what?The man in the shower may have just as much right to do it, but I consider it rather easy to see that his singing in the shower is not as "valid" as one of Ern's symphonies under a reasonable definition of valid. We all know we have a right to do anything we want to if it does not injure someone else. So now explain to me why a drunk singing his heart out in the shower is doing a form of expression just as valid as a Beethoven symphony, other than they both had a right to do what they did.One is more musically valid than the other. Can't wait to hear your argument otherwise.

[gendron]

"MIKA" lika melody... jus' click and see

[sgs4u]

"Love Me", is a perfectly meaningless, disposable and unremarkable piece of audio . Perfect in its commitment to sell a product! It is interesting in its song form, there are a lot of different sections. Not much meat for a "songwriter" however. This is pure entertainment, designed to be played loud where there are lots of flashing lights and dancing. And it also matters to the great collective, that is popular music. It somehow reminds me of "the Archies," first LP. Sugah, aahh honey honey. Is it strange that I both love and abhor bubblegum music? Less now than 20 years ago. You see, everything matters, Jesse.Quote: "MIKA" lika melody... jus' click and see

[gendron]

Quote:"Love Me", is a perfectly meaningless, disposable and unremarkable piece of audio . Perfect in its commitment to sell a product! It is interesting in its song form, there are a lot of different sections. Not much meat for a "songwriter" however. This is pure entertainment, designed to be played loud where there are lots of flashing lights and dancing. And it also matters to the great collective, that is popular music. It somehow reminds me of "the Archies," first LP. Sugah, aahh honey honey. Is it strange that I both love and abhor bubblegum music? Less now than 20 years ago. You see, everything matters, Jesse.Quote: "MIKA" lika melody... jus' click and see This one is worse if not better: Mika's - Grace Kelly ... the lighting's a bit odd (dim and moody) but the dancing's not half bad. Also, from a songwriter's point of view the melody is pretty "flat-lined" until the chorus. Which is the original argument. But they are fun songs and selling like millions. I assume if the people of the world were born songwriters very few songs would ever get air time. ... and before I forget. Have a great time in LA. Silence: for medical reasons only.

[sgs4u]

sshhh, Quote:Silence: for medical reasons only.