What is Muzak style

[byllsong]

Nice pieces John
I often listen to 'Beautiful Music' on the Internet.
Music sooths the savage beast...not that I'm a beast
but I love soft relaxing tunes...especially when I'm cooking and sipping.
Billy

[mazz]

Nice pieces John
I often listen to 'Beautiful Music' on the Internet.
Music sooths the savage beast...not that I'm a beast
but I love soft relaxing tunes...especially when I'm cooking and sipping.
Billy

Thanks Billy!

I don't do much cooking but I sure like sipping! Sounds great! Enjoy!

My grandfather used to insist on watching Lawrence Welk in the evenings when he got home from work. Of course, he would fall asleep, we would try to change the channel and he would instantly wake up and say "hey kids, I was watching that!". Great memories!

The "Summer Memories" piece a few folks have heard, it was even played during a panel at last year's Rally. It was written as a replacement for "Theme From A Summer Place". The second was written by request to resemble Lawrence Welk's rendition of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon", hence the chord progression.

Cheers!

Mazz

[jfraizer]

Thanks Billy!

I don't do much cooking but I sure like sipping! Sounds great! Enjoy!

My grandfather used to insist on watching Lawrence Welk in the evenings when he got home from work. Of course, he would fall asleep, we would try to change the channel and he would instantly wake up and say "hey kids, I was watching that!". Great memories!

The "Summer Memories" piece a few folks have heard, it was even played during a panel at last year's Rally. It was written as a replacement for "Theme From A Summer Place". The second was written by request to resemble Lawrence Welk's rendition of "Tie a Yellow Ribbon", hence the chord progression.

Cheers!

Mazz

Hey Mazz
I have to admit, I was on your site a few days ago listening to these songs as I was working on a couple of Muzak tracks myself. I said to myself WWMD? What would Mazz do?

I thought they were outstanding and told my husband to have a listen. When I played them he immediately said "Theme From a Summer Place" & "Tie a Yellow Ribbon".

You definitely nailed them.

Anyways, thanks for being such a great mentor to so many of us here.

[steveprobst]

I've enjoyed reading this thread and listening to samples and Mazz's work and now I'm making my 16 yer-old son's eye balls roll as I commence work on a track for this listing.

I'm having a blast and this worries me!.

[jakito]

Just discovered the "View your posts" option and found that I dropped the ball on this one. I did read the replies back in May - thanks Mazz for investigating, that came timely. I did not get a forward on that one but in the meantime I got tracks signed with Muzak, and echo bobadohshe's comment - mine were not elevator music style either.

[hazineju]

As I continue reading Futurehit.dna I recently came across this tidbit Jay Frank wrote about Muzak.

"Over the years, background music has been called many things. In a positive spin, it has been called 'Soft Pop,' 'Adult Contemporary,' or 'Adult Pop.' In a negative slant, it has been called 'Elevator Music, or 'Dentist Office Music.' The company that started the trend, Muzak, was once a very innovative and positive name. It has since devolved into a one-word joke for a sound that music fans and critics routinely deride as dull and boring. The truth is large numbers of people actually like this music, preferring inoffensive, soothing songs with no distractions."

I realize this is a slight tangent off the original topic, but it is a good little snippet for discussion. I have heard people sneer and scoff at the word "Muzak," and even say that composers and writers are selling out to write that kind of music. But it doesn't mean you can't be creative or write something awesome. And if you want to make money with music it's important to know there's a big marketplace for it!

PS I just remembered that scene in the Blues Brothers where they are in the middle of this frantic chase and they get on an elevator and just stand calmly and quietly listening to a muzak-style Girl From Ipanema (i think that was the song, it's been years since i've seen it!). How is that for a Muzak moment?

[davedwards]

It's the same kind of attitude a lot of folks have toward "New Age" or "Smooth Jazz" music. I recently had a sax player who worked on my recordings say that he did a lot of "that Kenny G stuff" back in the 80s, and didn't really want to do it anymore. Fine. I do a wide variety of musical styles, and I can't help but bristle at that kind of attitude. Same thing for Country music, or Folk, or Rap or Classical. A genre is a genre. There can be good, bad and indifferent stuff in any of them. I'm just doing the best I know how, and always trying to get better. Pardon me, I had to vent a little.

Dave