Jump to content
aberdeen-music

Rules that you think, personally, constitute towards GOOD music!


Randy Watson 101

Recommended Posts

Maybe not being eloquent enough here in expressing my desire for this thread, and perhaps something like this has been done before, but I will give it a go.

This is partly for humour purposes, and partly to see how different people regard what constitutes good music, and rules and ways of doing things that have proved this to be so in the past.

You can list ten, five or even just one or two 'principles' that are all-important to you in your musical world.

For example, here's a few below. You don't necessarily have to go out your way to list songs that prove your 'rule', because the potential ignorance :up: of the thread will be funny alone (I hope)!

So, things that I think that SHOULD constitute towards good music, or have done so in the past, are:

1) Basslines that are in the key of E, or at least begin in this key, are the most notable, and best, of all basslines.

Chic - 'Good Times'; Queen - 'Another One Bites The Dust'; Black Sabbath - 'N.I.B.' and so on.

2) '80s rock is only worth listening to if songs in question can be accompanied by heroic, Dio-like mic-stand swinging and Bruce Dickinson-esque arm-swinging (and fists held high, then, slowly, and powerfully, brought back to chest/heart of fire).

Kiss - 'Reason To Live'; Bon Jovi - 'Livin' On A Prayer' and so on.

3) Guitar riffs and solos are only ever at their wildest and most untamed if played with a wah-pedal and ferocity akin to a wildcat roaring, like a lynx or black panther.

Metallica - 'I Disappear'...Christ; really can't think of anymore than that, rule still applies though! Anything played by Zakk Wylde, perhaps?

4) Screaming vocals are no use without a gaping mouth and a tongue outstretched, howling "BLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEGH!"

Howard's singing in anything by Killswitch Engage, probably.

5) Drummers only make the crowd feel special when aiming their sticks, bow-and-arrow style, towards them. I've got you in my sights, baby...feel the love!

The late Randy Castillo of Ozzy Osbourne fame, in particular.

Regards.

Mr. A R Watson

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 53
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Rule 1 (only applicable to 'guitar music')

If it sounds shit on an acoustic guitar, it's a shit song.

Rule 2

If you can't provide an abridged description of what the song is about in one sentance, it's a shit song.

Rule 3

If you use couplets like love/above, strong/wrong or forget/regret.... it's probably a shit song.

Rule 4

If the song is longer than 4 minutes, it needs to be REALLY fucking interesting to hold my attention.

xx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dweller is really decent at this, btw.

There are only a handful of songs more than 4 minutes long I'll give the time of day to. Social Distortion are a fucking nightmare for 6 minute songs that are just simple verse-chorus-repeat layouts with the odd solo. I love them but they drag their heels something awful - new record isn't quite as guilty of it though. Obviously just my personal taste.

I haven't heard a great deal of Dweller material but from the new stuff I've heard I'd say you're spot on there though. I need to check out more of their material, actually.

xx

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Out of genuine curiosity, is your post meant to be ironical? It probably is, and thus I look silly replying at all.

I just like tunes that sound good to my ears. There are no rules or prerequisites.

A bit tongue-in-cheek, but serious in the sense that it can also apply to songs you enjoy even as a guilty pleasure etc. And there's always a formula for songs you're not meant to enjoy, and, embarrassing as it may seem to be to admit WHAT it is you like about the 'cheese' in question, it's always useful to acknowledge what makes you like it in the first place!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There's also a certain coupling of melody line and chord progression that I fawn over, but cant quite explain.

I have an iTunes playlist that has a bunch of songs that use them though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a whole heap of shite if you ask me.

It's like writing an equation for a perfect song.

Heap of shite.

Newsflash: music is subjective.

...and the whole point of this thread is to be subjective, because flippant opinions regarding one's taste and what one thinks to be good, in a generized sense, is what I find, personally, funny.

P.S. You haven't told me anything I don't know yet, which is a shame.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

...and the whole point of this thread is to be subjective, because flippant opinions regarding one's taste and what one thinks to be good, in a generized sense, is what I find, personally, funny.
Here's my rules

Did I like what I just heard? Yes/No.

Done.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a whole heap of shite if you ask me.

It's like writing an equation for a perfect song.

Heap of shite.

Newsflash: music is subjective.

Just in the interests of discussion, rather than actually giving a fuck, aren't there scientifically proven progressions that elicit certain emotional responses? Like a more developed notion of minor = sad, major = happy. I'm too stupid to know anything about it but I'm sure since the dawn of time musicians have worked around certain norms/rules to achieve certain results. Either adhering to a structure to get an effect or subversing that structure to get another effect.

Getting deep for a moment, why is it that there is a standard guitar + bass + drums foundation to most bands. Obviously there are countless examples where that's not the case but in general, moat musicians are bound in some small way by convention.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just in the interests of discussion, rather than actually giving a fuck, aren't there scientifically proven progressions that elicit certain emotional responses? Like a more developed notion of minor = sad, major = happy.
If that's the case, which one is it that makes the song "good"? Depends on the song, the audience, the subject the song is about, everything.

Plus, even if that is true, which it kind of is, should that be the be all and end all of it? Would it not be more interesting to see someone do something opposite to that?

Is someone going to turn around and say "I would like this song, but it doesn't follow my rules to being a good song."? No, cos that would be fucking ridiculous.

So basically, it all boils back to "I liked/didn't like what I just heard."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If that's the case, which one is it that makes the song "good"? Depends on the song, the audience, the subject the song is about, everything.

Plus, even if that is true, which it kind of is, should that be the be all and end all of it? Would it not be more interesting to see someone do something opposite to that?

Is someone going to turn around and say "I would like this song, but it doesn't follow my rules to being a good song."? No, cos that would be fucking ridiculous.

So basically, it all boils back to "I liked/didn't like what I just heard."

Right, how about saying what it is you like about the music you like? That's basically what I'm saying, no?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Surely that is entirely dependent on what it is that's been heard?

And where one has heard it. And one's emotional state at the time.

Context is a huge thing in my own enjoyment of music, and it follows no rules at all. I can hear a song or see it performed live and it can have a devastatingly profound effect on me; but equally, I can listen to it the following day/week and feel entirely indifferent about it.

Sure, the thread started as semi tongue-in-cheek, but the idea of 'rules' applied to why I like something (not just music) makes me feel a little uncomfortable.

I'm with Teabags on this one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest
This topic is now closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...