That word 'Experimental'

**massplanck** · 21-02-2005, 10:42 AM

Do people throw this word about a bit too much when there is actually bugger all experimental about something. To me 'experimental music' would mean er recording lots of cats shitting onto tape and then making them eat the tape and then recording the sound coming out their asses or something like that.

Maybe a better example would be the audio installations & stuff that Laurie Anderson does with microphones & speakers.

When people say "we should be getting more *experimental* with techno" dont they just mean more *musical* . For example if someone here suggested that we should try and make techno with a 7/5 time signature people would call that 'experimental' where as to a jazz musician it would just be another time signature amoungst others. Same goes for song arrangements. When someone breaks out of the mould slighty they are sometimes labeled as 'experimental' when all they are doing is rejecting the narrow ecstasy influenced norm.

Thoughs?

**ncw** · 21-02-2005, 11:01 AM

Its about the process I guess. Music that has been made in a different way to other music.. An artist experimenting doesn't always make experimental music, often its a way of finding new sounds and methods. You could sample the cats shitting on tape and use it in a banging techno track, innit?

**ncw** · 21-02-2005, 11:02 AM

Can you explain the "musical" thing? Its another thing people bandy about. Just let me know a few techno records or artists you consider musical.

**massplanck** · 21-02-2005, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by ncw

Can you explain the "musical" thing? Its another thing people bandy about. Just let me know a few techno records or artists you consider musical.

all of them ;)

I sort of mean it in a hard-techno context seeing as this is boa.

er. say you got a 'band' drummer. guitarist & bass player to play a short phrase over and over again (say three chords) your ears wouldnt tire of it as fast as say a loop on sequencer because the timing & velocity of the notes they play are never going to repeat themselves exactly. Thats what makes music 'interesting' to me .. the little nuances & irregualarities.

That aside. When I say 'musical' maybe I mean producers should stop worrying about the need to make records easy for DJ's to mix etc

**Col** · 21-02-2005, 11:28 AM

good topic. i really dislike the term "experimental" when paired with music. i think it actually de-values what it actually is.

innovative music is no experiment.

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 12:39 PM

Id love to hear a cat shitting

But apart from that...

in a brief summary what would u describe as experimental then?

Is it the creative means in which audio is made? or the type of sound?

**massplanck** · 21-02-2005, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by miss bass

Id love to hear a cat shitting

But apart from that...

in a brief summary what would u describe as experimental then?

Is it the creative means in which audio is made? or the type of sound?

I dont really know. Trying to figure it out myself. :neutral

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 12:45 PM

Im confused

**fresh_an_funky_design** · 21-02-2005, 12:47 PM

Originally Posted by ncw

Can you explain the "musical" thing? Its another thing people bandy about. Just let me know a few techno records or artists you consider musical.

I've noticed quite a few artists are being much more 'musical' with there production recently. To name a few ant, dave the drummer & dirty bass. You can tell when you listen to there music that they have an undersranding of music principles such as chords, keys etc. There are plenty more out there as.

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 12:51 PM

so is it more experimental to be musical.... hmm but being musical is in every genre so ...

**massplanck** · 21-02-2005, 12:56 PM

Originally Posted by miss bass

Im confused

well I dont know. as I said some of the stuff Laurie Anderson does with say 50 speakers twirling above your head encircling you in an ocean of sound I would consider experimental but thats not really the sort of thing you could (or would|) capture on a CD or Vinyl.

I think col is right. Innovative is probably a better word to use for people who deviate a bit from the norm.
Sorry I have just seen a few labels & artists on discogs who seem to think they are experimenal but I dont see how they are experimenting if you know what i mean. Then again I doubt Discogs would add the word innovative to their list of genres.

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 01:00 PM

[quote="massplanck"]

Originally Posted by miss bass

Im confused

well I dont know. as I said some of the stuff Laurie Anderson does with say 50 speakers twirling above your head encircling you in an ocean of sound I would consider experimental but thats not really the sort of thing you could (or would|) capture on a CD or Vinyl.

quote]

Thats madness, i seriously have to research this person.

I definately would say that is experimental, i mean its a totally creative thing to do compared to the norm and maybe the fact you wouldnt capture it on cd/ vinyl emphasises that?

I duno my head hurts

**massplanck** · 21-02-2005, 01:04 PM

Originally Posted by miss bass

so is it more experimental to be musical.... hmm but being musical is in every genre so ...

I dont know about that. Whats musical about a genre where for the most part everysong is between 138-144bpm always in 4/4 and easy for a dj to mix with not timing changes or complications? Seem like a hell of a lot of musical parameters are being left out of the equation to me. But then again i suppose if it didnt sound like this it would be classed as something totally different

I find alot of glitchy stuff / some vogel & tarrida more 'musical' because there is generally a looser focus on exact timing and more notes\nuances flying about

I cam probably talking out my ass now (must sample that)

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 01:09 PM

Originally Posted by massplanck

I cam probably talking out my ass now (must sample that)

See now your talking sense.... :P

i meant like pop music uses chords etc or jazz or rock etc etc i was kinda being general 'theyre all musical' i just meant its nothing new basically if chords etc are being used....... But ive got poop coming out my mouth right now.

**detfella** · 21-02-2005, 01:10 PM

making music is experimental isn't it?

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 01:10 PM

[quote="massplanck"]

I find alot of glitchy stuff / some vogel & tarrida more 'musical' because there is generally a looser focus on exact timing and more notes\nuances flying about

quote]

Yeh i get ya, I guess thats being more creative musically then because of the rhythms etc....

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by detfella

making music is experimental isn't it?

well it depends as what you class as music

(hehe im trying to sound clever now :roll: )

**detfella** · 21-02-2005, 01:14 PM

imo, music is just organised noise

**massplanck** · 21-02-2005, 01:15 PM

Originally Posted by miss bass

Originally Posted by massplanck

I cam probably talking out my ass now (must sample that)

See now your talking sense.... :P

i meant like pop music uses chords etc or jazz or rock etc etc i was kinda being general 'theyre all musical' i just meant its nothing new basically if chords etc are being used....... But ive got poop coming out my mouth right now.

I sort of mean it in an arrangement sense too. A metal song for example can have 3/4 parts in it where lets say they slow down for a break or bridge. Then they stop for er 2.3 seconds and bang in the chorus faster. The track doesnt seem to lose any energy nor does it cause metalers to run around going THIS IS MAD EXPERIMENTAL HEAVY METAL MUSIC!!!

**miss bass** · 21-02-2005, 01:15 PM

thats far out dude

Thread: That word 'Experimental'

Thread Tools

Display

That word 'Experimental'

Posting Permissions