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I can't believe this sh*t!

next thing we know blind people will be driving cars.

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audiokid Thu, 11/22/2012 - 23:07

Llooks like you've been doing some research, Kurt. Its a sad musical state we are in. But, I'm trying to work in it too, and understand it all. Some stuff is really good but the majority of these people doing this seem lost. But, maybe we are the ones lost too. Times are changing.

That Indaba contest was full of this exact thing. Hundreds of tracks of remix'es from people who don't have a clue about instruments or actual musicianship. Everything brick-walled to top it all off. Today's pop is dominated by software and libraries that you use a mouse to twist virtual knobs. Cut and paste and do the wobble. Check out # 3!

ROTF

The next wave of Top 40 is going to be full of wobble bass.

To see what is getting votes for that recent contest on Indaba:

Here is the highest # 1 Facebook vote so far. Kenji Tanamachi's Christina Aguilera - "Your Body" Remix Contest Submission - Indaba Music

Here is the # 3 Facebook vote so far. Cyberdrone's Christina Aguilera - "Your Body" Remix Contest Submission - Indaba Music

Here is the # 5 Facebook vote so far Mike Mef's Christina Aguilera - "Your Body" Remix Contest Submission - Indaba Music

Its embarrassing. Its now turned into a facebook competition and the votes have nothing to do with musical genius. People are spamming everyone, dropping BS comments on their tracks all in the name to get someone to vote for them. I've erased all of mine so far. Only but a few are sincere.

I hope Indaba looks at this as being an embarrassment and finds a better way..

KurtFoster Thu, 11/22/2012 - 23:58

as most who frequent these pages and those who read the threads i have contributed to over the years know, i am very critical of musicianship and music in general. i know what i like and i am not timid in the least when it comes to expressing myself.

however i have always disliked the concept of music "contests". the idea that one artist or group is "better" (in a quantifiable way) than the others is objectionable to me. the concept one is a winner and the others are losers can be very hurtful to some who can be very sensitive. often as Chris points out the thing turns into a popularity contest.

it's difficult to pontificate but i just think the whole idea really sucks.

it's one thing for a person to make these judgments for themselves but to attempt to tell everyone else what is best and then to reward one winner while not rewarding the other stinks (imo).

sorry that thing didn't work out for you Chris. i was pulling for you.

as far as researching it ... well no. i am not really that obsessed with the subject. i actually just ran across it while i was surfing ewwtoobe. couldn't believe it!

audiokid Fri, 11/23/2012 - 00:06

Thanks Kurt,

Its still going. I mean, RCA is doing the real deal here and I wouldn't believe that these people in the Facebook front lines would even have a chance at being selected for Christina ReMix. It will be interesting to see who RCA selects. I'm hopeful but its only one of many I'm going to ReMix there. I've signed up as a Platinum member. Its a cool place and I like that there are opportunities like this just the same. Keeps my chops up. :)
I'll keep you all posted.

I agree with you entirely about contests. I even detest mic shootouts online. That also is so subjective.

What a world though. Even cars are doing parallel parking for us.

audiokid Fri, 11/23/2012 - 00:38

I'm trying not to "turn into my parents" so, I study music in other ways. I was right on top of things for years, took a break to have babies and 13 years later found myself completely lost.

The trends seem to be vocals and dancing. Looking at this video, and been exposed to some amazing dancers its easy to get what and where its going. But without seeing the dancing, the wobble bass sounds etc, seems really out of place and bazaar. However, some engineers are doing it really well and I hope to get a handle on it a bit more before I croak lol..

Check out this video:

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KurtFoster Fri, 11/23/2012 - 04:23

i checked all the links you put up. are you really that into this dub step stuff? i understand you are trying to keep in touch with what the young kids are listening to but do you really think this stuff is going to last? i think it's creepy sounding ... music from outter space or somthing.

dancing and vocals (and you don't have to sing good, just use pitch correction), looking pretty ... and fashion. the dub step phone is a perfect example of what is so bad. it doesn't take a lot of talent in most cases to generate a performance piece. i mean you don't have to study for years to learn to coax something listenable out of an instument. just press a button ... presto instant sounds.

i really think looking back on it that music started south when drum machines and midi keyboards / samplers came into being. you have these one room studios with one person in there manipulating samples and sounds. i call it people playing with themselves.

as far as contests go, just look to American Idol when Simon voted Jennifer Hudson off the show because she was fat. he actually told her she didn't have the "right" look. i loved it when she went on to become a bigger star than any of the "winners" ever did.

would Roy Orbison be able to make it now days? i don't think so ... i mean that guy really was butt ugly

    but to hear him sing .... and all those great songs he wrote.

it would be easy to go on and on. musicians, performers, singers and songwriters from the past who would never make it in todays music market because of their looks or weight. it's hard to find any performance entertainment these days that isn't fashion and dance-centric. as the countries taste grow shaollower, so does the talent pool. it's a shame.

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dvdhawk Fri, 11/23/2012 - 06:40

At the last place I played that had an in-house DJ to play 'music' during the breaks - I briefly wished I was deaf.

Did you know you can take all the hits from yesterday and today and make the even better by pounding a four on the floor drum machine kick drum beat under them ? That way they can ALL be the same BPM and even the stupidest, drunkest moron can find the steady obnoxious beat. I've never been so relieved as I was at the end of that night.

audiokid Fri, 11/23/2012 - 09:17

Kurt Foster, post: 396584 wrote: i checked all the links you put up. are you really that into this dub step stuff? i understand you are trying to keep in touch with what the young kids are listening to but do you really think this stuff is going to last? i think it's creepy sounding ... music from outter space or somthing. .

ROTF,

Of course not! Just posting up links to show what they are dancing to. You are hilarious! I had no idea wtf these people are doing the wobble to until last night . hehe. But that all being said, its still art man. I don't like it, but its still art and what a generation well past my prime is doing.
You guys sound like old ladies.

A few of my favourite bands are Santana, Genesis, ACDA, Tom Petty, Steely Dan. Non of which my Dad though were any good.

audiokid Fri, 11/23/2012 - 09:49

Kurt Foster, post: 396584 wrote:

dancing and vocals (and you don't have to sing good, just use pitch correction), looking pretty ... and fashion. the dub step phone is a perfect example of what is so bad. it doesn't take a lot of talent in most cases to generate a performance piece. i mean you don't have to study for years to learn to coax something listenable out of an instument. just press a button ... presto instant sounds.

i really think looking back on it that music started south when drum machines and midi keyboards / samplers came into being. you have these one room studios with one person in there manipulating samples and sounds. i call it people playing with themselves.

as far as contests go, just look to American Idol when Simon voted Jennifer Hudson off the show because she was fat. he actually told her she didn't have the "right" look. i loved it when she went on to become a bigger star than any of the "winners" ever did.

would Roy Orbison be able to make it now days? i don't think so ... i mean that guy really was butt ugly

    but to hear him sing .... and all those great songs he wrote.

it would be easy to go on and on. musicians, performers, singers and songwriters from the past who would never make it in todays music market because of their looks or weight. it's hard to find any performance entertainment these days that isn't fashion and dance-centric. as the countries taste grow shaollower, so does the talent pool. it's a shame.

I couldn't agree more.

To add, computers are to blame for all of this. Electronics to be precise. And the DAW is the end result. We are abusing or embracing it aren't we. How can it get any worse or so far off "real" than it is, I think.
But, I think the best way for me to contribute my art form in these remixes ( pop culture) is to bring my "talent" and energy that I carry with me to the plate. My inner voice is always hearing the sounds and beats that I grew up with. If I get a bite in my remixes, or any mix for that matter, cool.

I don't know about any of you, but I have never used autotune for one recording I had power over. I hardly use plugins. My love and passion has always been in sound. And today, even though I dislike the direction our music is going, the love of sound and what I get before it goes through the factory is what drives me today.

My biggest dislike in today's music isn't the song or dance, is the sound of digital crud and brick wall limiting. Dead images of something that once lived.

MadMax Fri, 11/23/2012 - 09:50

It's the dumbing down to societal rudiment.

People in larger modern societies are becoming more and more disconnected from human interraction and drawn more and more into globalism through virtual experiences.

We are become the slime oozing out from the TV set.

They only thing people instinctively do is identify with primal rhythms... It's just going back to roots.

audiokid Fri, 11/23/2012 - 10:19

Well put Max.

Sample are digital images of something that once lived, think about it. And we use plug-ins to alter them so no wonder its all sounding like aliens. There is nothing left alive. Give a DAW to kids without rules, presto. Like every generation before us, a new art form evolves. There should be no rules in art. Isn't that the saying?

We are in a generation of looters who use audio bytes to make songs. Its just like kids with Lego's (Lego art). Where are all the adults in this? We don't matter. We don't play? We just complain and think we are better, and aren't part of this all. Nothing has changed there. Hypocrisy.

Adults don't buy music. And most adults I know blindly steal any song they can rather than paying for it; even the once cherished stuff that had value. If its digital, its of no value. That is the truth.

We are great examples aren't we. Where are all the pro audio hardware designers these days? Do we support them? Not if you can rip it off in a plug-in.
We are all part of this BS, contributing indeed. Just some of us aren't so obvious. The ones a few steps back (a generation or two) aren't as visible.

KurtFoster Fri, 11/23/2012 - 12:29

what is a "GHERM"?

"DVDhawk wrote: At the last place I played that had an in-house DJ to play 'music' during the breaks - I briefly wished I was deaf.

that's funny!

Kurt Foster wrote: i checked all the links you put up. are you really that into this dub step stuff? i understand you are trying to keep in touch with what the young kids are listening to but do you really think this stuff is going to last? i think it's creepy sounding ... music from outer space or something. .

audiokid, post: 396590" wrote: ROTF,
......its still art man. I don't like it, but its still art and what a generation well past my prime is doing.
..... You guys sound old ladies.

A few of my favourite bands are Santana, Genisis, ACDA, Tom Petty, Steely Dan. Non of which my Dad though were any good.

 

this could get deep. i guess one man's art is the next mans garbage. there's a lot of stuff slipping under the wire under the guise of "art". in a more politically correct world, are we forced to consider any effort made as artistic? i don't think a lot of the stuff is really something someone has to get out of their systems. instead it serves the function ... "look at me!" or some kid who doesn't want to get a job so they decide they are going into "performance art" as a career.

when RO started critiquing songs and recordings years ago i thought too many respondents were encouraging people who really shouldn't have been encouraged. imo, we need to be more protective of our craft and the industry. sometimes we should tell someone "you're not going to Hollywood". i got jumped on left and right for that pov ... but i still feel that way. we should have told people years ago .... "no that gear is junk. to really be serious about recording you going to have to invest 1000,000 bucks. in the past, the price of admission was prohibitive. that weeded out the wannabes.

Santana, great player / band. early stuff with Gregg Rolie was better ... liked Carlos more before he started repeating himself. i got to see them and the Airplane, Quicksilver etc. live several times when i was a teenager. they used to play at the Longshoreman's Hall in SF a lot. AC/DC, Classic! Angus rocks! Tom Petty, makes some of the best records ever. sonically great stuff. sit down with some phones and listen to some of those tones and the spatial stuff going on. Even better with that Jeff Lynn guy. Steely Dan. smokin' songs and production. Probably the beginning of snare /kick replacment. Roger Nichols and that freakin' Wendel sound on the snare and kick. "Hey Nineteen".

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MadMax Fri, 11/23/2012 - 12:31

The point that I don't be seeing made is that those who are currently "generating" "original" works of "art" using samples and the like, are really just at their infancy as far as human exposure.

I equate it to learning to play percussion... any fool can whack a damn cowbell... but it takes a lifetime to know when not to play the damn thing.

The medium hasn't been around long enough for anyone to ultimately know what they're doing.

It's when a large group of individuals gets it in their head that they MUST recreate the quality, quantity and artistic style of a medium that EDM/Sample based content is actually beginning to end it's infancy.

Not that there are many more of them, but symphony players are charged with playing an instrument as the composer intended.

People play "Hey Jude" with the expectation that they will somehow emulate the beauty, harmony and melody of what was captured at Abbey Road.

Many life times pass between something can be established as popular, and what can be considered classical in that it represents the epitome of its period.

In my estimation, we're going to see a much greater involvement between the vicarious world of televised images and audio. (We now have 3-d TV, right?)

There's advancements in holography that are amazing. 3-d projection with 4-D audio is coming... and it's not gonna come cheap... or easy. This will be the ultimate way that content will be fairly compensated... for without content... the media dies on the vine.

Davedog Mon, 11/26/2012 - 21:33

MadMax, post: 396592 wrote: It's the dumbing down to societal rudiment.

People in larger modern societies are becoming more and more disconnected from human interraction and drawn more and more into globalism through virtual experiences.

We are become the slime oozing out from the TV set.

They only thing people instinctively do is identify with primal rhythms... It's just going back to roots.

I am gross and perverted - I'm obsessed and deranged
I have existed for years- But very little has changed
I am the TOOL of the government- And industry too
For I am destined to rule- And regulate you

I may be vile and pernicious- But you cant look away
I make you think I'm delicious- With the stuff that I say
I am the best you can get- Have you guessed me yet?
I'm THE SLIME oozing out- From your TV set

(take it away Don Pardo!)

You will obey while I lead you- And eat the garbage that I feed you
Until the day we dont need you- Dont go for help, no one will heed you
Your mind is totally controlled- Its been stuffed into my mold
And you will DO as you are told- Until the rights to you are sold

Thats right folks, dont touch that dial..........

"I am Wiley Coyote, Genius."

partially interesting sidebar.....A band I was once in played this song as a part of our dinner set music. we whispered the lyric and played at a volume where you had to be standing in front of the band the actual hear exactly what was going on. The first hour every night we played at this swanky place, was full of this sort of musical frivolity. One friday a patron came in and midway through this he approached the bandstand and dropped a hunner in the tip jar, gave a thumbs up and asked if we knew Peaches en Regalia? We didnt play that one but we did know DynaMo Hum. That was good for another hunner............I ask you, where have the appreciators gone off to?