Heart&Soul-My Response To James

Ok I get where I was going wrong this afternoon, I was born in the year of the Dragon and James was firing salvos at my exposed underbelly, just like in The Hobbit and Smaug.
 
I handled the argument all wrong, as I say though I am waiting on a RHD degree application and now it would seem I have to wait even longer.
 
James YoYo, who has no formal education derided me and I allowed him to, this was because of the above statement.
 
What James in his nativity has not understood, is I am a) formost a composer, with a music technology background, I don't make music for the people, I make music for the heavens.
 
I hear the grand symphony, when I don't listen to other crap, a shaman would call this stopping the world.
 
When I can I try and translate what I hear!!
 
I am a true artist and very experimental in the process, I don't know who branded me self-indulgent but all art is self-indulgent, it is in the nature of artists to be self-indulgement.
 
Now this is a crossover about a music education, I have a music education and I want to push ideas.  I can because of this music education, somtimes they don't work: The Killing Song, and in this I have another problem with what James has said.
 
As an artist I don't have to release my pictures in progress and 99% of the stuff I have posted are unfinished pictures, they are experiment's, they are unfinished and they are rushed.
 
What I am doing is letting you into the process of an artist learning the craft, this is not an ego statement, it is a truth statement!
 
Here is a picture, that is an experiment it's called Heart and Soul: http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks/heart-and-soul  When I wrote this many years ago aproxx 2005, I was trying to fuse classical and dance.  As Freddie once said I am bringing culture to the masses, ok I am bastardizing that statement but I am trying to reinvent things, mainly because I am bored with the current direction music is taking.
 
Peace Ben

BenMMusTech



 
Here is a picture, that is an experiment it's called Heart and Soul: http://soundcloud.com/aaudiomystiks/heart-and-soul  When I wrote this many years ago aproxx 2005, I was trying to fuse classical and dance. 

Well I'm not that James, but I listened to your tune. It has a late '70's, early '80's synth pop feel, like Depeche Mode or early Human league. No hint of classical music in there at all, so I don't think your experiment was successful. Timing drifts out too, a definite no-no for dance music, you'll have people falling over their feet.

I have no wish to jump into this scrap that is going on. 

I will say this about the music.

I went to your sound cloud site to listen to what you have posted.  You have some good stuff and some not so good stuff as do I on my site.   I think you have several songs there that could have been really good, but it seems like you pulled up short before you really got to the finish line with them. 

I got the impression in several that some of the things you did, while you might have thought them to be "creative additions" to the music, for me, the listener... it seemed like all that was accomplished was the same as shooting yourself in the foot, in a musical sense. 

With the education you have in music....degrees and all that,  you know way more then me about composing. There is a huge difference between having a degree in music composition and writing a hit song. The composition part can be taught but the part that comes from the heart generally can not be taught. But I believe it can be learned and nurtured. You get the "heart" part from things you do. Learning more about writing and lyrics and just listening to music that you like.  

Back to the music you write. I said several of the songs were good ideas that didn't seem quite finished. Several of the songs were....for lack of better words... a failed experiment.  Eats..t&die? really? come on.... are there not better ways, more creative ways, to express anger and make a point? 

To me, songwriting is about expressing an idea, in the shortest most concise way, and saying it in a new and unique way, without using cliches, and saying the same thing others have said. 

About the singing. I know I'm not a person who has a "Nashville session singer voice". I accept that. I can sing well enough to hold a tune (melodyne helps in that endeavor). So do what I can. Beyond that, I write instrumentals  where singing is not required or I get an outside singer. 

Was that you singing in Crossroads?  I liked that song. It got a little bit crazy there in the second half.... Your voice is a good voice for certain types of music. There is the key.... find the things you excel at and do them. Eliminate the BS and focus on what you do best.

One of the songs heart & Soul, was an electronica song I'd have left the vox out. If that vocal track had been left out, the tune would have been 100% better... just as a stand alone instrumental dance track.

The whole point here is this. Work with your skill set and continue to develop that skill set.. Understand the weaknesses you have and either work to strengthen them or work around them keeping them out of the music altogether. 

When you get this part together, the music you compose will be so much better as a result. It is a learning experience that we all go through. 

I think you write interesting stuff Ben. I would'nt call it a classicly influenced though. It seems your following a form so in that, yes. I don't know what is going on between you and James but from just reading this thread, it's just an ego clash. I agree with you about all of us being "self indulgent". Anyone who says they are not is lying to themselves. Accept it and get on with making the music and having fun!

James has a fair point. On a thread of his, I commented on a orchestral piece he did. I liked it but thought there was nothing special going on underneath in the lower instruments. He never gave me heck about it.

TBH, I don't like the trance stuff much so it's hard for me to comment on your stuff. I'll keep listening though so keep the music comin!

Im going to be honest I didnt like it but it just my opinion please dont take get seriously. 

BenMMusTech




..... Of course if I stumble upon a hit even better.


Peace Ben
 

Generally speaking, from knowing songwriters who have hits and talking with them and listening to what they say with care, and working to write songs that are acceptable to the music world myself, a hit is not generally stumbled upon..... kinda like the infinite number of moneys with typewriters hoping to compose a Shakespeare classic..... chances are slim that you will "stumble" upon a hit.
No, a hit is instead,  a well thought out, carefully crafted and well written piece of art.  Even in the fields that we (I) make fun of like hip hop and pop..... just try writing a song for B Spears, it's not so easy. There are exceptions to every rule, ( I think the "Friday " song might qualify as an exception... but it does have a hook to die for... evidence of good writing or just a lucky "stumble"?  IDK. )  but just as the "overnight success" band or artist has generally been working on that "overnight success" for years, same thing applies to the art and craft of songwriting. 


Write, write, write...and then write some more. That's the only way to get good at writing. But know where you want to go. 

Guitarhacker

I think the "Friday " song might qualify as an exception... but it does have a hook to die for... evidence of good writing or just a lucky "stumble"?  IDK.

That Friday song used the same hook that's been around since the early 50's. C-Am-F-G. Well, the first recorded proof of it's use was around that time, I'm sure it's been used long before that. There's something about that chord progression that does something to the human brain, I'm convinced of that because of all the hits that have been made off of it.

There are thousands of songs with that chord structure from 50's doo wop to 80's Pop to the 2000's Friday song. And yet people still love it and accept it as something new.

As for your tune Ben, I'm not feeling it like I have your other songs. But I still am convinced that 'When I Was Born' could be a hit (without that ending of course). ;)

Bub

Guitarhacker

I think the "Friday " song might qualify as an exception... but it does have a hook to die for... evidence of good writing or just a lucky "stumble"?  IDK.

That Friday song used the same hook that's been around since the early 50's. C-Am-F-G. Well, the first recorded proof of it's use was around that time, I'm sure it's been used long before that. There's something about that chord progression that does something to the human brain, I'm convinced of that because of all the hits that have been made off of it.

There are thousands of songs with that chord structure from 50's doo wop to 80's Pop to the 2000's Friday song. And yet people still love it and accept it as something new.

As for your tune Ben, I'm not feeling it like I have your other songs. But I still am convinced that 'When I Was Born' could be a hit (without that ending of course). ;)

Thanks bub, yea Heart and Soul is just a bit arty wank, an experiment and a point I was makeing.  I expect no one to like it.
 
Peace Ben