As a new user to Reason/Electronic production, I sometimes wonder if my interests as an avid music listener is a curse instead of a blessing. While it can be very advantageous to have a wide & varied exposure to many styles, perhaps the personal standards can be set too high when it comes to creating vibes.

If I listened to stuff like 50cent, Kylie Minogue, American/Australian Idol crap etc all the time, then sat at my workstation to produce a track, then I might think I am extending the boundaries with some really cool shit. But alas I do not go for that sort of 'rubbish'. Most of what I listen to is (in my limited theoretical knowledge) very profound, and pushes the virtue of creativity over 'pop song popularity'

As unpopular as it may be in a forum such as this, I'm into artists like Tool, RATM, 311 and so much more in the alt. metal/rock/whatever genre, but the composers (ie: the bands!) are all on the pulse when it comes to creating a dynamic sound that sets them apart from the shit that is 'popular music' of the new millennium. I'm not even trying to recreate the styles of music that I listen to, for it is futile to mimic a guitar/bass/drum/vocal organic band in this context (ie with Reason), but it still rides on the subconscious when thinking about song compositions.

That said, I'm VERY interested in hybrid music (as a listener), using rock with crazy synth/sequenced elements, which is quite underground. Steve Hillage in the '70's, Ozric Tentacles in the '90's, Shpongle in the '00's. The latter of which is the most mind blowing 'pure' electronically created music my ears have ever heard.


http://torrents.thepiratebay.org/363...29.TPB.torrent

Personally, the Shpongle experience, and particularly the album "Nothing Lasts, but Nothing is Lost" is what I aspire to when it comes to creating electronic/midi music, but my mind is that I'm trying to emulate the King(s) of the genre, who have limitless talent & most importantly creativity (Simon Posford & Raja Ram).

Perhaps I should have listed to more shit music as a kid

Yeah not for nothing man but if you think Tool and 311 are obscure I don't even want to mention what I listen to lol.

Anyway, it doesn't really matter what you listen to, though I can see how what you do enjoy can be reflected in your work. When I started listening to Morr Music frequently, I noticed my own stuff was toned down, etc. So while it could have helped, in some respect, to listen to overproduced garbage music, I don't think it's the holy grail to success in the present.

Hybridization is the key though, as far as I'm concerned. No one knows where popular music will go next but I can even see in more "main stream" material some crossover going on, and I have to give them credit for having the balls not to do the same ol thing that they already know they can sell to the masses en masse

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ducat is awful

Wow, you let your time on this earth dictate what you listen to ? I had better throw my Jethro Tull, Beatles & (early) Pink Floyd albums out then

But are the boundaries really being extended in popular music ? Seems to me that a basic understanding of music theory has been put on the shelf in lieu of a simple lyrical content, where the product has become nothing more than an actor with attitude, and a public image that sells units (or ringtones/cars/beverages/baseball caps). The true poineers mostly operate outside of the conventions that the industry dictates........

Agreed that what one listens to is reflected in one's own music, but for me the frustration is that while I don't even try to compose stuff that I would listen to in my vast collection of albums from 1960's to present day, I still analyze to death, and when I compare it to what I have done, I feel it's somewhat inadequate when laid side by side. After listening to a lot of (technical metal band) "Lamb of God" this week, then sitting down with some really inspired ideas on creating a psytrance song (go figure!) I simply cannot emulate the progressions to sound anything more than a half-arsed attempt at being genius Therefore my nemesis is the very music that I hold dear.......

Maybe I should stop beating myself up so much and just start jammin' more.

Sorry about this whole thread, I think i'm going to edit it now.

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Wow, that's a very heavy application of censorship and editing. In some more enlightened countries that would be severely frowned upon. I suppose it's OK though since this forum is presumably hosted in Russia.

Yea, wow indeed. All I saw was a little friendly ribbing towards Titancow about his generation comment, then BAM, they disappear. Perhaps this isn't the forum for me after all, if the moderator takes a totalitarian swift hand to anything remotely directed his way. Sheesh, and I was going to pose the question as to how unusual it is for a forum moderator not having a single thing to publicly share in the very realm of the subject matter that the forum is all about. Ah well, I imagine I'll be booted.

Shame, really.

I can't speak for Titan, but I suspect that it wasn't because we were teasing him. In fact, he was teasing himself with his "so sorry" reply. I think that it was booted because of the content material. Think about it, does wanking have a legitiment purpose on this forum?

Joe

There's a big difference between censoring and cleaning. The thread was getting very off topic... if you really think that the whole masturbation thing needs to be added to the thread then I'll add it back. God give me a break! I'm fragile!!!

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Hells Bells.

Back to the subject in hand.

All you can ever do when writing music is be true to yourself and it's content.

Like Jase, I struggle to mimic my most favoured bands, but I can listen, get idea's and create a better understanding of production techniques from it.

If I listen to OK computer I know I shouldn't even bother trying to match it. I am but one person and a PC. They are a group of men with a great producer, great musical talent and one of the best singers in the world today!

I just try and make my music my own. At least then I can still be happy if I don't make a single dollar from it.

and no the "whole masturbation thing" probabbly shouldn't be on theis thread.