[Harp-L] Music

[Robert Bonfiglio <bon@xxxxxxxxxx>]

> It's time for music to go somewhere else.  It's not that the  
> players aren't good at what they do; it's that we've heard it all  
> before.  We know where they are going before they get there.   
> Everything is so bloody safe!


I sent that comment a while back and got several examples of  
different music with different instruments. I have finally had time  
to listen to all of the cuts.

 Most of it was modal with virtuosic players jamming over the mode  
with sometimes odd plucked instruments.  All of it was in one groove  
through the piece; all of it was in song form, all of it was guitar  
driven, all of it was fast, loud and male.

Here were some of the things I found missing - change of groove, most  
grooves stayed the same through the song.  Complicated forms, most  
were jams on a song.  Big changes in dynamics, texture.  A move away  
from guitar based everything.  Modulations into new keys.  Use of  
diminished and half diminished harmonies or any odd harmony.   Good,  
strong melodic structure.  Development.  Extended forms.  Disturbance  
of the groove, form or harmony. Complete mood changes.  Anybody  
playing pianissimo. and on and on.  The tools available for Beethoven  
are now longer being used.

In other words, most everybody is blowing their brains out on fast  
stuff over the same groove throughout a song.  Is this music?  or is  
this mine is bigger than yours?

I still say, it's time for music to go somewhere else.  It's not that  
the players aren't good at what they do; it's that we've heard it all  
before.  We know where they are going before they get there.   
Everything is so bloody safe!

Makes me want to go shopping at Walmart.

harmonically yours,

Robert Bonfiglio
http://www.robertbonfiglio.com