Where Have All the Melodies Gone?

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by mjslakeridge

I have been watching a few YouTube videos on the Canadian band Rush lately. I was never a big fan of their music (other than the "popular" songs that made it on the radio), but they were certainly not afraid to "have at it". Probably couldn't get a record deal if they were new today. Actually they couldn't get a deal in 1974 and self-financed their 1st album, then Mercury Records got on board after they started getting airplay in Cleveland for the song Working Man, due to a single DJ liking the song.

Huge Rush fan. A lot of their stuff isn't melodic in the traditional sense - it's certainly not hummable. Their stuff is esoteric particularly in the lyrics. Then again most prog rock is like that (if it has any lyrics at all). I knew of their music through the usual suspects that got played on the radio and got more interested in them when I got back behind a drum kit again after a too long break. Neil Peart is one of my heros like Clapton is on guitar or the late Keith Emerson was on keyboards.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by DonaldM

Yes. But, the more one understands the rules, the more creative one can be in breaking them.

But why start with something that you're going to break? It's like thinking session templates are the bee's knees and as great as sliced bread. Or that certain orchestral parts can only be played by certain instruments. Not a fan of so-called conventional wisdom when it comes to music creation.

[JCBigler]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Or that certain orchestral parts can only be played by certain instruments.

That's not what music theory is about.

It has to do with how chords are built, how harmonic structures are built and move from one to another, and how rhythmic and tonal devices are used to create melodies. That takes someone that actually knows what the structure of music is, not some fool sitting on his bed "layin down beats" with a $50 drum machine.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by JCBigler

That's not what music theory is about.

It has to do with how chords are built, how harmonic structures are built and move from one to another, and how rhythmic and tonal devices are used to create melodies. That takes someone that actually knows what the structure of music is, not some fool sitting on his bed "layin down beats" with a $50 drum machine.

By your strictures then a computer with a program that follows the rules of music theory would produce good music. It may be but that depends on how strict it follows them especially if fuzzy logic is used.

For me - no thanks. If one strictly follows music theory you wouldn't have jazz as we know it today. You also wouldn't have prog rock either. While there's good music done following music theory and I can respect that I can also respect what 'some fool sitting on his/her bed layin down beats' does. There's good meaningful music done that way as well. May not be hummable/singable but sure is danceable. And it sells.

[mjslakeridge]

Originally Posted by musicman691

Huge Rush fan. A lot of their stuff isn't melodic in the traditional sense - it's certainly not hummable. Their stuff is esoteric particularly in the lyrics. Then again most prog rock is like that (if it has any lyrics at all). I knew of their music through the usual suspects that got played on the radio and got more interested in them when I got back behind a drum kit again after a too long break. Neil Peart is one of my heros like Clapton is on guitar or the late Keith Emerson was on keyboards.

About 10 years ago, Alex Lifeson did a series of videos showing how to play some of the more popular Rush songs. If you didn't know better, you would think he is just a local music school teacher, seems like a great guy. They showed up on YouTube recently. Here is a link to the one on Tom Sawyer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVtVsiebT98&t=2s

Since you are a huge Rush fan, you probably have already watched the documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage, but if not it is available on Netflix (I still get the dvds shipped to me - old school).

I think Neil has officially retired, so there may not be any more new Rush music or performances.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by mjslakeridge

About 10 years ago, Alex Lifeson did a series of videos showing how to play some of the more popular Rush songs. If you didn't know better, you would think he is just a local music school teacher, seems like a great guy. They showed up on YouTube recently. Here is a link to the one on Tom Sawyer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AVtVsiebT98&t=2s

Since you are a huge Rush fan, you probably have already watched the documentary Beyond the Lighted Stage, but if not it is available on Netflix (I still get the dvds shipped to me - old school).

I think Neil has officially retired, so there may not be any more new Rush music or performances.

I have the dvd for Beyond The Lighted Stage - good stuff. Bought it after I saw it on TV.

Quite familiar with what's going on with The Professor's trials - massive shoulder problems. Considering how his kit is set up and how hard he hits this isn't surprising. I have one of his instructional dvd's where it shows him putting the kick pedal beater through the batter head and the camera pans up to his face and he just smiles.

Alex and Geddy are real nice guys that like to meet the public and not just with meet & greets at concerts. Neil doesn't do that for personal reasons a lot of which happened after he lost his wife and one daughter fairly close together. It's interesting that when they're finally done for the night after the last encore Neil runs off stage like at a track meet. And that's what made it all the more poignant at the last concert they gave that he actually came out from behind the kit and did the bow to the audience with Alex & Geddy. There was talk of Taylor Hawkins taking over Neil's place in Rush - he's a good drummer but nowheres in the class of Mr. Peart.

Read a story the other day where Neil said his daughter introduces her dad as a retired drummer and he agreed that that's him.

[Southsidemusic]

Well this thread got off the rails pretty quick. ...

[Emcha_audio]

Originally Posted by DonaldM

This is a very thought provoking article asking what's happened to the idea of melody in pop music. I think it's a good point. What do you all think?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

That article lost my attention at the "Great American Melody continued to be written. While it was not only Americans who composed these melodies..." One has to be pretty full of himself to think that A great melody line is defacto American.... And I hate that coined term lets say United staters instead, being that I'm Part of the American continent living in Quebec but not from the states... story aside, that article has some truth, but is false at the same time. Many songs today have Melody, it's not because many people stopped humming and whistling them on the street due to the portability of music today that it means there's no Melody being written.

[guitardom]

Originally Posted by mjslakeridge

I have been watching a few YouTube videos on the Canadian band Rush lately. I was never a big fan of their music (other than the "popular" songs that made it on the radio), but they were certainly not afraid to "have at it". Probably couldn't get a record deal if they were new today. Actually they couldn't get a deal in 1974 and self-financed their 1st album, then Mercury Records got on board after they started getting airplay in Cleveland for the song Working Man, due to a single DJ liking the song.

Not sure of your musical preference. But for prog, Dream Theater is the pinnacle currently. They are more metal and more "proggy" than Rush though. If that sounds interesting at all, check out "Metropolis Pt. 2- Scenes From a Memory" IMHO, the best album released in the last 20 years.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by guitardom

Not sure of your musical preference. But for prog, Dream Theater is the pinnacle currently. They are more metal and more "proggy" than Rush though. If that sounds interesting at all, check out "Metropolis Pt. 2- Scenes From a Memory" IMHO, the best album released in the last 20 years.

Can't stand Dream Theater. Their music doesn't do anything for me. Not to mention they were stupid for letting Portnoy go - he was the best thing they ever had.