Re: techno music <sigh>....

From: J de Lyser (gd33463@glo.be)
Date: Thu Dec 12 1996 - 12:36:41 MST


i wrote:
>>In what way is it not 'quality' music ? It's produced well, it feels good,
>>it works on a dancefloor and ...it sells well!. I have none of their
>>records, as they are not 'my cup of tea', but i try to remain as open minded
>>toward music as i try to be to things in general. What is musical ? I assume
>>you are not refering to the purely technical musical when you define
>>'quality' as your choice of other (techno) bands are not on a higher level
>>(bands which by the way i find more pleasing than ace of base). So you view
>>quality in experimentalism, much like me, many others have different ways of
>>looking at it. In its style/genre, Ace of Base IS quality music, i'd like to
>>hear anyone can deny that without involving their personal taste in music.

>>James Rogers <jamesr@best.com> wrote:

>Selling well doesn't qualify music as "quality". I cringe when I think
>about some of the music that has sold well over the years.

as do i... but i've learned to live with it ;-)

> I was defining
>"quality" in a technical sense. I would submit that on a technical level
>(musically), that Ace of Base is a very average band in its genre with few
>outstanding features. I recognize that some of the music *I* like is
>technically mediocre, and am fine with that. But I won't ever claim that it
>is "quality" or "great" music simply because I like it.

I think there are more approaches than just the 'musically technical' for
how to define 'quality' music, innovation, experimentalism or just stuff
that works, on a musical structure level, on an originality of sound level
etc.. Some of the music you like, i would define as quality music, even
though i wouldn't on a technical level. There's also a degree of relativity
in judging music 'Ace of Base' was not only sold to a specifically dance
music audience, to such an audience this music may have been very original,
experimental and innovative. Look at it this way: Nitzer ebb is considered
innovative by those who never heared of DAF... 'Quality' is a very relative
and personal term. As to ace of base not being of superior quality, musical
technically, i think most people will agree on that. But then again, i know
a lot of musical technically high 'quality' music that lacks that quality in
many other ways...

J de Lyser
surreal@glo.be



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