A plague of sequenced-ness

[erineclipse]

hi. it seems we have a plague of sequencedness in the forums and also pop music. every thing seems to be a sequence of block patterns that just interchange here and there, forming a very structured and sequenced kind of music. i think we all need some guidance on how to break free of this structure

[Nabeel Ansari]

hi. it seems we have a plague of sequencedness in the forums and also pop music. every thing seems to be a sequence of block patterns that just interchange here and there, forming a very structured and sequenced kind of music. i think we all need some guidance on how to break free of this structure

I don't think we need anything of that sort.

There's nothing wrong with sequenced music.

[erineclipse]

I don't think we need anything of that sort.

There's nothing wrong with sequenced music.

yes but some of us want to break free...even the stuff on the radio sounds like this, my ears have become accustomed to it and i try to escape from it (and fail.)

[Nabeel Ansari]

yes but some of us want to break free...even the stuff on the radio sounds like this.

You find an electronica song that doesn't have sequential structure.

And "stuff on the radio" is written so it's catchy to get fans and make money, regular people don't give a damn about compositional substance or creative variety. That's why radio music on pop stations is just flat boring and follows the same formula, because people don't care. If you want to listen to music that pays attention to detail in the writing, the pop stations on the radio isn't the place to do it.

If you want to avoid sequential structure in your music, sheet music is the easiest way to start.

[erineclipse]

You find an electronica song that doesn't have sequential structure.

And "stuff on the radio" is written so it's catchy to get fans and make money, regular people don't give a damn about compositional substance or creative variety. That's why radio music on pop stations is just flat boring and follows the same formula, because people don't care. If you want to listen to music that pays attention to detail in the writing, the pop stations on the radio isn't the place to do it.

If you want to avoid sequential structure in your music, sheet music is the easiest way to start.

I guess I like some structure, just not structure that seems like structure. even songs with a verse and choruses that repeat seems repetitive to me, but at the same time i like it. its like im stuck in the middle of the crossroads and i dont know where to go. also never said i was really an electronica fan lol.

[ectogemia]

Agreed with young nebbles. Pattern-based sequencers are meant to produce patterned music. Either way, patterning is just a more efficient, if not slightly more rigid, way of repeating things in music, and repetition is a key attribute of the esthetics of music. You can always chop patterns or truncate them or use the "Make Unique" option to create a variation. Doing this, you can create seamless music that know one would suspect was constructed of patterns because of all the variety you can (and usually should) introduce.

[erineclipse]

Agreed with young nebbles. Pattern-based sequencers are meant to produce patterned music. Either way, patterning is just a more efficient, if not slightly more rigid, way of repeating things in music, and repetition is a key attribute of the esthetics of music. You can always chop patterns or truncate them or use the "Make Unique" option to create a variation. Doing this, you can create seamless music that know one would suspect was constructed of patterns because of all the variety you can (and usually should) introduce.

there's a Make Unique function? are you sure it does what you think?

[ectogemia]

there's a Make Unique function? are you sure it does what you think?

Yes, it clones a pattern and all MIDI data within, assigns it a number n+1, then you can alter that pattern to create a variation on the parent and stick it in the playlist so that you don't have, for example, the same drum loop playing again and again.

I guess if you read what I wrote a certain way it seems like I was suggesting it'll create music for you???

[erineclipse]

Yes, it clones a pattern and all MIDI data within, assigns it a number n+1, then you can alter that pattern to create a variation on the parent and stick it in the playlist so that you don't have, for example, the same drum loop playing again and again.

Oh, isn't that the same as the Clone function? I thought it was function I never heard of that automatically detected key and melody and assigned a variation automatically. sounded too good to be true anyway lol, i admit I was skeptical at best.

[eilios]

Yes, it clones a pattern and all MIDI data within, assigns it a number n+1, then you can alter that pattern to create a variation on the parent and stick it in the playlist so that you don't have, for example, the same drum loop playing again and again.

I guess if you read what I wrote a certain way it seems like I was suggesting it'll create music for you???

I find it hilarious how you automatically assume that everyone uses FL Studio. Not trying to diss or anything, it just amuses me. For the record, WHAT HE IS TALKING ABOUT IS AN FL STUDIO FEATURE. That said, it is a good feature, and I find myself using it often. Pattern based music isn't a problem unless you make it a problem. It's very easy to use minor variations and transitions to make things flow more naturally if you're willing to take the time to do so. Every measure doesn't have to be completely unique to make good music.

[Magnetic Ether]

yes but some of us want to break free...even the stuff on the radio sounds like this, my ears have become accustomed to it and i try to escape from it (and fail.)

Here you go

[erineclipse]

Here you go

hmm...another 4:33 clone.

[Calum]

music is always influenced by the medium in which it's created. So much composition in the last few hundred years has been hugely influenced by the dominance of the piano and a pianistic way of playing (and gee, rock music is influenced by the natural way of playing guitar) After all, if we don't sequence things, we, predominantly (and i know there are other midi controllers), use a midi keyboard. So most parts are subconsciously or not, hugely pianistic.

But that's not something to complain about and neither is sequencing. There's nothing 'bad' about anything.

I haven't noticed a constraint in music in the 'over-blockiness' of music because of sequencers.

So I guess here's me saying, of course people are influenced by the tools they use to create but is it really complaint-worthy?

Do you want sequenced music to sound like it's not sequenced? Or do you just want to listen to music that wasn't sequenced? Cos the second one's pretty easy.

All of this said, i am a fan of instruments being played in non-idiosyncratic ways and find my own music locked into a pianistic way of playing which is often frustrating.

Has all pop previously satisfied you before this waves of 'sequence domination'?

[Rozovian]

But that's not something to complain about and neither is sequencing. There's nothing 'bad' about anything.?

Poor intonation. Poorly tuned instruments. "it's art". And ugly, and annoying, and _bad_.

As for the OP, sequenced-ness is the wrong word, you're talking about block-based arrangements, and they're a natural part of playing in a band (repeated parts are easier to write and get the others to play right), writing a song (if you have more than one verse or any part is repeated for whatever reason), or composing in most of the DAWs, especially pattern or loop-based ones. Sure, you can make music that never repeats anything. That's actually not a bad idea, go do that so you know a little more what you're talking about.

[Moseph]

If you're not

, you're not composing!

[Calum]

Poor intonation. Poorly tuned instruments. "it's art". And ugly, and annoying, and _bad_.

you might react to those things in a way that makes you unhappy and thus makes those things the agents of this unhappiness. I'm just feeling a bit zen and thinking 'bad' is a bit 'bad'.

[erineclipse]

Example of a non sequenced song:

Example of a sequenced song:

Actually, the first is sequenced, but hidden. And I do like the second song, it's just an example.

also, a lot of film music is completely freeflow, it also "mickey mouses" with the video in the foreground.

[Calum]

Example of a non sequenced song:

Example of a sequenced song:

Actually, the first is sequenced, but hidden. And I do like the second song, it's just an example.

also, a lot of film music is completely freeflow, it also "mickey mouses" with the video in the foreground.

So by sequenced you mean repetitive? Where someone finds a phrase with whatever instrument and then loops it non-stop - as in the second example. Are there lots of songs like this? In kind of cliche remix fashion, the second song simply has a big ole beat and bass line that keep on repeating but that's because of the genre. I don't know what your problem is or the point you're making? Isn't this what you would expect?

I think there is far more music that is like the first "non-sequenced" song - the background piano accompaniment and much of the drums are "looped" and repeated the whole way through though. I agree that the second is more interesting, at least to me.

Yeah, film music can be "freeflow", music with an explicit rhythmic pulse may be distracting in certain scenes. And mickey mousing is a technique which is sometimes used.

I don't really know how relevant these statements are but sure I accept what you're saying!

[erineclipse]

So by sequenced you mean repetitive? Where someone finds a phrase with whatever instrument and then loops it non-stop - as in the second example. Are there lots of songs like this? In kind of cliche remix fashion, the second song simply has a big ole beat and bass line that keep on repeating but that's because of the genre. I don't know what your problem is or the point you're making? Isn't this what you would expect?

I think there is far more music that is like the first "non-sequenced" song - the background piano accompaniment and much of the drums are "looped" and repeated the whole way through though. I agree that the second is more interesting, at least to me.

Yeah, film music can be "freeflow", music with an explicit rhythmic pulse may be distracting in certain scenes. And mickey mousing is a technique which is sometimes used.

I don't really know how relevant these statements are but sure I accept what you're saying!

wait i am confused on one point though, you like the phendrana remix version better? interesting, well i guess that's up to you!

[Calum]

oh wait hold up!

I meant the first one!

haha, nope i don't like that remix very much at all.

[erineclipse]

oh wait hold up!

I meant the first one!

haha, nope i don't like that remix very much at all.

its ok. i hated it at first but now i like it.

[Calum]

its ok. i hated it at first but now i like it.

thanks for comforting me, maybe someday i'll see the light as you do!

ah, i'm jus' kidding. hurry up and respond on your music and video thread, i'm interested to hear your opinion.

[Rozovian]

They're both repetitive, the difference is that the second is built on a groove. Besides the groove, the first minute and a half seems less repetitive. The other one has a long build-up, and is based on the piano loop. They both have blocky structures. Bad example.

So what you mean by sequenced-ness is that a song builds on a noticeable groove or rhythm that doesn't change? That's a terrible definition.