Is it true that less is more, in music?

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Felix
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Felix »

I believe that "less is more" is merely the argument that music distributors use when it comes to paying the artists for their work....
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Subatomic God
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Subatomic God »

Incorrect.

Silence is important, but so is sound. It's a juxtaposition that envelopes all human life, but because people have a bad habit in choosing sides and aspects, they become cosmically imbalanced. Always balance out the contrasts of the Universe, or you will never learn balance, let alone listen to it
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Mirosurabu
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Mirosurabu »

Hatred of complexity (which is what "less is more" boils down to) comes from degenerates. To understand this hatred, you have to understand what a degenerate is: a disorganized mess of diametrically opposed types, a complexity of no hope whatsoever of ever reaching harmony. Are you following me? Men of simplicity (i.e. the "less is more" retards) are nothing but men of complexity who hate themselves (the real men of simplicity, i.e. those who are truly simple, do not hate complexity -- they love it.) Whoever is incapable of enduring himself, a wounded/disharmonic/disorganized himself, will look for a quick-fix solution: he will strive to achieve harmony as soon as possible, and in doing so, he will rush himself into a short-term harmony that in the long-term leads to a deeper disharmony. The way they do this is by denying part of themselves, by turning against themselves, by hating themselves, by waging war against themselves, by separating themselves into two opposing poles, the "good" pole and the "evil" pole -- just like a true Christian.

This is why they are attracted to simplicity, to going backward: because going forward has become too painful for them.

Let's put an end to this farce once and for all: it is not that less is more but that creating more is too difficult which is why people go back to creating less, not realizing that it is their inability to fuse all the elements into a coherent whole that is the problem and not some external universal rule which prevents them, and not only them but also everyone else, from creating highly complex products.
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Present awareness
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Present awareness »

Less is more, in music, is not about complexity versus simplicity. There are many beautiful complex musical pieces as well as beautiful simple ones.

In language, it's easy to ramble on and on, but much more difficult to condense your ideas into short concise statements. The same goes for music, a musician may play 40 notes trying to express something which 5 notes played correctly, might convey more effectively. Of course, there are other times when 40 notes just aren't enough to get the message thru.

There's an old saying in reference to public speaking, which goes something like this "try to be funny, but if you can't be funny, be brief". I'm sure that we've all heard a song that goes on for 8 or 16 bars longer then it should, or a speaker whom goes on for 8 or 16 minutes longer the they should. They key in music, painting or public speaking is to know when you are done, and sometimes less really is more.
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Mirosurabu
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Mirosurabu »

I've already covered this. You're talking about integrity. A big system with poor integrity is worse than a small system with good integrity. That, however, does not mean that middle-point, or balance, is where we're headed. To repeat: where we're headed is complexity. The greatest things would be the most complex things. Similarly, the greatest musical piece would be the most complex piece.

Related to my previous post: men of complexity who hate themselves are men of complexity with poor integrity.
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Polysemicnick
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Polysemicnick »

It's interesting to see all these different view points on the meaning of Less is more. Less is more simply means , less notes = feel. Listen to Bernard Purdie's grooves in a James brown song. It's the combination of wide dynamics between the snare drum back beat and ghost notes that creates a great feeling groove

-- Updated January 5th, 2015, 2:37 am to add the following --

Less notes. More feel

-- Updated January 5th, 2015, 2:45 am to add the following --

And the bass parts. Without irregular 16th note space ( rest) there would be no syncopation. A defining characteristic of funk. Less is more!

-- Updated January 5th, 2015, 3:31 am to add the following --

I've played the black page by Zappa on xylophone which is undoubtably a very complex piece which pushes the limits Of musicianship . Nested polyrhythms etcetera.Sense of achievement , yea. Do I prefer laying down a tight groove Which people can enjoy. Yep
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Sy Borg
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Sy Borg »

It's a matter of taste. People operating in the fields of jazz fusion, metal and other musically flamboyant genres definitely have "lines of simplicity" that they won't cross. It will lack the intellectual stimulation and excitement they seek.

Others place more emphasis on beauty, poignancy, personality, smoothness and clarity in music. When I was young I liked flashy hard rock and the long haired hooligans who perpetrated said music:). Now I prefer the sounds of jazz instrumentation and edgier experimental styles, the best of it being fresh and interesting. Once I would have called it boring and noise.

When functioning within an average gigging band "less is more" is often the unspoken mantra, apart from vocalists, who are very special (take that as you will). If music is a conversation then we allow others in the band the chance to "speak" rather than speaking over them.

Then there's minimalism - anywhere from Steve Reich to the White Stripes. It's a cliche but music just is what it is. If some people think there's too much going on or others think there's not enough, that's just individual feedback, not a verdict.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated—Gandhi.
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Polysemicnick
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Polysemicnick »

Looks like we've all interpreted ' less is more' in different ways.Interesting how piano phase , while minimalist in form ( simple idea) creates aural complexity and is difficult to execute.

-- Updated January 5th, 2015, 5:27 am to add the following --

Oh and less is more is the rule when spreading marmite on toast.

-- Updated January 5th, 2015, 5:29 am to add the following --

So yea like you said, it's a matter of taste :D
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Sy Borg
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Sy Borg »

Polysemicnick, kudos for being able to play the Black Page - not for the faint hearted! The entire thing is utterly beyond me, as is most Zappa material.

Yes, sophisticated minimalism like the pianos running in and out of phase requires enormous control. There is precious little room for error with those tiny, gradual variations. Even a small mistake in that piece would stick out like the proverbial dogs' balls - and that is the crux of minimalism's challenge.

Agree about Bernard Purdie. Steve Jordan is another of that ilk. They often lay back but everything they do has a touch of magic. It's in their flow, timing, tone and dynamics.
The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated—Gandhi.
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Polysemicnick
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Re: Is it true that less is more, in music?

Post by Polysemicnick »

Well it did take a metronome and a month internalising phrases such as what two sets of semi quaver quintuplets and 1 set of semi quaver Sextuplets nested in a half note triplet felt like. That was 1 bar hehe. What do you play?

-- Updated January 5th, 2015, 8:34 am to add the following --

In piano phase,the player holding down the ostinato part had the worst of it. Always a tendency to follow the person speeding up.
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