Original Message 1/26                 Date: 09-Jun-00  @  05:38 PM   -   Electronic Music Theory

deltasleep

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I understand that most if not all electronica implicates SOME sort of established music theory. But is there a hidden theory to some styles? I can understand stuff like house music having a very noticable theory behind it. Or is it just cliches, thats the question.
I think that most electronic musicians have a definite sense of theory when they make music. They just don't ever write it down.
Or is this a Zen sort of thing. Perhaps "a theory of no theory"?

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Message 2/26                 Date: 10-Jun-00  @  08:55 AM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

sitar

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It suddenly dawns on me that the question, "What is the sound of one hand clapping?" now has an answer. All you need is one hand (one finger really) on your controler, pressing a key to trigger a handclap sound. Thank heavens we can put that whole question to rest.

There certainly must be elecronic music theory. It probably took time for people to put what we in the west call music theory to paper. In various styles of dance music, there are things that sound good and things that don't work. There are reasons for this (don't ask me what they are) and therefore I think there are certain ground rules that could be mapped out. Why should electronic music be different from everything else. This music is still very young and we are still grasping at straws as we attempt to write it. That's what I think.

Thanks for helping me to officially bury that one hand clapping thing  

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Message 3/26                 Date: 10-Jun-00  @  09:21 AM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

deltasleep

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so how do you think it would affect the community if someone did write the theories?
Because i'm feeling like it still wouldn't mean alot to anyone. It'd be hardest to distinguish between theory and cliche' with electronic music. But then again, we already have a board to talk about cliches thats doing just fine.
by the way, if your like that whole handclap thing i've got an MXR drum computer i'll sell you 

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Message 4/26                 Date: 10-Jun-00  @  03:06 PM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

casparproject

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The problem with this is the attitude of a lot of the producers/DJ's in the scene these days. Everybody has their own ideas as to what the technical theory behind each genre is. I personally think that writing an electronic music theory book would probably get a lot of ppl mad unless you did TONS of research and were happy with very generalized definitions. The problems of overlapping betweeb genres (Tech-House and Techno, Tech Step and Industrial, Rotterdam and Industrial and a few others) make definitions and theories pointless. I personally think that the last thing anybody should do is learn how to write electronic music from a book. It's a lot like Jazz, in the sense that you need to develop your own ideas and styles from a multitude of sources. If everyone followed the same fake book and played the same solos in the Jazz scene, it would stagnate and die pretty fast. The same can be said for electronica. Now that I say that though, I can see how say a "House" fake book, or a "Jungle" fake book might be a neat idea. Hmm. I think that somethin like that could make good money too.


Peaceout,

Peter

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Message 5/26                 Date: 10-Jun-00  @  08:25 PM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

deltasleep

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The more i listen to older jazz the more i feel like the jazz scene HAS stagnated. My father is a jazz guitar player, so believe me i've been ranted on since the day i was born about the decline in modern music. haha ohhhhh brother have i ever........
I think that there really is a theory that applies to ALL electronic styles, but the thing is its not much different than a theory would be to apply to all music. Too general like you said.
I think perhaps a book would be a good thing, it'd give us all something to deviate from 

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Message 6/26                 Date: 11-Jun-00  @  08:56 AM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

sitar

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I think any kind of theory serves as a basic foundation from which to spring off of. electronic music is very very sophisticated on many levels. One can learn "music theory", but still needs to learn about oscillators, filters, envelopes, etc. You need to learn about how samplers work. How digital audio works. How fx work. How mixing and then mastering works. Learning this stuff is building a foundation of theory. Keeping the excitement going and not falling back on only the tried and true things that you know will work is part of what keeps it all alive. For all of the above reasons the music we are writing might be the most challenging to date. You have to know everything. You have to be the composer, the performer, the conductor, the computer saavy techhead, and most often the sound engineer to at least some degree. And you gotta be cool  

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Message 7/26                 Date: 11-Jun-00  @  03:34 PM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

casparproject

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The best thing then would be to study some music theory texts, along with some electroacoustic music texts. I think that's all there really is to it.

Peaceout,

Peter

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Message 8/26                 Date: 11-Jun-00  @  05:04 PM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

tjader

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someone said that the jazz scene has stagnated,i dont agree i think,people have a bit more technology now,you might not have art blakey on drums-instead you program,sample ....people are still listening old skool-nu skool(sun rae ,lonnie listen ,fela-jazzanova ,as one)same chords,same scales....new ideas.

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Message 9/26                 Date: 11-Jun-00  @  07:15 PM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

casparproject

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I think "Jazz" as our parents see it has stagnated. For us, it's just adapted to different forms. ie. Acid Jazz, Trip Hop, Drum 'n Bass etc.

Peaceout,

Peter

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Message 10/26                 Date: 11-Jun-00  @  08:31 PM   -   RE: Electronic Music Theory

deltasleep

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You have to admit though, the level of playing in electronic music is nowhere near the level found on a good jazz album.

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