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Are we selling ourselves short by uploading our music??
 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 10:10 [#01174171]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to plaidzebra: #01174169 | Show recordbag



Fine, i have taken a pen and amended the following
definitions in my dictionary, under the word Artist I have
put "Anyone who decides to call themselves as such", Art I
have defined as "Anything at all, it doesn't have to be
special or unique, just as long as you like it". I erased
Amateur and Professional as they are worthless terms with no
meaning, from now on everyone is simply "Special".


 

offline plaidzebra from so long, xlt on 2004-05-05 10:14 [#01174175]
Points: 5678 Status: Lurker



ok, db, good luck with your program of all consuming self
righteousness...


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2004-05-05 10:17 [#01174177]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to dog_belch: #01174171 | Show recordbag



I do think it's the rather popular view (that enjoyed a
recent revival in the 90s) that everyone is "special" and
"unique" that is to blame for a lot of very mediocre
painters, poets and musicians all taking themselves far too
seriously. If you tell your kids they're great and special
and everything they do is fantastic, of course they'll have
an over-inflated sense of self worth and this will reflect
in their opinions of anything they create. It's also
probably the reason why some people get so shitty at
criticism, even when it is worded politely (I'm sure you've
seen the, "It's meant to be like that", "You just don't get
it", "That's not a mistake, it's intentional" responses to
quite reasonable criticism).


 

offline kochlear from aud-stim.com on 2004-05-05 10:18 [#01174180]
Points: 2311 Status: Addict



my "mp3 label" contains "musicians" who put out "releases".
does my terminology meet the high standards of dog_belch? i
sure hope it does. i made the site for him!


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 10:22 [#01174184]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Show recordbag



'Zebra, look i know i've gone on about this a bit too
much... I agree with you on certain points, my only concern
is things get devalued to a point where they become
meaningless. I am probably wrong, but unless someone was
working in a professional capacity as an artist, or devoted
a very significant part of their time and energies in that
field, regardless of ability, then they shouldn't call
themselves an artist. The only exception is someone who is
ball-numbingly talented, who is then, to my mind a natural
artist.

I don't wish to tell people what they can and can't call
themselves, call yourself what you like. I am just telling
you, without CAPS, what a detrimental effect that has on me,
someone calling themself an artist. Probably because I am a
failed one.


 

offline Raz0rBlade_uk on 2004-05-05 10:23 [#01174185]
Points: 12540 Status: Addict | Show recordbag



Well I make my music currently for fun and possibly in the
future I will take a more professional approach. For now the
only fun I get out of it is having others listen to my
tracks.


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 10:27 [#01174193]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Show recordbag



Ceri JC said exactly all what I wanted to say in a far
shorter post than my rambling, incoherent bollocks.


 

offline sneakattack on 2004-05-05 10:28 [#01174194]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to dog_belch: #01174184



dog_belch, unfortunately basically all people are
pretentious in a huge variety of ways. Notice that 90% of
human dilemmas can be boiled down to people taking
themselves too seriously (wars fit this ticket especially
well). Conflict can be a good way to synthesize opposing
views, but more judgement should usually be practiced
beforehand determining whether there is a point. There are
arrogant and humble people in all walks of life, stupid
people in all, etc etc.


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 10:33 [#01174198]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to sneakattack: #01174194 | Show recordbag



I can't tell if you're agreeing with me, or calling me a
cunt in a very round about way. Either way it has taught me
to lighten up and hey, people are people so, you know, go
with the flow. And for that I salute you, a lesson to us
all.


 

offline sneakattack on 2004-05-05 10:49 [#01174207]
Points: 6049 Status: Lurker | Followup to dog_belch: #01174198



Actually I always like your posts, and I hate how everyone
in the world thinks they're so great, so I definitely agree
with you; sorry if it seemed I was being a cunt or lecturing
you.. [continued in private email]


 

offline plaidzebra from so long, xlt on 2004-05-05 10:49 [#01174208]
Points: 5678 Status: Lurker



i believe meaning is something we make, not something that
"is." so i can't be concerned about meaning losing
"value."

you seem to want everyone to agree on what is mediocre, and
what is not. you seem to want quality to be an objective
feature of reality, to be determined, apparently, by
consensus, and you seem to want to believe that the only
alternative to this perspective is to declare all works and
ideas equally valid.

i suppose western civilization will be wrestling with this
for some time...

i'm at work, however, and can't spend any more time on this
discussion. it's been interesting and provocative, though.






 

offline J Swift from United Kingdom on 2004-05-05 10:55 [#01174216]
Points: 650 Status: Regular | Followup to Skink: #01174161



Ubiquity

Freerange

They're both really respected labels, just in a slightly
different scene - Got excellent advice and feedback from
both though, especially Freerange..

Dance music will always be easier to break into than
listening music! And it's easier to "produce" consistantly
too - And as soon as you've got a name for yourself you can
go and do whatever you want and people will listen.

The only thing with more dance oriented scenes is that you
need to have a very good understanding of the music, past
and present - You really need to know every aspect of the
scene intimately to stand a chance... It's probably much
more important than your own musical or engineering ability.


 

offline Ceri JC from Jefferson City (United States) on 2004-05-05 10:59 [#01174221]
Points: 23533 Status: Moderator | Followup to J Swift: #01174216 | Show recordbag



"The only thing with more dance oriented scenes is that you

need to have a very good understanding of the music, past
and present - You really need to know every aspect of the
scene intimately to stand a chance... It's probably much
more important than your own musical or engineering
ability."

What kind of things do you mean? Things like how/why dance
music became popular, common samples (just like dnb has the
amen break), making tracks that are easily beat mixable etc?


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 10:59 [#01174222]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to plaidzebra: #01174208 | Show recordbag



I am glad you have gone, i can be rude to you behind your
back. I think in some ways you're right, and in others NO NO
NO YOU FUCKING HIPPY! Of course there's mediocre and good,
what are you, a Communist? Since you like assuming what I
think, i assume you think 9-11 is a valid work of art,
Smojphace gets better the more you listen to it, and 12 year
old DJ Dave's "wanking about with a 606" comitted to a 200th
generation C-90 cassette is an "album".


 

offline J Swift from United Kingdom on 2004-05-05 11:15 [#01174249]
Points: 650 Status: Regular | Followup to Ceri JC: #01174221



Well it's much easier for people who come from a DJ'ing
background on the whole, even though they may not be any
more musically talented.

The actual putting together of the tunes and getting the
right sounds isn't much of an issue, because either you'll
be in a studio with an engineer, or you'll just sample off
other people! At least until you've gained some experience
and gear and things.

So it all comes down to how well you understand what
direction the music's moving in - And the only way to do
that well is to be an absolute geek about the whole thing!

When I started out I was mainly mastering for dance music
producers, and without a doubt, every singe one had such a
vast knowledge of the whole electronic spectrum - You could
talk Aphex Twin, early acid tracks, obscure jungle records,
Detroit, everything!

I think when you've been into the music for long enough you
get a kind of sixth sense about where it's headed.

If you imagine someone producing techno or drum & bass music
who doesn't understand the scene well enough, either it'll
sound instantly dated and cliched, or it'll just sound like
whatever they were influenced by at the time, which, by the
time the tune is released, will probably be over a year old
anyway!

But the big advantage is that every town and city on the
planet has a few hundred thousand people going to clubs and
raves and things, so all the music gets massive exposure
compaired to the home listening market.


 

offline Rambling Madman from the future (United Kingdom) on 2004-05-05 12:15 [#01174351]
Points: 1492 Status: Regular | Followup to dog_belch: #01173904



you say people are too quick to call themselves artists, but
what you are saying is just as bad, you are at the opposite
extreme. How you can sit there & decide whether people are
artists or not is beyond me.

Also how can you say peoples albums are of a sub standard
quality & are no better than demos when (correct me if I'm
wrong) SAW 85-92 by Aphex Twin ("a real artist") is an
album consisting of RDJ's early work/demos etc. Would you
say those tracks were well produced? I think not. It's the
vibe that is so amazing on those tracks & I think the lo
quality sound only adds to how amazing that album is,
therefore a "professional" sounding track is not always
best.


 

offline plaidzebra from so long, xlt on 2004-05-05 12:21 [#01174355]
Points: 5678 Status: Lurker



ha ha, now i'm glad i stopped back in after lunch.

let me know when you've got your systematic quality
detection machine set up, db, i've got some music about
which i'm not really sure how i should feel.

i just hope you have the good sense to know what is good
when you see it... what if you wake up one morning to
discover that for years you have embraced the mediocre?

hippy? communist?

so you believe that hippies and communists embody the
indefensible, the unutterably wrong. you say i must agree
with you, or disagree with you. i say, i neither agree nor
disagree.

i imagine that you determine the validity of an idea by
shouting insults at it until it conforms to your
expectations or leaves.

no matter what anyone says, dog belch, i still value you as
a unique and valid individual.

*emoticon of a hippy with a handful of flowers and dog
belch's favorite incense*



 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 12:45 [#01174374]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to Rambling Madman: #01174351 | Show recordbag



I am not saying, as you well know, that I decide who is an
artist. I am saying I shouldn't call myself an artist, nor
should anyone say they are "an artist" unless they fulfill
my above stated, yes rather rigorous, criteria. I am sorry
if that upsets you. The fact you moan about it means you are
not one, not today. Maybe in the future, and I sincerely
hope you will be.

I see what you are saying about SAW but at the same time, we
are talking about Aphex, a world recognised genius. Yes a
collection of his demos are worthy of being an album, but
not just any collection of demos. This is an
exception.Those tracks, poorly produced, mastered of
a Boots C-15 cassette whatever, sound complete, sound
finished. They defined a musical legacy still echoing today.
Releasing an "album" of unfinished demo track mp3s will not
make you AFX, sorry.


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 12:54 [#01174389]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to plaidzebra: #01174355 | Show recordbag



I am not going to argue with you. I never said you had to
agree with me, i was trying to tell you what my point was as
you have got it wrong. By the way, i let me Systematic
Quality Detection Machine loose on an open port of yours,
and it was digitally sick in 36 million colours.


 

offline Rambling Madman from the future (United Kingdom) on 2004-05-05 14:44 [#01174542]
Points: 1492 Status: Regular | Followup to dog_belch: #01174374



hmmm..... rightyo man. I'm not arsed really, we all think
differently about stuff, you & I obviously see things
slightly differently & I've never tried to tell you I am a
genius or whatever it is that you keep ranting on about
altho I do make music full time (when I'm not sleeping or
chatting shit on the net that is) & have been doing for a
few years (& will continue to as long as I am able) music is
what I live for & what inspires me most in life (well....
lets not forget nature), music is the last thing I have to
moan about. I see there is more to your issue with music
than meets the eye & I think you should try to be a bit more
relaxed instead of getting frustrated & negative about other
peoples creativity.

Peace, love & all that good stuff..................... oh, &
when I said "nature" that included women obviously, women
are the most beautifull things on earth..........


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-05 14:54 [#01174572]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to Rambling Madman: #01174542 | Show recordbag



Dude, you're right. And the thing is, i seemed to have
hijacked your thread, so you should have the last say. I
will just say i am not being negative on anyone's
creativity, I love (some) people's music here, i just have
issue with people calling themselves artists and
saying they've released an album when in fact they've posted
some MP3 tracks on a website. But they're just words after
all, and who needs words when you have music, laughter and
love?


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2004-05-06 02:31 [#01175227]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Show recordbag



Dog: you seem very obsessed with the VALUE of words.. how do
you measure the value of a word? The connection between
words and the thing they referr to are arbitrary at first.
Then, when the words already HAVE their meaning, they aren't
defined to more than what we use them for. If someone calls
themselves an artist, it is a fact that they ARE an artist
because the word artist doesn't really mean anything without
referring to something. So.. if no-one could call themselves
artist, the word artist would be obsolete, and not a word at
all.. soon, all the people YOU woul call artists would be
dead, and you wouldn't have any more use for the word. Where
is the value in that?

I think, if you are interested in semantics, you should read
something by Ferdinand De Saussure.


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-06 03:36 [#01175278]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #01175227 | Show recordbag



Ok, so when your "album" is for sale for "five" pounds I
will send you "two", ok?


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2004-05-06 03:36 [#01175279]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to dog_belch: #01175278 | Show recordbag



yes.


 

offline nacmat on 2004-05-06 06:08 [#01175413]
Points: 31271 Status: Lurker



interesting thread

some peple here I consider them artists already

I dream to be one someday (as an architect)


 

offline nacmat on 2004-05-06 06:09 [#01175414]
Points: 31271 Status: Lurker | Followup to dog_belch: #01175278



dog_:

do you know electromuse?
are you from chile really?


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-06 06:13 [#01175424]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to nacmat: #01175414 | Show recordbag



nac: Yes,you see it's fine for you to consider people as
artists, my only (by now very boring point) was that I felt
it unbecoming that some people referred to themselves
as artists. But that doesn't matter anymore, just my absurd
prejudice.

I do know Electromuse. I am from Inglaterra but I do now
live in Chile, unfortunately the other end of the country
from Electromuse.


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2004-05-06 06:16 [#01175427]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to dog_belch: #01175424 | Show recordbag



how about calling oneself a panda?


 

offline nacmat on 2004-05-06 06:20 [#01175433]
Points: 31271 Status: Lurker | Followup to dog_belch: #01175424



anyway... I said I consider as artists SOME but not all

thanks to all for giving me this interesting reading in this
boring working day


 

offline dog_belch from Netherlands, The on 2004-05-06 06:20 [#01175436]
Points: 15098 Status: Addict | Followup to Drunken Mastah: #01175427 | Show recordbag



......i'll have to think about it.


 

offline Drunken Mastah from OPPERKLASSESVIN!!! (Norway) on 2004-05-06 06:22 [#01175437]
Points: 35867 Status: Lurker | Followup to dog_belch: #01175436 | Show recordbag



how about Thad.. does he have boobs?


 


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