Music Discussion thread

[Focalize]

That's how I nailed intervals, reset first note to "do" and go from there. Now I can't find a way to train for perfect pitch ; _ ;

[Bridge]

That's how I nailed intervals, reset first note to "do" and go from there. Now I can't find a way to train for perfect pitch ; _ ;

If your ear is sufficiently trained then you probably already have a certain degree of perfect pitch. Think of any piece you're familiar with, preferably one with a reasonably long sustained first note and listen to it in your mind. Then sing the first note and press play on the recording and see if they match. I can do this with some success, and usually I am only a semitone or a whole tone off. Although this is not perfect pitch in the sense that you can hear a pitch and immediately know its name, it is a type of perfect pitch where you can memorize an exact pitch and recreate it. After that you just need a whole lot of practice to the point where you have every pitch memorized and can name all of the usual ones, but I'm skeptical as to whether this is possible (it certainly isn't worth the extreme effort it takes).

[Tesseract]

I have no idea what everyone else is currently on. This is a music thread so I'll post something I utterly adore:



I love listening to Mozart's music and of course Beethoven too. One of my favourite Beethoven pieces is this:

[Froge]

Improvising a four figure fugue is impossible. I'm sure I could do it if I practiced until I can dream four voice-harmony in my sleep, but I wouldn't be able to do it well. Not as well as Bach, that's for sure, as he tends to add a ton of other articulations. I think Bach's also done seven-figure fugues (something was up with his brain).

It takes unthinkable genius to compose like he can. But to be honest, I still don't find Bach's compositions that enjoyable to listen to. Maybe I'm just too much of a romantic, but as I listen to and analyze his fugues (and many of his other compositions, like his suites and toccata) voice by voice, I find Bach to be rather mechanical. I can best describe it by saying that his pieces are amazingly fun to play. When you hear each individual voice harmonizing together under your finger tips, it's an astounding experience. But what these pieces lack is ambiance, and the energy derived from that ambiance. When I listen to something like Beethoven's tempest (3rd movement) or his moonlight sonata, although they might not be as complex as Bach's compositions, there is just some hidden energy within that clicks with me, and I can feel its sheer raw force. Once I tap into that music, I feel like I'm painting the world. Same thing with Chopin (and perhaps to an even greater degree). But not Bach.

A fugue leaves me satisfied, but it does not energize and empower me.

[Bridge]

Improvising a four figure fugue is impossible. I'm sure I could do it if I practiced until I can dream four voice-harmony in my sleep, but I wouldn't be able to do it well. Not as well as Bach, that's for sure, as he tends to add a ton of other articulations. I think Bach's also done seven-figure fugues (something was up with his brain).

It takes unthinkable genius to compose like he can. But to be honest, I still don't find Bach's compositions that enjoyable to listen to. Maybe I'm just too much of a romantic, but as I listen to and analyze his fugues (and many of his other compositions, like his suites and toccata) voice by voice, I find Bach to be rather mechanical. I can best describe it by saying that his pieces are amazingly fun to play. When you hear each individual voice harmonizing together under your finger tips, it's an astounding experience. But what these pieces lack is ambiance, and the energy derived from that ambiance. When I listen to something like Beethoven's tempest (3rd movement) or his moonlight sonata, although they might not be as complex as Bach's compositions, there is just some hidden energy within that clicks with me, and I can feel its sheer raw force. Once I tap into that music, I feel like I'm painting the world. Same thing with Chopin (and perhaps to an even greater degree). But not Bach.

A fugue leaves me satisfied, but it does not energize and empower me.

Huh, in my opinion Bach's fugues are nothing more than raw energy.

I try to say this with the least amount of condescension possible, but I think it's possible you see only the notes and not the music. Bach's music shows admirable restraint (which is one of my favorite things about his music) but not in a way that there is a lack of emotion in my opinion. As for your problems with the music being too mechanical, I hope you realize that counterpoint can only be achieved in a certain way. After a composer has reached fluency in free counterpoint the style offers a remarkable amount of freedom, but it is always going to sound a certain way (the definition of a style). That style is rigid because if great care is not taken it's not even possible to write good counterpoint, never mind a fugue.

Anyway as always I can't tell you what to think, I can only give you my take on it. Just know that the raw energy is there, because it's something I feel whenever I listen to Bach, and it's no different than the one I perceive when I listen to Chopin.

P.S. Don't know if you've heard it but his lute and cello music is among the most emotional I've ever heard. Something about the contemplating tone of the lute (and guitar, as the suites are commonly arranged for) perfectly accompanies the stoic I'd almost say melancholy of Bach's music.

[Retomathic]

A lot of people like classical music here. I myself like moonlight sonata 3rd movement from beethoven

apart from that

I like video game music and I also make it myself

[Froge]

Actually, I will admit without hesitation that Bach's compositions are quite emotionally empowering. But I want to do a quick comparison between Bach and Chopin to elaborate on what I mean by "energy." First, let's look at Bach's most famous composition:





This piece radiates a dark and grandiose aura and indeed, it is this majestic ambiance that propels the music. In particular, you can feel a buildup of something truly ominous at 2:14 with the two voices playing in nearly identical similar motion. When the fugue kicks in at 2:50, it really does feel empowering after all the buildup from before.

But it's not the same kind of empowering as can be felt here:





In particular I want to take a look at 7:56 - 8:53.

I cannot explain how Chopin does it, but every time I listen to that section I'm in complete euphoria. It starts with the descending staccato octaves at 8:04 - 8:07, the slamming of minor chords from 8:08 - 8:11, and then the ecstatic but pure and simple melody from 8:12 and onwards. The buildup feels just that much stronger and more raw than anything I've heard from Bach, and I've listened to all his prelude and fugues, many toccatas, english and french suites, and the lute partita that you posted. I know that it's a bit unfair to compare the two, since there was no way any baroque composer could create something like Chopin's grande polonaise with the keyboards they had back then, but still.

It might just be a matter of opinion, but my thoughts can be summarized as follows: when I listen to Bach's toccata and fugue in d minor I feel like a powerful king sitting on a throne and watching a majestic sunset. But when I listen to Chopin's grande polonaise I feel like I'm weeping as if I've experienced at once the greatest joys of life as well as the greatest pains. And the latter is much more of a life-changing journey than the former.

[Bridge]

It might just be a matter of opinion, but my thoughts can be summarized as follows: when I listen to Bach's toccata and fugue in d minor I feel like a powerful king sitting on a throne and watching a majestic sunset. But when I listen to Chopin's grande polonaise I feel like I'm weeping as if I've experienced at once the greatest joys of life as well as the greatest pains. And the latter is much more of a life-changing journey than the former.

Which is totally fine, but I'm sure even Chopin himself would strongly disagree with you. It's just a different style, and Bach came from a time when Chopin would have almost been considered nonsense. In my opinion though, there is a common thread throughout the entire period of common practice and even contemporary music and learning how to appreciate all of the ways composers have expressed themselves is the only way to become a true lover of music. BUT I'm not accusing you of not being one because you clearly understand Bach's music quite well, and I understand that you prefer Romantic music which is why very little more can be gained from this discussion. Personally I like late romanticism and 20th century classical the most because it speaks to me most profoundly, but I still like all of the eras and different styles somewhat equally.

[Zgroktar]

Ah, Bach
These are among my favorites I want to share:

[GiggleBlizzard]

So made an electronica disco inspired song, I'm not a terribly good singer but here it is.
https://soundcloud.com/giggleblizzard/the-beat