Getting estranged from prog

rogerthat wrote: As you get more experienced with appreciating music, you are able to rationalize to a large extent why you like some sounds and why not some others, but the point is, you still react to it, it arouses emotion within you and that's what it boils down to at the heart of it.  I also don't see much point in attempting to negate this emotional reaction with the aim of seeing merit in music that you are wholly uncomfortable with, you could say that you are opening your mind to different approaches or that you are simply forcing yourself to like it.

I really don't see how the aim of finding merit in music you are uncomfortable with negates your emotional reaction. Back a few months ago, I decided to listen to 12 tone music, and I was very uncomfortable with it. If I had your attitude, I would have given up, but I didn't. I listened to the schoenberg violin concerto several times, and each time I listened to it, I discovered more to like about it, until finally it became one of my favorite songs. There was no "negation of the emotional reaction" or whatever. That said, I don't regularly force myself to listen to music I am uncomfortable with, but it is a good thing to do once in a while.

rogerthat wrote: But you wouldn't  have revisited it if it did not at all intrigue you at all at any level, is it not?  There has to be some emotional connection right from inception, otherwise it's rare that music you found absolutely deadpan and boring turned out to be super exciting - it is in such cases that developing a comfort level after many listens can be said to be forcing oneself to like it.  Again, there may be exceptions, but they don't make the rule. When I first listened to Gentle Giant, I was like, "What the hell!" All the same, I thought, "Damn, this is interesting" and I kept coming back till I liked it, song in question being "Experience".  My first extreme metal song was Raining Blood and I was flabbergasted to put it mildly by the frenetic activity encapsulated in a peak of about two minutes, but I sensed the drama lurking beneath the apparent chaos.  I am certain that if I had - like the majority of people - thought it to be utter noise garbage, I would have never become an extreme metal fan.  If there' s nothing to excite my curiousity first time around, there's not much incentive for me to return and like I said earlier, there's heaps of music to be discovered, who cares if I am "judgmental" about a few bands, so be it, I can live with it.  If I were a professional musician, I would however look at music more from an "investigative" angle, expose myself to unfamiliar genres just to pick up new ideas; as it is now, I look at it only from the perspective of appreciation and it looks to me as if my approach is reasonable. If it's not, I couldn't care less about it anyway.

Fair enough. I guess it just takes a bit less to interest me than some people. You're right, I wouldn't have listened to it again if absolutely nothing in it had interested me. I don't think it has to be an emotional connection right from the inception though. I think any sort of connection will do. There was no emotional connection to the schoenberg violin concerto the first time I heard it, it really seemed like random notes. I knew there was some order to it, a very complex structure, so I kept listening to it to really explore that, but I had no emotional connection to it for the first 4 or so listens. So, I guess I agree with most of your post, but I just take issue with the overemphasis on the emotional connection.  I think I go halfway between your "investigative" angle and your "appreciation" angle, because I do sometimes expose myself unfamiliar genres just to pick up ideas, even though I don't have much use for the ideas (although I do enjoy writing songs on garageband and practicing a few instruments). I'm still never judgemental though. If I don't appreciate a song, I merely shelve it, maybe to come back, or maybe not, depending on how I'm feeling.

Mr ProgFreak wrote: Returning to the subject at hand: When BaldFriede says that she feels estranged from prog, *maybe* it's because of her somewhat unusual opinions about double bass drumming, prog metal, modern production and other things that is making it difficult for her to find modern, prog-related music to enjoy to other than "post-prog" projects of her favorite prog artists from the 70s.

Not to nitpick (well, I am but whatever), but I don't think that her opinion is unusual at all. 

Mr ProgFreak wrote: ^ I only mean numerically speaking. Almost two years ago The T conducted a poll about double bass drumming: http://www.progarchives.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=34853 Only about 4% seem to think that it's simply no good. Now, please let me say it again: I respect those opinions just like those of the majority. But if a newbie came along and asked for recommendations, telling him to avoid double bass drumming might not be such a helpful advice. At least you should mention that most other people have no problems with them.

Eh... you could probably put anything in that poll and as long as there is a "if it fits the music" qualifier as a choice, that will be the prevailing answer. I generally dislike DBD (that Sonata Arctica song was particularly bad) but I would choose "if it fits the music." *shrug*

rogerthat wrote: Well, I don't mean emotional in a happy/sad sense, just that something should arouse my curiosity or excitement somewhere. In any case, I look for drama and dynamics in music, not so much direct emotions like sorrow or anger. As you said, any sort of connection will do.

Well then, we are in agreement! Seeing how rare that is on the internet, we should pat each other on the back.