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The Sleepwalker 
Prog Reviewer
Joined: February 03 2009
Location: The Netherlands
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Points: 15141
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 Topic: What makes people find Prog boring?
Posted: August 10 2009 at 15:42 |
People born in the late eighties and (early) nineties grow up with music like R 'n B and dance. As that music is (in most cases) mainstream music, the majority of those people listens to it. A huge minority of teens, including myself, listens to prog. As most of the prog that's made isn't isn't very accesible it's not a very popular music style. I can fully understand this, as most people don't want to listen to weird time signatures and strange vocals. They rather listen to more accisible melodies with a pleasant sound. As far as I know, this has always been the case.
The thing that annoys me is that people who don't like prog, say it's because prog is boring. Even prog that had mainstream succes is said to be boring, for example Pink Floyd. I can't understand why people say prog is boring, as I find acts as VDGG, Genesis and Porcupine Tree anything from boring. I can understand people calling music boring when the music is quiet and soft... but lots of pop and R 'n B also is very soft, and that is not said to be boring.
This can't be a matter of tastes. I am, for example, not a fan of rap, but for disliking it I don't find it boring. Same thing with other styles of modern music, like modern pop and dance. That music does not entertain me, but I don't think it's boring at all.
My question here is: what makes people find progressive music a boring form of music?
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TheProgtologist
Special Collaborator
Honorary Collaborator / Retired Admin
Joined: May 23 2005
Location: Baltimore,Md US
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Points: 27802
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 15:48 |
This is what my wife says about all the classic prog I listen to....
"It all sounds like elevator music"
The problems I have with that statement I can barely put into words.It just sums it up.....most people just don't understand this music we all love so much.
And as far as all the post metal,post rock,progressive death metal,etc. that I listen to,I won't even go into what she says about that stuff.
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WalterDigsTunes
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 11 2007
Location: SanDiegoTijuana
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Points: 4373
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 15:58 |
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The fact that a good amount of it is not in 4/4 might confuse less adept listeners. Unable to compute the complex rhythms, their less-developed music receptors will interpret the sound as mush.
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Failcore
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 27 2006
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Points: 4625
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 16:13 |
Elevator music huh? I usually hear that it sounds like movie music or video game music. I think that's because that's how most ppl get their exposure to classical music, so anything that has elements of classical music is relegated to the movie/video game bin. I think one guy actually walked in halfway through Magnum Opus and asked if it was from Lord of the Rings. 
Edited by Deathrabbit - August 10 2009 at 16:13
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King Crimson776
Forum Senior Member
Joined: October 12 2007
Location: United States
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Points: 2779
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 16:29 |
 WalterDigsTunes wrote:
The fact that a good amount of it is not in 4/4 might confuse less adept listeners. Unable to compute the complex rhythms, their less-developed music receptors will interpret the sound as mush.
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As elitist as that sounds, it seems to be true (for a lot of people), and a good part of why people find prog boring. Also the songs in prog often take longer to express the ideas so people won't have the patience to listen to them (but with this longer form comes the potential to express more and greater ideas, and potential to f**k up even greater as well :P). Another thing is that you can't dance to prog and often can't rock to it either, it's never sexual and often expresses its ideas in an intellectual way, it's something that was never meant for the masses (in or current world anyway). So people without the right mindset in listening to it will find it boring. Usually because they don't get it, but of course there are cases of people who get it and don't like it at all (prog in general) for other reasons.
I find dance music boring because I don't like dancing. :P If a type of music goes against your mindset and thereby doesn't do anything for you, it will be boring.
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CCVP
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 15 2007
Location: Vitória, Brasil
Status: Offline
Points: 7971
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 17:14 |
What makes prog boring?Hmm, there are two answers for that: 1 - It is a dated style of music (say what you want, Genesis is as dated as Cyndi Lauper and Nirvana, if both were any good) 2 - Jon Anderson's / Peter Gabriel's voice sucks 
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keiser willhelm
Forum Senior Member
Joined: September 14 2007
Location: United States
Status: Offline
Points: 1697
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 17:23 |
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most prog musicians were too a-d-d or too full of themselves to write a decent song that had hooks or a long enough section of 4/4 to headbang to. n00bs.
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A Person
Forum Senior Member
Joined: November 10 2008
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Points: 65760
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 17:35 |
Nobody in my family besides me and my dad like music that doesn't have vocals. I once played Wish You Were Here and my sister complained that there weren't any, at least up until the end of Shine On... part 1. My other sister has even stated that she only cares about the singing (and the cuteness of said singer). I encountered the same problem trying to watch 2001: A Space Odyssey, "It's stupid there's no talking in it" "The music is weird turn it off", etc. I can't get them to step outside of their safety zone and teach them to appreciate anything but what they already like. I should buy some Merzbow and play it constantly, after that, they'll be grateful to hear anything else.
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LinusW
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 17:45 |
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Prog fans, naturally.
Yuck.
Edited by LinusW - August 10 2009 at 17:52
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alanight
Forum Groupie
Joined: February 27 2009
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Points: 64
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 17:49 |
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People = Stupid
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NotAProghead
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Errors & Omissions Team
Joined: October 22 2005
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 17:59 |
I guess I like some prog  , but there are lots of prog songs and albums that bore me to death.
There are different reasons: 1. Lack of emotion. It's probably the main reason. Music is rather constructed than comes from the heart, as a result it is artificial and, yes, boring. 2. Lack of variety and writing skills. There are ideas but musicians fail to keep the listener's attention during the whole song (piece, album). 3. Lack of originality, lots of bands without their own sound. 4. Simple case, when I understand: music is great, but it's not my cup of tea.
The length does not matter - almost side-long "Echoes" never seemed boring to me, while some 3-5 minute songs seem endless.
Edited by NotAProghead - August 10 2009 at 18:01
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Who are you and who am I to say we know the reason why... (D. Gilmour)
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BaldJean
Prog Reviewer
Joined: May 28 2005
Location: Germany
Status: Offline
Points: 10387
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 18:22 |
NotAProghead wrote:
I guess I like some prog , but there are lots of prog songs and albums that bore me to death.
There are different reasons: 1. Lack of emotion. It's probably the main reason. Music is rather constructed than comes from the heart, as a result it is artificial and, yes, boring. 2. Lack of variety and writing skills. There are ideas but musicians fail to keep the listener's attention during the whole song (piece, album). 3. Lack of originality, lots of bands without their own sound. 4. Simple case, when I understand: music is great, but it's not my cup of tea.
The length does not matter - almost side-long "Echoes" never seemed boring to me, while some 3-5 minute songs seem endless.
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that was the great thing in the late 60s and early 70s. every band really did have a different sound then
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 A shot of me as High Priestess of Gaia during our fall festival. Ceterum censeo principiis obsta
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The T
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Joined: October 16 2006
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 18:25 |
It's all a matter of tastes. And what you search for when you listen to your music. And the time you devote to the music you hear.
- Some people will like prog, some won't. Easy enough.
- Some people want music just as background for other activities or for relaxation or for dance or for whatever. Many prog fans hear music just because they want to dig into it, explore it, like reading a book in sounds.
- Some prog music needs a lot of time to digest. Some people either can't devote so much time to it or just don't care to because they don't feel they need to.
So in the end is the same that makes you and me different: we're different.
I, for example, can't get to like Fran Zappa. I find Sigur Ros boring, as I do Can. And on top of that, I don't like them. I think they almost always go together, boring and dislike. Something that doesn't make you have a good time (not in the "let's party" sense of the expression) is something you will not like.
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topofsm
Forum Senior Member
Joined: August 17 2008
Location: Arizona, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 1698
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 18:56 |
Everybody who has contributed so far has added a good reason. I'd agree with that, but I'd also add that repetition has a lot to it. Most bands have one riff in each song and repeat it in groups of four along with a verse in groups of four and a chorus in groups of four. A prog song tends to develop musically, some songs are even symphonic where you are hearing a new musical idea every bar (not necessarily a different mood or feel). In that sense, there isn't something catchy for the listener to grasp on to, and the song takes a lot of exploration to appreciate well. People want a catchy repetitive riff or hook that they're able to sing a long, and explorative composition doesn't lend to that.
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American Khatru
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 28 2009
Location: New York
Status: Offline
Points: 732
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 18:56 |
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Prog isn't boring, there are just people who are boring.
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 Why must my spell-checker continually underline the word "prog"?
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PROGMONSTER2008
Forum Senior Member
Joined: December 09 2007
Status: Offline
Points: 610
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 19:02 |
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The reason why the only rock music I listen to is old style prog and fusion is because I find most other forms of rock inferior. I never enjoyed Rock music growing up until I found old prog and fusion or prog related music. It's just the best music because it has fun bass playing, cool drumming, nice keys, nice percussion, interesting vocals and the songs are busy and the melodies are catchy and long lasting. I don't like modern style prog though. It's just metal with a bit more to it. I find that boring too. I like the new bands who style their music on old style prog but as long as they are original and don't sound like a copy of old bands. This is the music which progresses because the songs are quality and stay strong. Forget about inventing and experimenting. Progression is all about clever melody
Edited by PROGMONSTER2008 - August 10 2009 at 19:08
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manofmystery
Forum Senior Member
Joined: January 26 2008
Location: PA, USA
Status: Offline
Points: 4335
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 19:27 |
I'm pretty sure the answer lies in Camel's The Snow Goose and Soft Machine's Third
These albums have always bored me to tears but are held up by the majority of proggers as each band's greatest achievement. Maybe there's just a large percentage of masochists in in the prog world who want every note of music to be as long and drawn out as it could possibly be.  |
 Time always wins.
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CCVP
Prog Reviewer
Joined: September 15 2007
Location: Vitória, Brasil
Status: Offline
Points: 7971
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 19:35 |
BaldJean wrote:
NotAProghead wrote:
I guess I like some prog , but there are lots of prog songs and albums that bore me to death.
There are different reasons: 1. Lack of emotion. It's probably the main reason. Music is rather constructed than comes from the heart, as a result it is artificial and, yes, boring. 2. Lack of variety and writing skills. There are ideas but musicians fail to keep the listener's attention during the whole song (piece, album). 3. Lack of originality, lots of bands without their own sound. 4. Simple case, when I understand: music is great, but it's not my cup of tea.
The length does not matter - almost side-long "Echoes" never seemed boring to me, while some 3-5 minute songs seem endless.
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that was the great thing in the late 60s and early 70s. every band really did have a different sound then
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That's not really it man . . . . .
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camilleanne
Forum Senior Member
Joined: June 29 2009
Location: Philippines
Status: Offline
Points: 403
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 19:39 |
Actually I've had a friend and whenever were seatmates she always wants to listen to music with me but she's a big fan of R n' B and mostly pop music. And she always tell me that it' s boring specially the mellow ones, but fine,I understand it...... For me if you're a fan of popular music you'll find prog boring because it'll take time before one can appreciate it. But if you're a fan of prog music and you'll listen to pop I don't think you'll enjoy it especially the hannah montana because you had improved you're listening skills.  .
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The planet is fine the people are f**ked.
-George Carlin-
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Canprog
Forum Senior Member
Joined: March 29 2009
Location: Canada
Status: Offline
Points: 144
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Posted: August 10 2009 at 19:41 |
manofmystery wrote:
I'm pretty sure the answer lies in Camel's The Snow Goose and Soft Machine's Third
These albums have always bored me to tears |
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What makes people find Prog boring?
