Is there a general rule behind your tastes?

Lights Faces wrote: Finnforest wrote: I realize that sounds sacrilegious to those who consider music lyrics very important, and I say it not to insult anyone here. It's just my own feeling. I'm not sure it really is. You seem in line with the other comments bringing up lyrics. Even in my case, I say lyrics and theme are important, but overall what matters is the "theme" conveyed, and that covers a wide spectrum (and it's also negative: lyrics are important in that they're a good occasion for me to dislike the music). Mike Oldfield's Ommadawn is one of my all time favorite, and it's mostly lyricless. There's just a little moment near the end when he says some lines in Gaelic, and it's something like "you idiot, drink some milk" and later "I like horseriding", and I'm totally fine with it, because the piece of music itself has conveyed more than most bands throughout their entire career, the music speaks for itself. And when you say that you're not really interested in political songs and the like, that matches what most here are about. Although personally I do appreciate how Rick Miller for instance brings literature to his music.

wiz_d_kidd wrote: 1. Balance. All aspects of the music/vocals need to be on equal footing. If it's all about the vocals, I turn it off. If the bass & percussion play a minor time-keeping roll, I turn it off. If the guitar or keys feel like they own the stage, I turn it off. Everyone needs to contribute. Solos are OK (even great!), just don't hog the stage for the duration of the piece. 2. Instrumental over Vocals. I prefer instrumentals, but if there are vocals, they need to be done as if they are another instrument in the band. Work with the band, not in spite of them. Vocals are not obligatory. You need an honest justification of why there are vocals at all. 3. Honest vocals. If the singer thinks they are the greatest vocalist on earth and fill their singing with runs and other vocal gymnastics or contrived emotions, I turn them off. 4. Skilled musicianship. If the band thinks they can hide their lack of musicianship and composition with noise, loudness, brashness, or randomness -- it's not working. 5. Lyrics. I prefer wordless vocals or nonsensical vocals over someone trying to "explain" the point of the song. If the words do make sense, I prefer they be about fantasies, dreams, unreal situations. Love songs, or politics, or anger about anything? I turn them off. 6. Composition. I don't like standard verse-chorus compositions. Dull and bland. I like diversity and surprise (but not randomness), and the change-ups should not derail the overall expression, emotion, or mental picture of the piece. 7. Timbre. The overall timbre of a piece should be warm, inviting, soothing or even intriguing or playful or thought-provoking or fantasy-inducing. But if it is harsh, brash, loud, or prickly, I turn it off. These are all preferences as opposed to hard-and-fast rules, and they are mostly applied subconsciously. I can usually tell just by listening to several 5 second snippets of a track whether I will like it or not.

MikeEnRegalia wrote: ^^ This criterion manifests as the urge to listen to a release again. If you really like something you will want to listen to it repeatedly, given the proper circumstances (having time to do it). If you just "think" that it's awesome but you don't feel like listening to it again soon, that may be a hint by the intuitive part of your brain that you are "overthinking" the quality of the music.

Much of my tastes have been described as atmospheric. As a child watching films with Jerry Goldsmith soundtracks was a huge influence on me in particular.

^^ This criterion manifests as the urge to listen to a release again. If you really like something you will want to listen to it repeatedly, given the proper circumstances (having time to do it). If you just "think" that it's awesome but you don't feel like listening to it again soon, that may be a hint by the intuitive part of your brain that you are "overthinking" the quality of the music.

Edited by MikeEnRegalia - February 07 2025 at 07:46

Saperlipopette! wrote: I was going to write "no, not at all", but I suppose... IncogNeato wrote: - I need to feel something as well.

1. Balance. All aspects of the music/vocals need to be on equal footing. If it's all about the vocals, I turn it off. If the bass & percussion play a minor time-keeping roll, I turn it off. If the guitar or keys feel like they own the stage, I turn it off. Everyone needs to contribute. Solos are OK (even great!), just don't hog the stage for the duration of the piece.

2. Instrumental over Vocals. I prefer instrumentals, but if there are vocals, they need to be done as if they are another instrument in the band. Work with the band, not in spite of them. Vocals are not obligatory. You need an honest justification of why there are vocals at all.

3. Honest vocals. If the singer thinks they are the greatest vocalist on earth and fill their singing with runs and other vocal gymnastics or contrived emotions, I turn them off.

4. Skilled musicianship. If the band thinks they can hide their lack of musicianship and composition with noise, loudness, brashness, or randomness -- it's not working.

5. Lyrics. I prefer wordless vocals or nonsensical vocals over someone trying to "explain" the point of the song. If the words do make sense, I prefer they be about fantasies, dreams, unreal situations. Love songs, or politics, or anger about anything? I turn them off.

6. Composition. I don't like standard verse-chorus compositions. Dull and bland. I like diversity and surprise (but not randomness), and the change-ups should not derail the overall expression, emotion, or mental picture of the piece.

7. Timbre. The overall timbre of a piece should be warm, inviting, soothing or even intriguing or playful or thought-provoking or fantasy-inducing. But if it is harsh, brash, loud, or prickly, I turn it off.

These are all preferences as opposed to hard-and-fast rules, and they are mostly applied subconsciously. I can usually tell just by listening to several 5 second snippets of a track whether I will like it or not.

I was going to write "no, not at all", but I suppose...

IncogNeato wrote: - I need to feel something

as well.