The Sonic Explorer

really haven't written lately. i feel like writing a few articles about music, possibly in a musical format to base a composition off of. or maybe just to help me review my own philosophies.

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what exactly is the modern composer doing? i used to feel like good music was that which lived up to certain standards established by those who have a comprehensive understanding of music. But in the past year and a half or so, it's become obvious that no sound in itself is good or bad it just exists. then why, why is something good or bad? to even make a personal judgment you have to establish standards, but what do those mean, and where do they come from? should these standards apply to all? why such judgment on sounds?

i feel like human kind, at least here in the west, has a feeling of self importance. especially in america, everyone is a critic and an expert. especially on things that have no factual basis, faith, art, movies. since there is no definite answer, you can't be proven "wrong." ever hear someone say a movie sucked, but realize they aren't exactly a fil connoisseur? ever read a review of something, usually negative? you'd find that most music critics aren't musicians. what's the point? why do we put down things that don't fit into our standards that are based off of taste and not universal fact?

perhaps it is fear of there being no concrete answer for the things we feel strongest about. We need to know that our opinion means something because it feels so right to us. i think the composer and performer face this dilemma. however, i feel like clinging to these feelings full-heatedly severely stunts their growth, and also doesn't make logical sense. we all will have tastes though, and may even feel strongly that certain types of art aren't valid.

But to be someone bringing out an honest expression, that demonstrates one's love of sound, all sounds have to be fair game. How can you truly express yourself if you rule out an area of sound? Isn't music about the love of sound?

This doesn't mean you have to be avant-garde, but i think too many musicians are discriminatory about which sounds are good or bad and cling heavily to this judgment. There's so much here to explore, and once you explore it you can find what you personally like to utilize in your music, or you'll find something you really like simply because you gave it a chance. Once a musician has done thorough sonic exploration, or simply retains a willingness to be put in an unfamiliar place sonically, the distinction of what they want to do becomes way clearer.

A musician does not have to be anything really. It is the standards which we apply which require them to be anything.

"The first question I ask myself when something doesn't seem to be beautiful is why do I think it's not beautiful. And very shortly you discover that there is no reason." --John Cage.

though this is all just my own opinion.

more to come on this.....