Members pogo97 Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 I've been listening to a wide variety of music and have noticed that the tempo in earlier music "breathes" more than music recorded since, say, 1970 or so. Even top bands like Basie or John Philip Sousa's band have audibly variable tempos. So: have we finally defeated the dreaded flex-time or are we just becoming robot slaves to the convenience of a click track? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ElectricPuppy Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 I, for one, welcome our click-track overlords... Actually, I think you're right. Music seems more alive if it's not a slave to a crystal oscillator; One time I had dropped Gary Numan's Cars into Sonar with the intent of messing with it. I discovered that the beat's not even, it wavers somewhere around 127 bpm, sometimes dipping below, sometimes a little faster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Allerian Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 As an artist who regularly resynthesizes from old records, I'm keenly aware of this. I've become a tempo-nudge ninja on the Elektrons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ChrisAlbertson Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 ...Music seems more alive if it's not a slave to a crystal oscillator... This is why Orchestras have a conductor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mediterranean Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 The advent of sequencers has killed the natural steady-ness of music. But since music is a form of art, "natural" is subjective. There is charm in both. I have yet to compose a song whose tempo fluctuates [preferably metronome-free]; it's definitely more challenging. I will report back when I do:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Peekaboo Fuzzy Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 Excellent post Doug. You are right on. I'ts as though pop/rock genres cannot exist without a single, unchanging tempo that is tied to a metronome or drum beat. We've become groove/beat box, sequencer crazy in that modern music has stylistically backed itself into a corner; rythm now = MIDI sequencer or drum pattern. When you listen to classical music (as you mentioned Sousa) there is far more flexibility in how ryhthm/tempo is used, to the point where it becomes another color in a painter's toolbox. Once musician's begin to understand this they will realize how much more can be done creatively and stylistically within the realm or popular music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NickD101 Posted October 1, 2009 Members Share Posted October 1, 2009 Good points, but I'm sure lots of people are doing those tricks of nudging things up a bpm or two for the chorus. I guess there's a sense that musicians used to *feel* where to shift the tempo a little, whereas with a click/sequencer you have to *think* about it and make a decision where to tweak the tempo. There's great stories about how the Bee Gees used to get calls after using a tape loop for the drums on Stayin Alive, asking who was that solid drummer who could keep the groove (see http://mixonline.com/mag/audio_bee_gees_stayin/). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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