Simple VS Complex

[RoboPimp]

is one inherently "better" Or more "creative"?

 

if so which?

 

is a basic song with three chords really "simple"

 

is an epic journey thru keys and rhythms really "complex"

 

 

 

 

 

on a related note, my current favorite "simple" 4 chord song

 

[YOUTUBE]rWeWgDAuxKY[/YOUTUBE]

[Tengo]

no, neither is inherently better or more creative.

[NetStar]

 

no, neither is inherently better or more creative.

 

 

This.

 

I'm not up to par with my musical know-how, but some of my favourite, most enjoyable songs are built around only a handful of chords, whereas some three or four chord pop songs do nothing for me.

[chaosStrings]

This, though I don't now if it is complex or simple.

 

76nU5Ghq5Wo

 

:poke:

[ambient]

Miles Davis' "So What" is about as simple a progression as you are going to get.

 

I love the improv they put down on that track.

[fruvai]

 

:poke:

 

 

It's crap

[Stacco]

I've always strived to play music somewhere between King Crimson and the Sex Pistols

 

And FranK Zappa played Louie Louie... constantly!

[IRG]

I usually like simple over complex for anything but classical music, and maybe some jazz, although I am far from a jazz expert.

 

Simple arrangements but with great talent, usually make for an enjoyable performance. It's why I prefer the blues now, over shredding metal. Blues done well (someone with talent) is for me, more enjoyable to listen to, then complex shredding metal licks-evenif done by someone very talented. Just my preference though. And I do like some brutalz, but prefer the somewhat slower, more melodic doom of say Deftones, over 99% of the metal bands suggested in Loobs metal thread.

[Fender&EHX4ever]

Both are challenging to do successfully.

 

Simple = Pachelbel's Canon in D

Complex = Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata

 

Both will probably be remembered or performed as long as human beings have ears, both are beautiful, and both are equally creative.

[space cred]

complex made simple is my preference

 

 

there's all different sorts of complexity/ creativity... its all about how they all balance together. (Lyrics, technicality, musical dialogue, meaning)

 

now go listen Minor Threat's "Look back and Laugh" and tell me thats not complex as shit

[Uma Floresta]

 

no, neither is inherently better or more creative.

 

 

This is the correct answer

[Tengo]

 

Both are challenging to do successfully. Simple = Pachelbel's Canon in D Complex = Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata Both will probably be remembered or performed as long as human beings have ears, both are beautiful, and both are equally creative.

 

 

good answer is good

[Taylor704]

I don't like a song just because it has an incredibly complex chord progression, i'll like it if I think it sounds good.

[chaosStrings]

It's crap

 

Thanks, I had trouble finding the word

[FedExPope]

i prefer more simple over complex, just because its more enjoyable to me. as far as writing goes, id rather write a somewhat simple song since usually everyone ive played with that wants to write a super wicked song just suck at at it.

[melx]

simple.

 

One of the best songs ever written imo.....same 3 chords all the way though (verse and chorus) you can't beat it really....

 

[YOUTUBE]ErgzObQJMPM[/YOUTUBE]

[ambient]

The best music IMO is all killer and no filler.

 

So cut the fat, simplify, dumb it down if you have to.

 

There's no point having complicated {censored} if it's not improving the music.

[Uma Floresta]

Simple, possibly creative, for a given value thereof:

 

Eno - Here Come The Warm Jets

Aphex Twin - Selected Ambient Works II

[companyman]

John Lee Hooker

Django Reinhardt

are equally as inspiring

 

just as Rembrant

and Ad Reinhardt

are equally gifted.

[Fenderman1991]

No preferance to me. As long as it sounds good, it don't matter...

 

Though most of what I listen to is "simple". 4 chord verse, pre chorus, 3 or 4 chord chorus, solo over the same chords as the verse.

[dkerwood]

Music is built upon the building and release of tension. Complexity aids the building, simplicity aids the release. Both are necessary to some degree, and both are present in almost all music. There are certainly extremes, but most great musicians recognize that simplicity and complexity go hand in hand; neither outweighing the other.

[amarr1]

I like music that's complex that can appeal to the average listener who has no interest behind music. That is personally my preference, but simple music is badassed as well as complex.

[GURREN LAGANN]

 

no, neither is inherently better or more creative.

 

 

That can't be true because some people are simply going to put more effort into making music that deviates more from the norm.

 

It's true musical taste is subjective, you can't say that people should like one track more than another(but well, I think people are entitled to bitch about it in general, like the popularity of pop music vs. more inventive music) but some music is simply "More creative" content wise because of the thought put into it.

 

If you push total subjectivity, there's no such thing as being "creative" anymore, or music that's more inventive than others.

 

Creativity doesn't have a lot to do with complexity, except that very simple and very complex songs are less likely to have room for creativity, for different but fairly obvious reasons. Very simple gives you less to play around with, very complex emphasises the technical too much(Though some people like that).

[AnderMocs]

Both at once? Andrew Bird songs are pretty straight ahead folky at their core, but he adds a lot of complexity in how they are performed and all the layers he does.

 

I guess i like the complexity to come from the density of the arrangement, not from their being 900 parts like in a dream theater songs. But i do like dream theater on occasion.

[Uma Floresta]

 

That can't be true because some people are simply going to put more effort into making music that deviates more from the norm. It's true musical taste is subjective, you can't say that people should like one track more than another(but well, I think people are entitled to bitch about it in general, like the popularity of pop music vs. more inventive music) but some music is simply "More creative" content wise because of the thought put into it. If you push total subjectivity, there's no such thing as being "creative" anymore, or music that's more inventive than others. Creativity doesn't have a lot to do with complexity, except that very simple and very complex songs are less likely to have room for creativity, for different but fairly obvious reasons. Very simple gives you less to play around with, very complex emphasises the technical too much(Though some people like that).

 

 

extra effort =/= creativity :poke: