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Musical sounds you hate


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#41 Datameister

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 12:32 AM

Also: any of the various synthesized sounds that loop over and over...and over...and over...and over again in most rap. I don't see anything inherently wrong with repetition in music, but...seriously!

#42 Nick Parker

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 12:38 AM

Minimalism is not something I tend to enjoy.
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#43 Koray Savas

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 12:38 AM

Rap is the most unoriginal music. They sample other people's music, make it loop and say random crap over and over.

Hmm, let's take this 80s one hit wonder and turn it into hip hop, no one will notice and think we're amazing.

In 50 years Herrmann will be forgotten.


#44 Bowie

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 12:56 AM

^ Beware: Idiotic generalizations.
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#45 Koray Savas

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 01:02 AM

Hey, it's true. The music doesn't vary, and the lyrics are mostly trash. Rap was better in the 90s, but not that much.

In 50 years Herrmann will be forgotten.


#46 indy4

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 01:02 AM

Minimalism is not something I tend to enjoy.

Aren't you a fan of AI and "Call of the Crystal," both of which employ minimalism?
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#47 Nick Parker

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 01:22 AM

They do have minimalistic traits (A.I. far more so), but they are not extreme to the point where they have practically two measures repeated for twenty minutes. Or I could just say that there was a reason I wrote "tend to", but I like the other answer
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#48 Bowie

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 01:25 AM

They are probably about 0.5% minimalistic. There's really no comparison.
"We didn't invent it - it's all organised in the atmosphere by divinity or whatever. It's a miracle." - Williams

#49 indy4

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 01:55 AM

They do have minimalistic traits (A.I. far more so), but they are not extreme to the point where they have practically two measures repeated for twenty minutes. Or I could just say that there was a reason I wrote "tend to", but I like the other answer

Fair enough.
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#50 Bowie

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 02:36 AM

http://www.zshare.ne...7440952489b838/
"We didn't invent it - it's all organised in the atmosphere by divinity or whatever. It's a miracle." - Williams

#51 king mark

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 02:45 AM

Drum machine from the 80's

(as in Hoosiers)

#52 indy4

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 02:52 AM

http://www.zshare.net/audio/637440952489b838/

I like the idea itself, the only time it becomes unpleasant to my ears is when Williams uses it as autopilot (two examples would be the passage from "Battle of the Heroes" and "Jungle Chase" you used). I love it when he uses the xylophone hits as a sort of response to the orchestra, such as the moment in "Chase Through Couruscant" (which also made it into your Quicktime) where the horns play a passage and the xylophones respond with a quick and chaotic blip. Right at 1:44.
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#53 king mark

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 02:53 AM

there's nothing wrong with Williams xylophone

#54 Trent Bennett

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 03:15 AM

How about a piece that's playing perfectly then suddenly can be ruined by one of the players flubbing a note and wasn't noticed to make a correction to the cue before releasing it on CD?
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#55 Bowie

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 03:23 AM

What about the creaking chair at the end of Journey to the Island?
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#56 Red Rabbit

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 03:33 AM

Overused generic chorus

Yes.
Do you like John Williams? His early work was a little too jazzy for my taste, but when Jaws came out in '75 I really think he came into his own, commercially and artistically. The whole album has a clear, crisp sound, and an air of consummate professionalism that really gives the pieces a big boost. He's been compared to Jerry Goldsmith but I think John has a far more leitmotif-driven style of composing. In '82 John composed this, E.T., his most accomplished album to date. I think his undisputed masterpiece is "The Magic of Halloween", a theme so catchy most people don't listen to what it means. But they should, because it's not just about the pleasures of childhood and the importance of friendship, it's also a personal statement about the man himself. Hey Paul!
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#57 Mark Olivarez

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 04:06 AM

Modern movie trailer action music. In general.


I've gotten rather irritated with RCP's stereotypical useage of that blend of electronic and ethnic percussion that they use, but one of the crowning jewels is that sort of clicky thing that was put to obnoxiously gratuitous use in 3:02-5:33 of "The Battle" in [i]The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."


The dry, emotionless Brass-sound samples Zimmer and his boys love so much...

also the fake choir from Angels and Demons.. it sounds so bad


Overused generic chorus, like in Superman Returns.



#58 Delorean90

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 04:17 AM

Those dry, emotional brass samples that MissPadmé brought up often make me think of kazoos on steroids.

#59 Datameister

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 04:17 AM

I like the idea itself, the only time it becomes unpleasant to my ears is when Williams uses it as autopilot (two examples would be the passage from "Battle of the Heroes" and "Jungle Chase" you used). I love it when he uses the xylophone hits as a sort of response to the orchestra, such as the moment in "Chase Through Couruscant" (which also made it into your Quicktime) where the horns play a passage and the xylophones respond with a quick and chaotic blip. Right at 1:44.


Generally speaking, I agree. The device doesn't sound inherently annoying to me, but Williams has tended to overuse it in recent times, causing it to lose its effectiveness for me.

#60 Koray Savas

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 05:13 AM

How about a piece that's playing perfectly then suddenly can be ruined by one of the players flubbing a note and wasn't noticed to make a correction to the cue before releasing it on CD?

That's not really a musical sound, but I'll take it, and add this to it: Terrible recordings where you can hear the musicians coughing, breathing, and making other noises that are more audible than they should be. Example: Duplicity, it makes the music near-unlistenable.

In 50 years Herrmann will be forgotten.


#61 Nick Parker

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 05:47 AM

You could add the Collector's Edition of Jaws, too.
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#62 Henry Buck

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 05:52 AM


Minimalism is not something I tend to enjoy.

Aren't you a fan of AI and "Call of the Crystal," both of which employ minimalism?

They do have minimalistic traits (A.I. far more so), but they are not extreme to the point where they have practically two measures repeated for twenty minutes. Or I could just say that there was a reason I wrote "tend to", but I like the other answer

They are probably about 0.5% minimalistic. There's really no comparison.

Minimalism can't be so narrowly defined, nor should it be confused with musical repetition.

#63 Maglorfin

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 06:46 AM

Electric cello, James Horner 90's synths, duduk.

Karol

What's so wrong with duduk? :P It added such fine atmosphere in Ronin and Gladiator ...


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#64 BurgaFlippinMan

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 06:52 AM


Overused generic chorus, like in Superman Returns.

Awful, awful, awful!


Better that than synth female choirs.

I can't stand overuse of the synth percussion hits the MV gang tend to love, as well as too much shakuhachi blasts Horner style

Drum machine from the 80's

(as in Hoosiers)


I'm not a fan of it either, but there's nothing wrong with the Hoosiers score!

#65 Alexcremers

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 07:21 AM

The first 15 seconds of that song features an awful but thankfully rarely used synth sample which I detest no matter how good a song or piece of music might be inspite of it. The crap Doogie Howser theme had a similar version of it here. Its a sound which screams cheese and tackiness and I hate it.


That's a Fender Rhodes imitation of the legendary Yamaha DX7, Quint. It was one of the first synths that used frequency modulation synthesis. Rarely used, you say? It was one of the most popular sounds of the '80s and was mainly used for ballads and ear-friendly jazz music. I hate it too ... but I love me a Fender Rhodes.



Alex
Pictures, visual images, are far better to achieve that end than any words, particularly now, when the world has lost all mystery and magic and speech has become mere chatter, empty of meaning - Andrei Tarkovsky

#66 Nick Parker

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 07:23 AM

I always equated that sound to Barney the Dinosaur...on a similar note, I hate what is called the "popcorn synthesizer".
"The only difference between the saint and the sinner is that every saint has a past, and every sinner has a future."

-Oscar Wilde

#67 Alexcremers

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 07:28 AM

Personally, the sound I'm tired of is 'wonderous female choir' together with the celesta (to make clear that what you're seeing is 'magical'). Overkill!


Alex
Pictures, visual images, are far better to achieve that end than any words, particularly now, when the world has lost all mystery and magic and speech has become mere chatter, empty of meaning - Andrei Tarkovsky

#68 Maglorfin

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 07:40 AM

there's nothing wrong with Williams xylophone

100 % true.


Human aggression is instinctual. Humans have not evolved any ritualised aggression-inhibiting mechanisms to ensure the survival of the species. For this reason man is considered a very dangerous animal.

-- Konrad Lorenz

#69 Drax

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:31 AM


Overused generic chorus, like in Superman Returns.

Awful, awful, awful!


This was an Elfman trademark, then he started using it sparingly. Now everyone does it! Grr!
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#70 Melange

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:38 AM

Musical Sounds you hate


Hmm,i'm not sure there any musical sounds I "hate".

What I will say is that I always kind of liked the Doogie Howser theme (sorry Quint)

It always reminded me slightly of the classic theme for Taxi
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#71 Alexcremers

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:45 AM

[quote name='Melange' date='07 August 2009 - 11:38 AM' timestamp='1249637934' post='594574']
[quote]
It always reminded me slightly of the classic theme for Taxi
[/quote]

Hey, that's a Fender Rhodes and not a DX7! Theme For Taxi is great!
Pictures, visual images, are far better to achieve that end than any words, particularly now, when the world has lost all mystery and magic and speech has become mere chatter, empty of meaning - Andrei Tarkovsky

#72 Neimoidian

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:49 AM

http://www.zshare.net/audio/637440952489b838/


You just "composed" Williams' xylophone concerto. :P


Electric cello, James Horner 90's synths, duduk.

Karol

What's so wrong with duduk? :P It added such fine atmosphere in Ronin and Gladiator ...


... and Russia House.


I don't mind electric cello or violin unless it's overused. Like synths, if used properly it adds flavour.

#73 crocodile

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:51 AM


Electric cello, James Horner 90's synths, duduk.

Karol

What's so wrong with duduk? :P It added such fine atmosphere in Ronin and Gladiator ...

It was interesting at the point when Goldsmith scored The Russia House (which is great, by the way). Now it's just an overkill.

Karol
From a storytelling point of view, from a directing point of view, there is one thing I associate with what he does, which is calm. There is such an inherent calm and inherent trust of the one powerful image, that he makes me embarrassed with my own work, in terms of how many different shots, how many different sound effects, how many different things we’ll throw at an audience to make an impression. But with Kubrick, there is such a great trust of the one correct image to calmly explain something to audience. There can be some slowness to the editing. There’s nothing frenetic about it. It’s very simple. There’s a trust in simple storytelling and simple image making that actually takes massive confidence to try and emulate. - Christopher Nolan

#74 Neimoidian

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:54 AM



Electric cello, James Horner 90's synths, duduk.

Karol

What's so wrong with duduk? :P It added such fine atmosphere in Ronin and Gladiator ...

It was interesting at the point when Goldsmith scored The Russia House (which is great, by the way). Now it's just an overkill.

Karol


Yes, but then again violins, horns and flutes are used in every single score... Why cannot duduk apear once in a while? :P

#75 Nick Parker

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:55 AM

It was interesting at the point when Goldsmith scored The Russia House (which is great, by the way). Now it's just an overkill.



As with "ethnic wailing". John Williams uses it to great effect, I think, but it seems over-used, for the most part.
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#76 Drax

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:57 AM

It was interesting at the point when Goldsmith scored The Russia House (which is great, by the way). Now it's just an overkill.



As with "ethnic wailing". John Williams uses it to great effect, I think, but it seems over-used, for the most part.


Hollywood authenticity!
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#77 Incanus

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 09:58 AM

I hate the twittering sound of a bouzouki. Just awful. One of the most horrendous instruments even conceived. Oh where did the evolution of stringed instruments go wrong with that one?
For those who are unsure what this monstrosity is take a look here: Bouzouki

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"We pop out and come into the world and music is there. We didn't invent it - it's all organised in the atmosphere by divinity or whatever. It's a miracle." - John Williams-

I think music is a stream of some kind. It could be blood. It could be water. It could be ether. Whatever it is it seems to be a living, organic force that’s in motion, that serves humanity and is part of humanity and part of what describes us as humans. We sing, play, dance, all the things that we do. And there is a vibrant and great literature we have been given. ... As musicians, we join the stream. We swim in the stream with all the other millions of music makers. It’s a life force, a strong one, surrounding us and we are part of it. -John Williams-


#78 crocodile

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 10:03 AM


It was interesting at the point when Goldsmith scored The Russia House (which is great, by the way). Now it's just an overkill.



As with "ethnic wailing". John Williams uses it to great effect, I think, but it seems over-used, for the most part.


Hollywood authenticity!

Yes, exactly. I never got into the wailing cue from Munich, to be honest. While it's well written, I felt almost betrayed by Williams.

Karol
From a storytelling point of view, from a directing point of view, there is one thing I associate with what he does, which is calm. There is such an inherent calm and inherent trust of the one powerful image, that he makes me embarrassed with my own work, in terms of how many different shots, how many different sound effects, how many different things we’ll throw at an audience to make an impression. But with Kubrick, there is such a great trust of the one correct image to calmly explain something to audience. There can be some slowness to the editing. There’s nothing frenetic about it. It’s very simple. There’s a trust in simple storytelling and simple image making that actually takes massive confidence to try and emulate. - Christopher Nolan

#79 Maglorfin

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 10:06 AM

Yes, but then again violins, horns and flutes are used in every single score... Why cannot duduk apear once in a while? :P

That's a good point. :P


Human aggression is instinctual. Humans have not evolved any ritualised aggression-inhibiting mechanisms to ensure the survival of the species. For this reason man is considered a very dangerous animal.

-- Konrad Lorenz

#80 Alexcremers

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Posted 07 August 2009 - 10:09 AM

The only ethnic wailing that I absolutely love is from Blade Runner (1982). Imagine my surprise when I learned that it was friggin Demis Roussos who did the chanting!




Alex
Pictures, visual images, are far better to achieve that end than any words, particularly now, when the world has lost all mystery and magic and speech has become mere chatter, empty of meaning - Andrei Tarkovsky




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