Noise Vs Melody - Music - Forums : Best Ever Albums

theblueboy

Thanks for the thoughtful and interesting points on this thread. Definitely challenging my perceptions of the value of noise and melody in music a fair bit. Quite a few things I want to respond to once I've got time later in the week...

svk4ever

Gender: Male
Age: 59
Location: Holzgerlingen

Hi Michael,

just want to add a few thoughts…

For me there's a difference between catchy and melodic...

But I think... the average listener to music has a formula... it's catchy, it's melodic, it sounds nice...

Ähm... for me: It's catchy, its's melodic, it's easy accessable... leave it to the mainstream! It sucks!

As I mentioned before: Music has to move me... It's the combination of it's message and it's sound. Doesn't matter if it's True Norwegian Black Metal or Ambient...

But to be honest: Melodic music and simple love song lyrics.... Ähm... I don't need that ****! Won't waste any time for such rubbish!

theblueboy

Gonna have a go at responding to a few points...

AfterHours wrote:

Between noise and melody, in terms of which is "better", it really matters which emotion/concept the artist is trying to relay. Obviously noise can be a better reflection for certain types of intensity or violence, ferocious physical or environmental action, apocalyptic destruction (etc) while melody is often a better reflection of beauty or nature or the human singing voice (etc).

Yeah-I think my 'Noise vs Melody' was a bit misleading as I totally agree it depends on the intentions and also the two can co-exist. I just notice a big emphasis towards melody on my own charts which really struck me as interesting.

Good points about beauty vs violence/destruction-I think this is on the same lines of the kind of "opposites" I was thinking of. Got me thinking how melody seems to links to romanticism whilst noise is more primal. Maybe the two thinks satisfy a different part of the brain- one that seeks order, patterns and beauty and the other that is more primal and destructive and seeks a catharsis of some kind(a sort of ego vs id thing for anyone interested in psychodynamic terms-sorry getting way more poncy than originally intended but struck me as an interesting thought).

theblueboy

Tha1ChiefRocka wrote:

Can't there be both?

Yeah. That's my bad for the confusing 'vs' in the title of the thread. For a start 'Noise pop' like the Vaselines has a strong emphasis on both.

I'm more thinking if one has a primacy in people's preferences.

Last edited by theblueboy on 04/11/2019 12:21; edited 2 times in total

theblueboy

TimeLion wrote:

I think the aesthetic appeal of noise *as* noise is distinct from the appeal of music that simply clashes with a listener's previous tonal experiences. The harshness of noise provides an edge that I find invigorating, in part because it frees me from the structural constraints of traditional forms of music, however complex that music may be.

Yeah, I agree with KKS and Tap's points that there are both measurable and culturally relative aspects in the perception of noise. But also, yeah I agree that noise can be a deliberate artistic intention as well-maybe to try to disturb or shock the listener. And \i guess this changes over time as well as culture. What was noisy to listeners in the 50s probably is not so noisy now.

theblueboy

elo269megv wrote:

The reason I don't listen to true noise music is because there is nothing to latch on to. Nothing that draws me in or brings me back for more. Most of my favorite artists however incorporate some form of "noise" in their recordings. The Smashing Pumpkins are probably my favorite band and they're loud, noisy, and in your face, they dabble in what I'd consider "noise" for only a handful of songs.

Yes, I think I'm similar. I'm sort of a melody addict and this is what fascinates me and gets its hooks into me. Though I might be overlooking the element of noise in some of the bands I listen to. This thread is making me think that actually my interest in melody has distracted me from the potential value of noise in music. Been listening to Master of Puppets this week (first time I've listened to metal of any description in 25 years or so)and its really surprised me how great I think something heavy like this is.

theblueboy

svk4ever wrote:

Rather interesting question…

I can't decide which one is noiser… CHILDREN OF BODOM: Hat Crew Deathroll or HAGGARD: Eppur Si Muove…. On the other Hand: Is RUNRIG's The Cutter And The Clan more melodic than DIRE STRAITS Love Over Gold?

On my opinion: Melody is defintly not the most important factor in enjoyying music. If so, it would be rather easy.... Listen to the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Modern Talking... and you'll be lucky...

My main factor is: Music has to move me.... that can be melodic music, but it can be as well noisy… and it also depends on the message.

Just listen to "The Last Of Pagan Blood" from AMON AMARTH. Definitly not melodic, but because of it's message one of my favorites… Or "Earth Warrior" from OMNIA... I definitly don'it like the Reggae rhythm! But I love that song, because of it's intention and it's message….

For me it's not a question of melodic or not melodic... it's simply: Is that music relevant to me and my life...

(Just listening to melodic noise from ELUVEITIE)

Excuse my ignorance- but I'm presuming these bands are of the death metal variety? I guess if ever there was a sub-genre that values noise over melody!!!

Not sure if I could ever enjoy bands as heavy as this-but I surprised myself by enjoying thrash metal this week. Yeah, I think there is something primal and moving in heavy music and yeah I guess its not distinct from melody at all and presumably the better bands are mixing powerful noise and melody together.

I even find something kind of soothing in the low distorted tones of some heavy bands, which I totally wasn't expecting. Reminds me of Craola's point about noise and sleep. Maybe there's just something about those frequencies that is soothing-like sitting in one of those vibrating massage chairs!

theblueboy

svk4ever wrote:

But to be honest: Melodic music and simple love song lyrics.... Ähm... I don't need that ****! Won't waste any time for such rubbish!

But please spare a thought for God only knows by the Beach boys!

Yeah I agree though-ether something moves you or it doesn't. I don't tend to focus so much on the literal meaning of songs but I guess that this can sometimes be the thing that gets its hooks into people.

This could sort of morph into a "controversial and problematic lyrics" discussion-given that some noisy bands certainly divide opinion in their lyrical content- but that's probably a different conversation.

elo269megv
Punk Rock Detective

Gender: Male
Location: Michigan

Michael1981 wrote:

Yes, I think I'm similar. I'm sort of a melody addict and this is what fascinates me and gets its hooks into me. Though I might be overlooking the element of noise in some of the bands I listen to. This thread is making me think that actually my interest in melody has distracted me from the potential value of noise in music. Been listening to Master of Puppets this week (first time I've listened to metal of any description in 25 years or so)and its really surprised me how great I think something heavy like this is.

Awesome! I think there's a very common misconception with metal and heavier genres of music that they lack melody when often I've found they can be just as melodic as any other type of music. Metallica has a ton of melody and harmony interplay between guitar players. Judas Priest and Iron Maiden are other classic metal bands coming to mind that have tons of melody. Furthermore, I have found that three pieces (ie. one guitar, one bass, one drummer regardless of who sings) are usually ALWAYS very rhythmic and melodic (they're just a rhythm section after all). Some "noisy" bands that are also melodic include Pavement, Unwound, Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, Alice in Chains, and I've realized I listed all 90s bands so how about Black Sabbath, early Arctic Monkeys... you get the point. The mixing of melody and noise is beautiful to my ears.
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