I don't see the appeal of music

[gritch]

I'm going to probably take a slightly different approach than most in the thread. Music can oblivious cause an emotional response by itself but while this has happened to me I find such instances are rather rare. Often it seems music triggers an emotional response via connection with secondary memories. Something like hearing a particular song while in a certain mental state or while performing a certain task imprints it on you and hearing the song again helps bring back the initial emotional state. The longer the exposure or the stronger the initial emotional state the more easily the brain makes the connection between the two. It's used all the time in movies and TV shows and affects you probably more than you're consciously aware.

Sort of an odd personal example but one year for Christmas I got Assassin's Creed (new at the time) at the same time my younger brother got a CD for the Alvin and the Chipmunks soundtrack. Of course I spent most of my day playing my game and my brother spent his day listening to that goddamn CD the next room over. All day I got to listen to Alvin's high-pitch singing while playing AC. Later when I heard the CD again I suddenly had a strong urge to replay AC because I had associated the two stimuli in my head.

I used a similar trick in college. When studying for an exam try listening to a short playlist(~0.5-1hr) of similar songs. When the time of the test came up I would hum the same songs.I'd hit a certain chord and suddenly remember nucleophilic substitution of a primary organohalide normally proceeds through a SN2 mechanism.

The brain's a complex thing. It likes to find patterns and organize thinks subconsciously. The rhythmic beats of music affects your general state of thought probably more than you're consciously aware. Some people make emotional connections with music more readily than others. If you don't get the appeal of music you're brain might not make these connections as readily. That's not necessarily a bad thing of course.

At least that's how I normally think about music.

 

[Dizchu]

If you don't see the appeal of music, that's fine. I'm a musician, occasional music critic and all-round connoisseur, and I sometimes think music is completely pointless. I mean it's such an abstract form of art but it comes with so much pretentious nonsense too. No Will.I.Am, your sterile four-chord garbage is not revolutionary. It's a bunch of beats and notes played within the confines of the Western 12-tone scale. Even prog legends like Dream Theater or Rush don't extend that far beyond those ideas, as much respect as I have for them. They're still playing the same chords with the same beats and same tones a thousand other bands have played.

I also wouldn't worry about not seeing the appeal of music. The way brain-dead masses eat up novelty rubbish and top 40 hits gives me the impression that lack of music appreciation is quite widespread. I know that sounded snobby as hell, but it's true. Most people treat it like a disposable commodity.

 

[the_dramatica]

You just need amphetamines, subwoofers, and actually good music. Thats means more than the rqdio.

 

[default]

To me that's like saying 'I don't see the appeal of looking at pretty things'. Music is, like, a universal sensory pleasure. You just haven't found anything that you like yet. Give it a while, you'll find something that tickles your fancy.

 

[RaikuFA]

To me that's like saying 'I don't see the appeal of looking at pretty things'. Music is, like, a universal sensory pleasure. You just haven't found anything that you like yet. Give it a while, you'll find something that tickles your fancy.

How tha hell am I though? There's no way to try out new stuff.

 

[happyninja42]

To me that's like saying 'I don't see the appeal of looking at pretty things'. Music is, like, a universal sensory pleasure. You just haven't found anything that you like yet. Give it a while, you'll find something that tickles your fancy.

How tha hell am I though? There's no way to try out new stuff.

Your kidding right? There's like 5 different online sources of music that you can try (some for free) that will provide you with a random sampling of music based on a few initial datapoints. Pandora, Spotify, Itunes, etc. I know there's a couple more that people use but I'm drawing a blank on their names. If there is even one song where you are like "I find this somewhat enjoyable, interesting" you can plug that song in, and the software will find other music similar in composure, structure, musical elements, etc, and let you sample them. You can then like/dislike them, and it will tailor your selection based on that. Seriously there are tons of ways for you to find new music out there.

Seriously, someone else who is more in the know about the various ways the OP could browse new music, please provide links to the sources for them? I would but I'm at work and can't take that much time to browse other sites and link them in right now.

 

[TimeLord]

Clearly you have never listened to some Miracle of Sound songs.

You can't touch music, but music can touch you.

I need an adult

 

[RaikuFA]

To me that's like saying 'I don't see the appeal of looking at pretty things'. Music is, like, a universal sensory pleasure. You just haven't found anything that you like yet. Give it a while, you'll find something that tickles your fancy.

How tha hell am I though? There's no way to try out new stuff.

Your kidding right? There's like 5 different online sources of music that you can try (some for free) that will provide you with a random sampling of music based on a few initial datapoints. Pandora, Spotify, Itunes, etc. I know there's a couple more that people use but I'm drawing a blank on their names. If there is even one song where you are like "I find this somewhat enjoyable, interesting" you can plug that song in, and the software will find other music similar in composure, structure, musical elements, etc, and let you sample them. You can then like/dislike them, and it will tailor your selection based on that. Seriously there are tons of ways for you to find new music out there.

Seriously, someone else who is more in the know about the various ways the OP could browse new music, please provide links to the sources for them? I would but I'm at work and can't take that much time to browse other sites and link them in right now.

Only stuff I have nowadays is game soundtracks. Plus my computers still busted.

 

[happyninja42]

Only stuff I have nowadays is game soundtracks. Plus my computers still busted.

Do you have a smartphone? There are music apps for a phone. Some of the ones I mentioned above for example, can be had on your phone. Ok, so you only have game soundtracks, start with those if you want. Or if there is even a single song from your past, or from the radio that you slightly enjoy, and would like to hear more like it, find the name/band for it and plug it in. "There's no way to try out new stuff" is not the same thing as "I am currently unable to do try new music, due to technological limitations". I still say though, if you've got a smartphone you're able to use it.

Clearly you have never listened to some Miracle of Sound songs.

You can't touch music, but music can touch you.

I need an adult

I am an adult.


capcha: off the record. how fitting

 

[TimeLord]

Clearly you have never listened to some Miracle of Sound songs.

You can't touch music, but music can touch you.

I need an adult

I am an adult.

No. No you are not [https://youtu.be/bjHYQ-XFzEg?t=6m54s]

 

[happyninja42]

Clearly you have never listened to some Miracle of Sound songs.

You can't touch music, but music can touch you.

I need an adult

I am an adult.

No. No you are not [https://youtu.be/bjHYQ-XFzEg?t=6m54s]

Well played sir. I was wondering when someone was going to make that reference. xD Only took 2 attempts on my part.

 

[Remus]

I can only guess that you just haven't found music that's appealing to your tastes. I had to look particularly hard living in the U.S. Always hated country - something about living in the midwest, I'd almost feel obligated to like it, but quite the opposite. Modern rock is okay, though a lot more of it seems fueled by hate than in the past. Classic rock - bearable but the memory attachments to some of it include things I'd rather not reminisce about. So I've started to listen to popular European bands, to move away from American guitar soloing or rapping and all things in between. A lot of European rock seems more steeped in classical instruments. While I'm not huge on opera or symphony, throw some bass guitar in the mix and it becomes something I can enjoy. Oddly enough, it was Metallica that introduced me to the style -

 

[Hunter.Wolf]

I pity you that you can't enjoy music, some people might try to explain why they find music appealing but music is simply just one of those things that need to be experienced to be understood, so it either works or not.

My advice, try various genres of music, music isn't just a singular thing, there are so many genres of music out there, try some of classical stuff, Mozart and the likes, try some modern techno music, or even some epic music like the music from "Two Steps from Hell" ... i can't imagine anyone not enjoying this pure epicness ===> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbOo2Kvngdg

And that's just pure music with no singing, you can also try many genres of singing from Pop to Rock to Metal to Blues ... etc etc etc ... it's hard to find someone who doesn't like at least one genre of music/songs.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Clearly you have never listened to some Miracle of Sound songs.

You can't touch music, but music can touch you.

I need an adult

I am an adult.

No. No you are not [https://youtu.be/bjHYQ-XFzEg?t=6m54s]

Luckily, for music, we don't really need to be (go to 11:51 in that vid):


Because what would life be without hilariously stupid shit like that?

 

[Patathatapon]

I don't know what it is, I cannot get into it. I feel nothing when I hear stuff I like. I rarely buy CD's. Last one was a few years ago. It doesn't help that what I like isn't on the radio anymore. Then there's gatekeepers that judge me for whatever I like/dislike.

So what is it that people like about music?

CD's? Who the hell still buys CD's? I've only bought one CD in my life (I'm 18 as of typing), and that was a joint purchase with a family member.

If your talking about modern songs where they're talking about how your body is the only thing that matters, or how your money is the only thing that can validate you, then I'll join you on that old-man-shaking-stick-at-kids-on-his-lawn band wagon.

Now you don't feel anything with songs you like? Again, I can understand. Those songs I usually call things I get sick of. I used to listen to a lot of music from Bastion, but now I only keep the main 3 songs in my playlist (Build that wall, Mother I'm here, Setting Sail/Coming Home) and even those I've gotten sick of recently.


I'd recommend looking for things that are similar to those things you liked before, even if they're older than what you liked before. Just try random shit. Owl City is a random artist that comes to mind when decent songs are brought up.

 

[Cid Silverwing]

Well music are suppose to "stimulate" your brain in one way or another. I guessing you just haven't heard the right "music" yet.

This.

When someone says they "don't see the appeal" of something, it's nearly always because they haven't had enough time to fully explore it. Try all the immediately available genres on YouTube or something and you'll find something to your liking soon enough.

Captcha: cheeseburger <-- I just finished a hamburger like minutes ago. This thing IS sentient.

 

[Creator002]

I rarely buy CD's. Last one was a few years ago.

(Yes! I can use irony properly for once! I'm so excited!)
How ironic. I listen to music everyday and enjoy it, yet you've bought more CDs than I have in the past decade.

I guess you're just one of many (but not the majority) that doesn't get anything from music. I don't really "feel" anything from music, but I can get into it. Especially if it's something hard, vocally and instrumentally (Neue Deutsche Härte/Certain electronic music).

 

[RaikuFA]

Well music are suppose to "stimulate" your brain in one way or another. I guessing you just haven't heard the right "music" yet.

This.

When someone says they "don't see the appeal" of something, it's nearly always because they haven't had enough time to fully explore it. Try all the immediately available genres on YouTube or something and you'll find something to your liking soon enough.

Captcha: cheeseburger <-- I just finished a hamburger like minutes ago. This thing IS sentient.

Yeah, well where do I start?

 

[Joccaren]

Well, as a test, get a game with what you would consider a good soundtrack. Or a movie, but its a lot harder to do this with movies.

Play the game, with sound effects and dialogue still running, but music muted. Or watch the movie like that - I'm sure a couple of movies will have someone having cut the music out, but it'd be rare.

If you think it is still a complete experience and not missing anything, there is something terribly wrong with you. Or, more likely, you really just aren't into music at all, which is cool. Otherwise, you're likely just not into the types of music played on the radio. I listen to some older music, but mostly game and movie soundtracks, because those are what elicit the most feeling from me.

Modern music is almost exclusively shit. Like modern 'dancing'. I struggle to respect either as a form of their medium, though I guess the music is more just uncreative and bland than incoherent so it gets some points there.