Where do we draw the line between music and noise?

[Froggy Slayer]

I've recently become aware of a 'band' called Stalaggh that purportedly record insane people screaming at each other to make their 'music'. However, I must ask at what point it stops being music and starts being noise.

No, I'm not providing a link, it's easy enough to find their music yourself on youtube. Be forewarned, however; it's pretty...harsh stuff, to say the least.

 

[Drakane]

Music is a personal interpretation of noise. All music is noise, it is how the listener perceives it.

I can listen to Lamb of God's "Omerta" in the background and think it is soothing, but hearing Tina Turner's "Whats Love Got To Do With It" unnerving and irritating. I doubt I'd like Stalaggh's sound, but some people might like it.

 

[Pink Gregory]

There is no line.

Look up the music genre 'Power Electronics'. People who like that call it music, I'm not inclined to disagree.

 

[Nouw]

There is no line 'we' draw, only lines you as an individual draw. I may perceive something to be mindless noise but to someone else it may be music so who am I to say it is noise? They may enjoy it so I respect that.

 

[repeating integers]

My honest opinion is that anything that calls itself music - and a fair few things that don't - is music.

Yes, even Merzbow and Stalaggh.

 

[M0rp43vs]

When it's made with the intention of being music. It can turn out to be harsh, annoying, bad, stupid and/or irritating music but its still music. For example, Pig squealing would be considered noise but using them in a pig-armonium, it can be called music. Somewhat.

My opinion on the matter.

 

[Tiger King]

Music is just coordinated noise in my opinion.
Stuff like the op mentioned is pretty weird I dunno why people would do something like that but hey I guess it makes the world a little more interesting.

 

[Miyenne]

It's all up to the person listening.

I live north of the train yards. The metal grinding carried on the wind can be annoying to some people, high pitched squeals and such.

But I've grown used to it. It sounds like music to me. There are different tones and they can actually form tunes. Some nights I'll just lean on my windowsill and listen.

I don't mind some heavy metal music. But pop music and rap just make me twitch and grate on my nerves. It's all a matter of opinion.

 

[Latinidiot]

I draw the line at sounds that absolutely nobody defines as music. For the rest, if someone thinks of a sound as music, and for some reason enjoys listening to it, then it's music.

 

[Glongpre]

I've recently become aware of a 'band' called Stalaggh that purportedly record insane people screaming at each other to make their 'music'. However, I must ask at what point it stops being music and starts being noise.

No, I'm not providing a link, it's easy enough to find their music yourself on youtube. Be forewarned, however; it's pretty...harsh stuff, to say the least.

Youtubed it.

Jesus Christ! Haha it sounds like the background music in horror films, but scary as hell by itself.

No I don't think that is music. I'm gonna have nightmares now, and I just got over that spider porn thing.

 

[Paul]

No I don't think that is music. I'm gonna have nightmares now, and I just got over that spider porn thing.

There's also Gulaagh, possibly the same band under a different name.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nuO9xtNsRs0

I'm inclined to agree with everyone else, that music is a subjective thing and some people get their kicks from very different genres. I'll listen to almost anything, and I can try to find something positive within it. I'm not saying it's always easy, but the idea of music is so personal that it can't hurt to try and expand on it some more.

 

[Tragedy's Rebellion]

Well, music is clearly defined in musical theory as composed of the musical notes. If you hit a desk with your hand that's not a musical note, it's some random noise. All musical notes have a set frequency they resonate on, everything outside of this is considered noise in the eyes of musical theory. If you don't hold musical theory in high regard someone farting can be music to you.

 

[Canadamus Prime]

At the point where I want to rip my ears off so that I won't have to put myself through more of it.

 

[shrekfan246]

They may enjoy it so I respect that.

I kinda wish more people would do that. I can't count the number of times I've seen or heard post-hardcore/metalcore/anything with screamed vocals called "just noise", though I'm not entirely sure if it's more or less common than rap being called "just noise".

You can't really say something made with the intention of being music isn't music. You can say it's bad music, maybe even atrocious and offensive to the ears of any creature that chances to hear it. But it's still music. Personal opinions won't change that. So I suppose the line would be drawn when you can determine whether or not something has a noticeable tone, beat, or rhythm (there are probably other factors that could contribute which I'm missing, I'm sure). And yes, I believe they should be taken separately. Spoken-word vocals can become music when set to instruments and inflected in certain ways, or even when said in a certain pattern if monotonous. Wubstep generally has clearly defined beats, even if they're nonsensical and often change timing whenever they can within the song. Heavy metal, pop, rap, rock, and all of their bastard subgenres generally have some combination of the three.

It's not mine or anyone else's call to say that Country music isn't "real" music just because I don't like it.

 

[generals3]

I've recently become aware of a 'band' called Stalaggh that purportedly record insane people screaming at each other to make their 'music'. However, I must ask at what point it stops being music and starts being noise.

No, I'm not providing a link, it's easy enough to find their music yourself on youtube. Be forewarned, however; it's pretty...harsh stuff, to say the least.

Well, i don't know where others drew the line but I did at dubstep. For me that's noise, headache inducing noise to be precise.

 

[bluepotatosack]

Well, music is clearly defined in musical theory as composed of the musical notes. If you hit a desk with your hand that's not a musical note, it's some random noise. All musical notes have a set frequency they resonate on, everything outside of this is considered noise in the eyes of musical theory. If you don't hold musical theory in high regard someone farting can be music to you.

So a performance of percussion on improvised instruments isn't music? Nonsense.

Bang on anything, and it does produce a tone. It might be a quarter tone or something outside of the 12 notes primarily used in western music, but it's still a tone that can be used to create music.

 

[Tragedy's Rebellion]

Well, music is clearly defined in musical theory as composed of the musical notes. If you hit a desk with your hand that's not a musical note, it's some random noise. All musical notes have a set frequency they resonate on, everything outside of this is considered noise in the eyes of musical theory. If you don't hold musical theory in high regard someone farting can be music to you.

So a performance of percussion on improvised instruments isn't music? Nonsense.

Bang on anything, and it does produce a tone. It might be a quarter tone or something outside of the 12 notes primarily used in western music, but it's still a tone that can be used to create music.

Well, technically it isn't. It's just rhythmically pounding on improvised drums. The noise that comes out of it however isn't what's theoretically known as music. Besides, oriental music doesn't revolve around the equal temperament of western music, but it's still music (and the oriental scales are very, very close to the western ones). I never said it was only the 12 tones, but those are considered the norm. Banging your hand on a desk still doesn't constitute music. It is faaaar more complex than just the sound of a tone, but that's the easiest way to explain.

You can use whatever sounds you want in a musical composition, it's just that if you use only ambulance sirens and banging frying pans together *theoretically* you aren't making music, but a series of noises.

 

[AngloDoom]

What is 'Literature' or 'Art'?

Christ if I know. It seems dependent on popular opinion or the opinion of the 'higher-ups' who invest in it. I'd be shocked if we ever found a stable term for an art form and stuck with it.

 

[bluepotatosack]

Well, technically it isn't. It's just rhythmically pounding on improvised drums. The noise that comes out of it however isn't what's theoretically known as music. Besides, oriental music doesn't revolve around the equal temperament of western music, but it's still music (and the oriental scales are very, very close to the western ones). I never said it was only the 12 tones, but those are considered the norm. Banging your hand on a desk still doesn't constitute music. It is faaaar more complex than just the sound of a tone, but that's the easiest way to explain.

You can use whatever sounds you want in a musical composition, it's just that if you use only ambulance sirens and banging frying pans together *theoretically* you aren't making music, but a series of noises.

I have a BA in music performance, and personally I think that's a bit of elitist hogwash. Music is simply artistic expression by way of a combination of rhythm, melody, harmony, and silence. Not all components need be present, however.

And now I'm curious, how do you feel about something like John Cage's 4'33"?

 

[Tragedy's Rebellion]

I have a BA in music performance, and personally I think that's a bit of elitist hogwash. Music is simply artistic expression by way of a combination of rhythm, melody, harmony, and silence. Not all components need be present, however.

And now I'm curious, how do you feel about something like John Cage's 4'33"?

It IS elitist hogwash, but the OP specifically asked where we draw the line and in theory that is the line. I study composition at the local conservatory and, like all hardened old musicians, the professors are really conservative. About John Cage's famous (or infamous, depends on who you ask) composition - the idea behind it is to listen to the ambient sound of the surroundings. I'm neutral towards it because I don't know what I can say. It sets out to do something and it succeeds, so I suppose that's a triumph ;d