Poll: Dubstep. Music or not music?

[LokiSuaveHP]

I think it's because nustep (dislike the term brostep, it's not exactly accurate) has largely got big thanks to the internet and the USA's re-embracing of electronic music in general.

Of course it's music, you may not like it -I'm not a big fan of nustep- but it's certainly not anything else but music. It'd be more interesting to hear if people regard the following as music;

What's with the sudden boon of people questioning the musical merit of dubsteb? I swear this has come up at least three times in two weeks or so. Anyway, music is what you make of it. This whole "is it music" question has been going on since the dawn of the art.

Music checklist:

• Is it made up of sound?
  Was the sound created or arranged by a man and/or machine?
  Was it arranged before or after its creation for the purpose of entertainment?

If the answer to those is yes, it's music.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner, and just about every musicologist in the world would agree with you. It has to be put together (or not) by someone or some machine. While this definition has been stretched quite far, particularly by the recently-deceased Milton Babbit, it still qualified by music. The "is it music or not debate" was pushed to the fold further with that group in the mid-late twentieth century than any of this dubstep does.

 

[DracoSuave]

I studied music for a few years... loosely dubstep is music but my personal opinion is if the instruments are not under these categories, it is not music, the classes are Wind(including voice), Brass, Percussion and stringed.

You studied music for years but no one taught you that art evolves? Ever?

Which school did you go to because I want to not go there for their abysmal education.

Is it sonic? Yes. Is it art? Yes. Therefore it is music.

You have to understand you saying Dubstep isn't music is the same as the people who said

wasn't art.

Sure, you may even have classifications that help you before the art of dubstep evolved... but the simple fact is you're wrong because of the fundamental definition.

Art in no way has to conform to classifications within genres--it merely has to be a form of expression, and as dubstep qualifies as that, it qualifies as art. Now that it is defined as art, it's pretty hard to NOT classify it as music is it?

 

[Broderick]

(Snip)
Seems that even your idols think you're a silly moaner. Over to you, don't forget those textbook and University references.

that was... if I ever meet you on the street remind me to shake your hand, that was beautiful.

Also: has anyone posted this yet?
<youtube=3l_hy33-1Yw>

Ah yes, I remember seeing that a while ago. I found it odd that they included Thelivingtombstone's song "Dubstep Dishwasher" when the song was in fact not dubstep like the name suggests.

For the actual topic at hand though, I want to think this is one huge troll, but the OP seems to be quite adamant in his idea that dubstep isnt music. While I find that incredibly closed minded(even if I dont like a lot of dubstep myself) I am not about to ***** him out for it, he has had enough of a verbal(or textual I guess) barrage in not only one, but two threads now.

I also think it is odd that it was suggested that Electronic music in general wasnt "music". We are posting in a video game forum...electronic music was all we had for a long while! I mean seriously, is he about to tell us that the legend of zelda theme is not music when it in its electronic form, but it is when it is made using percussion and stringed instruments?

Regardless of what the OP thinks, GOOD dubstep and other "techno"(I use this term lightly, as it is pretty much just an umbrella term) takes a lot of effort to do properly. I mean hell, just go onto any livestream of a musician(a good one mind you) that creates any sort of "techno" and tell me that that shit is easy. I mean sure, it gets easier down the line, but that is the same thing with regular (corporeal?) instruments.

As for music to contribute? Well I was just talking about zelda, so here is a remix by the guy I was talking about earlier.

 

[TrevHead]

I totally agree with that guy in the vid, there are a good number of types of loud music that I hated when I first heard it, highly overdriven guitar sounds been one of them. Coming back to it later on some switched clicked in my head and I felt ecstatic listening to it.

I think the classic dubstep drop is a bridge too far for me though, although the chorus in that zelda tune sounds very pleasant to my ears.

 

[Ghonesis]

Can't say I like it, but I respect people who listen to it.

 

[UFOROMANTIC]

Here's dubstep on a staff. Shut up now, Grant.

Edit: it was done using freaking Sebalius 1.4. You would have seen this if you had bothered to look for it. It's on the fucking Wikipedia page for dubstep, for Christ's sake.
My GOD the arrogance...

 

[RadioactiveMicrobe]

Yes, it's music. Pre-Skrillex dubstep is one of my favorite genres actually. Post-Skrillex...ehh..

 

[OblivionFenix]

Music is just organized sound, so yes dub step is music. You can argue that it isn't good but there is no logical argument you can make that says it isn't music. Also just because something is noise doesn't actually mean it isn't music. John Cage did a lot of experimental stuff using noise like dripping water, hitting radios and kitchenware and that is considered music because it had intent. He meant for it to happen the way it did. There is nothing that requires music to use set instruments to be Music. Music is nothing more than Organized Sound...I should know it's all we've been covering this year in Audio Culture as part of my final yr of Bachelor of Music...and man some of the stuff we listen to is weird.

 

[Fishyash]

You understand the meaning and the point behind music. Grant Bobba understands the theory behind classical music. The problem is that Grant is failing to seperate theory and analyses from reality. When Physcisits come across something which does not fit in with current models, they edit their current models. Grants failing is his inability to seperate the theory, his inability to realise that if it is impossible using current musical systems to adequetly define electronica it does not mean that electronica is not music but that the current models of analyses are flawed.

I actually tried responding to Grant... with no rebuttal, and I was hoping for one. I really want to see him actually try to defend his stance on the use of music theory. This was my stance on the subject.

I've been studying music theory along with my piano lessons throughout highscool, and recently as I have been studynig how western sacred/classical music has evolved over time, and when you merely have a glance of how everyone treats music around the world...

We made music theory to explain why something sounds the way it is. Theory is for learning of a classical manner. One that is useful, mind you, but today, it has absolutely no authority on how to compose music... unless you wanted to make something for the charts, or a classical pastiche.

The only rule for music is for something to sound musical, and our ears and mind's perception of what is musical has been evolving since the human race began...

Spoiler

EDIT: I felt better than to respond to him directly at the time, but he was only half right when he so arrogantly claimed that the piano is a percussion instrument. C'mon grant, it has strings inside it.

 

[Flizzick]

I'd rather listen to dubstep than just about every song on the top 40 billboard.

So called "artists" who are nothing more than a pretty face for the mainstream music industry to slap on the latest piece of shit "song" that plops out the corporate asshole. In the meantime all the sheep are pushing and shoving to get a mouthful of the garbage because they don't have to work to find it.

Instead of going out and searching for stuff that might actually have substance, they've decided it's more worthwhile to become accustomed to eating shit.

Why yes, I AM irate right now! How ever did you know?

 

[CCountZero]

Remember when the olds questioned whether that newfangled rock was music?
Then,
Remember when the olds questioned whether that newfangled metal was music?
Then,
Remember when the olds questioned whether that newfangled hip-hop was music?
Then,
Remember when the olds questioned whether that newfangled techno was music?
Then
Well, guess where we are now? The never-ending cycle repeats anew.

It's worth noting that the "olds" are getting younger every time though.

I mean, my granddad questioned Rock, but he was 55 at the time. My dad questioned Metal, and he was 34. I'm 23, and while I'm still forming an opinion on some newer genres that haven't really had the time to mature yet, I'm sure I'll be questioning something before I'm 25.

 

[AnarchistFish]

Oh my god this thread

so

much

ignorance

 

[Vault101]

WHO THE HELL NECROD THIS?

 

[SckizoBoy]

WHO THE HELL NECROD THIS?

Post 415...

Think it was because of this [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/18.401675-Insert-genre-I-dont-like-isnt-real-music]... 'tis the reason I'm here... -_-

And another denizen got quite a laugh at the expense of... whatisface...