What's the easiest music to make?

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I've no musical ability, can't play any instrument. Don't have the time, patience or talent to learn one either. Can't hold a note, a voice like a broken fog horn.

What style of music would I have the best chance of getting away with?

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:39 (twenty-one years ago)

If it's any use, I have PC and a midi-keyboard, but don't let that limit my options.

― Billy Dods (Billy Dods), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:40 (twenty-one years ago)

guitar, obv.

― AaronK (AaronK), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:44 (twenty-one years ago)

Humming is pretty easy. Whistling and snapping, slightly harder.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

As GarageBand is my witness - bad amateurish trip hop.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:46 (twenty-one years ago)

laptop power electronics.

the mego crowd have been getting away with it for years...

― Jack Battery-Pack (Jack Battery-Pack), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Skiffle?

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

maybe jump on the noise bandwagon?

― kephm, Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:48 (twenty-one years ago)

the easiest music to make is bad music. duh.

that being said: techno.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:49 (twenty-one years ago)

no, noise is the easiest. just crank the volume up on a tape recorder and hold it up to your air-conditioner. then growl a little. that's pretty easy. and i would probably buy it.

― scott seward (scott seward), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:50 (twenty-one years ago)

whatever you do, as long as you have a keen idea of COUNTERPOINT, your music will be wonderful.

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:53 (twenty-one years ago)

NOIZE

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:54 (twenty-one years ago)

noize by far.

"that being said: techno."

well, yeah bad techno (or any electronic music) is very easy to make but making it original is hard.

― latebloomer (latebloomer), Thursday, 19 August 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

silence is a rhythm, too!

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:01 (twenty-one years ago)

and rhythm is a dancer.

therefore, dancer is a silence and is therefore consent.

― Gazoo, Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:22 (twenty-one years ago)

my friend and i are going to play a 20 minute improvised noise/techno set tomorrow in another friend's bedroom. i'll tell you how easy it was afterwards.

― Felonious Drunk (Felcher), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:24 (twenty-one years ago)

im gonna go trolling for ballet girls.

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:25 (twenty-one years ago)

experimental electronica.

― dickvandyke (dickvandyke), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:31 (twenty-one years ago)

throwing nickels in the oven

― Mike Ouderkirk (Mike Ouderkirk), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:38 (twenty-one years ago)

hey mike, you wanna throw some nickels in the oven at my new house this weekend?

― peter smith (plsmith), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Grime.

― jed_ (jed), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:43 (twenty-one years ago)

You're actually making music right now, that's how easy it is.

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Good luck getting Brian Gibson's bass tone.

― dean? (deangulberry), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:48 (twenty-one years ago)

jed no

― adam. (nordicskilla), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:50 (twenty-one years ago)

the estate of John Cage will file suit against Mark.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 19 August 2004 17:52 (twenty-one years ago)

"improv"

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:06 (twenty-one years ago)

oh sheesh.

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:12 (twenty-one years ago)

you can make techno noise just by turning on the computer and clicking a preset. improv (assuming yr using physical instruments, I don't see how you can "improvise" with Reason or whatever) is way way waaaaay more difficult.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, come now, we've had this discussion. People aren't as used to listening to free music, so you're less likely to be called out for playing horrible free improv than horrible rock & roll, for ex.

x-post

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:22 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, but playing bad r'r, improv, etc. are all more difficult than just installing a program, making a few points and clicks, and pressing "play". Cuz, y'know, the others actually require some physical and mental coordination in order for any sound to be made at all.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:27 (twenty-one years ago)

I guess what it comes down to is that digital technology generates the most sound with the least amount of physical and mental effort. and that's what he's shooting for.

tho why anyone who professes to not having the time or patience to make music wants to make music at all is sorta beyond me.

― Shakey Mo Collier, Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:31 (twenty-one years ago)

You're right, that default song in Reason IS pretty hot.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Jordan you are just a jazz snob, admit it!

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:38 (twenty-one years ago)

tho why anyone who professes to not having the time or patience to make music wants to make music at all is sorta beyond me.

-- Shakey Mo Collie

Probably to get laid.

― Mark (MarkR), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:39 (twenty-one years ago)

punk rock!

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Punk, no-wave... people can tell good noise/techno from bad; you need to find a genre where you're applauded for playing shittily
xpost

― Sonny A. (Keiko), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Ha, I haven't even listened to jazz in weeks, except for gigs! I think I may be turning into some sort of structure snob though.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:47 (twenty-one years ago)

some improv has structure!

― hstencil (hstencil), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

INDIE POP

― amateur!!!st, Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

too melody-reliant. "hook" encouraged.

― roxymuzak (roxymuzak), Thursday, 19 August 2004 18:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Humming still takes less effort than hitting some presets on a computer program. It's totally free too.

― Matthew Perpetua (Matthew Perpetua), Thursday, 19 August 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

The easiest music to make is drone / ambient that isn't generated by a non-musical source (so you'd exclude a genius like Alan Lamb, fer instance) - dudes who just tape down keys on a synth and slowly modulate. Any asshole can do that.

― roger adultery (roger adultery), Thursday, 19 August 2004 19:02 (twenty-one years ago)

buy guitar. learn one chord (optional). strum it over and over again. shout out the first angst-y or angry or dumb thought that occurs to you, something like, "this song sucks." you are now making music that is not only easy, but if you strum it and say it just so, it might even be good.

― fact checking cuz (fcc), Thursday, 19 August 2004 19:05 (twenty-one years ago)

some improv has structure!

Yeah, the stuff I like! :>

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 19 August 2004 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

Whistling and snapping, slightly harder.

I disagree with this statement. To this day, I cannot whistle, not even a little. Perhaps whistling is the highest form of music.

― Jordan (Jordan), Thursday, 19 August 2004 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

no that would be dub. har har

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 19 August 2004 20:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Just do what Wesley Willis did - hit the Demo button on your Casio.

― Nick Mirov (nick), Thursday, 19 August 2004 20:19 (twenty-one years ago)

Download a trial version of ACID.
Take a song that starts with a drumbeat. Rip it. Loop the first bar.
Take a song that starts with a drone or feedback. Rip it. Loop the first bar.
Put one on top of the other. Scream over the results.

― joseph cotten (joseph cotten), Thursday, 19 August 2004 20:53 (twenty-one years ago)

bad amateurish trip hop

Want to swap for my bad amateurish ambient techno?

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Thursday, 19 August 2004 21:03 (twenty-one years ago)

the kazoo is your friend

― autovac (autovac), Thursday, 19 August 2004 21:20 (twenty-one years ago)

tambourine

― Savin All My Love 4 u (Savin 4ll my (heart) 4u), Friday, 20 August 2004 03:03 (twenty-one years ago)

im slowly collecting $1 childrens instruments made of plastic for the ultimate sample-phonic orchestra

― chris andrews (fraew), Friday, 20 August 2004 03:18 (twenty-one years ago)

seriously on the evidence of el joven brian superstar and la buena vida or whatever those awful spanish indie bands are called, indie pop must be the easiest stuff to put over on an audience. that doesn't mean there isn't good stuff.

― amateur!!!st, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:34 (twenty-one years ago)

Forget music, just make soundart. No talent AT ALL required for that!

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:36 (twenty-one years ago)

What is this "soundart"?

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Good tambourine is really hard to play! Just shaking straight eighth notes without hitting it on anything gets tiring, and then you've got your whole gospel slap flip-flop play-it-on-your-ass frame drum method of tambourine.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:39 (twenty-one years ago)

Haha, soundart is Jon's future.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

Soundart is for cunts who desperately wish they could be experimental musicians, but what they lack in talent, they make up for in pretension!

[/meow]

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I have a laptop and a sampler

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

How is sound art different from noise?

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

The greatest thing about this breakup, is I don't have to pretend to like, or even put up with soundart any more! Woooooooo! It's SHITE!

― Super-Masonic Black Hole (kate), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:41 (twenty-one years ago)

I love your anti-soundart posts, Kate.

― Jordan (Jordan), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Bossa Nova

― adam. (nordicskilla), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:43 (twenty-one years ago)

you just go BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA BA

― adam. (nordicskilla), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:44 (twenty-one years ago)

are you serious? i'm guessing no.

― amateur!!!st, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

ts: "noise" vs. "sound art" vs. "multimedia installations"

― amateur!!!st, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:45 (twenty-one years ago)

no, i wasn't being serious.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

god i'm being so reactionary on this thread.

― amateur!!st, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

man I broke up with my girlfriend but didn't start dissing 80s pop, biker rock or weird folk (all music she's played over the course of her life).

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

The Sound Garden, Seattle, WA:
http://www.snakemannn.com/advent/soundgarden001.jpg
(decent sound art, on windy days that is)

― sexyDancer, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Noise = fucked up tape recorders and circuit bending, ring modulated guitars, home made tape loops
sound art = laptops, drum machines, e-bowed guitars, vintage tape delay
multimedia installations = Mac geeks gone wild

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:47 (twenty-one years ago)

am I right or what?@!?!

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:48 (twenty-one years ago)

hey sexyDancer have you been to the Socrates Sculpture Garden in Queens? They got something like that there too!

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:50 (twenty-one years ago)

is that the place where you can upload wav files or phone in noise?

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

No, but I have been to this sound art:
http://www.melafoundation.org/dream01.jpg

― sexyDancer, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:51 (twenty-one years ago)

is that the NYC thing that costs a shit ton of money?

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Costs DIA Foundation a shit ton of money.

― sexyDancer, Friday, 20 August 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

that is the DREAM HOUSE and it is FREE.

(and it rules btw)

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

MELA FOUNDATION now. DIA hasn't funded for years, I think.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:53 (twenty-one years ago)

ps. I would like to marry Maryanne Amacher, you anti-soundart fules.

― hstencil (hstencil), Friday, 20 August 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

christina kubisch to thread!

I found it wz incredibly easy to tell who was, maybe not playing badly, but ppl who weren't being as responsive to other improvisors in a gig. Improv can also tell you so much more abt gig space and music's relation to it than almost anything else i can think of.

― Julio Desouza (jdesouza), Friday, 20 August 2004 18:49 (twenty-one years ago)

What's the easiest music to make?

mine

― dleone (dleone), Friday, 20 August 2004 18:50 (twenty-one years ago)

I like your music.

― adam. (nordicskilla), Friday, 20 August 2004 18:51 (twenty-one years ago)

thanks, adam. that's good, because it's the only kind I can pull off convincingly (and even then, not always)

― dleone (dleone), Friday, 20 August 2004 18:52 (twenty-one years ago)

d0m1n1que, who the fuck are you?!?!?!

http://www.lepconnie.com/willow/archives/magbarty1.jpg

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

not that dude

― dleone (dleone), Friday, 20 August 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

[did you get it?]

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 19:06 (twenty-one years ago)

not really, willow jokes always go over my head

― dleone (dleone), Friday, 20 August 2004 19:11 (twenty-one years ago)

― ())(())()()()(()(LASER)()()()LA(Z)E(R)()()()((L)()()(A)(S(E)R()()()) (ex machina, Friday, 20 August 2004 19:14 (twenty-one years ago)

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