Bands that don't use melody in their music

So as we all learned in band class, music has 3 basic elements (layman's def) Rhythm, Melody & Harmony. Melody is what almost always attracts me to an artist, it's not an easy thing to master. So I'm wondering how do some peeps here listen to bands with no melody? That's what always rubbed me about Autechre, they can do it, but don't seem interested most times. I mean just a drum machine isn't what I'd call "music", and I hear new records all the time now with just a relentless beat. Opinions, assholes?

  On 10/2/2014 at 3:52 PM, Rubin Farr said:

music has 3 basic elements (layman's def) Rhythm, Melody & Harmony

 

This is probably where you're going wrong

 

 

 

autechre

Have you guys seen the "What is the most melodic Autechre album" thread? Every single album was mentioned.

thank god i have not

Nü-Metal

most Richard Devine

  On 10/2/2014 at 4:03 PM, Timothy Forward said:

 

  On 10/2/2014 at 3:52 PM, Rubin Farr said:

 

music has 3 basic elements (layman's def) Rhythm, Melody & Harmony

This is probably where you're going wrong

Like I said, very basic def

lol

  On 10/2/2014 at 3:52 PM, Rubin Farr said:

That's what always rubbed me about Autechre, they can do it, but don't seem interested most times. I mean just a drum machine isn't what I'd call "music"

Think you might need to listen to more ae sir, can't actually think of a single track of theirs without a melodic element to it !

I've heard 20 years' worth. Oversteps was the exception to their 21st Century output IMO.

  On 10/2/2014 at 8:37 PM, mcbpete said:

 

  On 10/2/2014 at 3:52 PM, Rubin Farr said:

That's what always rubbed me about Autechre, they can do it, but don't seem interested most times. I mean just a drum machine isn't what I'd call "music"

Think you might need to listen to more ae sir, can't actually think of a single track of theirs without a melodic element to it !

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yo9cSdbn6pg&feature=player_detailpage

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DWmufY91kb4&feature=player_detailpage

 

 

sounds pretty to me

Are you saying you can't hear any melody in any of those tracks Mr Ooze?

not really

SND sometimes push on some sort of un-melodic boundary and go almost all rhythm. But there is still often melody used as accent or undertones.

  On 10/2/2014 at 5:47 PM, Rubin Farr said:

 

  On 10/2/2014 at 4:03 PM, Timothy Forward said:

 

  On 10/2/2014 at 3:52 PM, Rubin Farr said:

music has 3 basic elements (layman's def) Rhythm, Melody & Harmony

This is probably where you're going wrong

Like I said, very basic def

 

 

It's a wrong definition nevertheless. These three (rhythm, melody, harmony) are "methods for organising sounds" and just a subset of what is available for composing music.

 

Makes more sense to think of and, above all, to experience 'music' as "organised sound".

 

I like listening to the textural qualities and dynamic contrasts in a piece.

 

A drum machine, even when used in itself, without any 'melodic' instruments present, can make music just fine in my humble opinion.

Autechre is pretty melodic to me. There's tons of minimalist, ambient soundscape, etc music that has absolutely no melodic content and still remains interesting.

 

Also the definition of music as combination of rhythm, melody and harmony is pretty western-centric, isn't it?

autechre is melodic. lol, this place is hilarious.

Noise music in general.

  On 10/2/2014 at 9:37 PM, IOS said:

 

  On 10/2/2014 at 5:47 PM, Rubin Farr said:

 

  On 10/2/2014 at 4:03 PM, Timothy Forward said:

 

  On 10/2/2014 at 3:52 PM, Rubin Farr said:

music has 3 basic elements (layman's def) Rhythm, Melody & Harmony

This is probably where you're going wrong

Like I said, very basic def

 

 

It's a wrong definition nevertheless. These three (rhythm, melody, harmony) are "methods for organising sounds" and just a subset of what is available for composing music.

 

Makes more sense to think of and, above all, to experience 'music' as "organised sound".

 

I like listening to the textural qualities and dynamic contrasts in a piece.

 

A drum machine, even when used in itself, without any 'melodic' instruments present, can make music just fine in my humble opinion.

 

OP's goal was not to define what music was but to ask what we find good in some music with obviously little melodic content, not to try to explain as accurately possible what music is. Everybody definition will differ so theres no point in defining. I would go as far and say that ``defining`` things are one of ego`s favorite ways to boost himself. But some folks will say that being able to define things is what separated us superior being from the animals :) .

 

I personally agree with OP's and have serious trouble understanding a lot of that modern music, where you hear very little interesting melody content and everything is centered around the drum, or music like ambient noise ect.

Edited October 2, 2014 by murphythecat8

  On 10/2/2014 at 9:26 PM, Marked x 0ne said:

SND sometimes push on some sort of un-melodic boundary and go almost all rhythm. But there is still often melody used as accent or undertones.

What about Stdio?

Jesus people, anything can be music to someone, I am referencing the basics kids were taught (when we had music class) of what constitutes yes I guess Western music. I mean this site has a range of "sounds" that encompass almost anything the human ear can hear. I listen to anything from drone to ambient, even noise, so I just meant beat-based music that most of us hear daily.

 

WATMM is up its own ass sometimes...

@murphy: Nevertheless, it's important to point out that that definition is highly biased; western-centric as mokz very nicely put it.

 

@rubin: Care to post an example of what 'beat-based' means for you? To me, something like this comes to mind:

 

Edited October 2, 2014 by IOS

I think the one thing I enjoy in almost all music in the broadest sense is an engaging composition. Autechre do with textures and rhythms what some of the greatest classical composers did with melody and harmony. And i agree their output this side of the century has not been very melodic --some held pads that contain a couple notes do not constitute a melody. (Even BOC isn't particularly melodic most of the time, they tend to focus more on chord changes as opposed to melodies.) But Ae have succeeded in making some of the most interesting music around without employing melody in a very obvious way. Not many can pull that off.

Edited October 2, 2014 by Zephyr_Nova