tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post1418606158751817112..comments2023-10-21T07:14:37.880-07:00Comments on Jazz: The Music of Unemployment: No surprisesAndrew Durkinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-45485225988107304572010-09-27T20:15:45.721-07:002010-09-27T20:15:45.721-07:00Hey Andrew,
Cool post.
I would think that people ...Hey Andrew,<br />Cool post.<br /><br />I would think that people listen to music in different ways.<br /><br />Musicians especially seem to have a certain perspective since they understand better how the music works. Probably some music enthusiasts have a similar understanding even if they don't play.<br /><br />Someone listening to the radio might just want something relaxing to passively listen as they drive.<br /><br />The violations of expectation I would think appeal a lot more to someone who is actively listening and wants to hear something fresh.<br /><br />That being said, familiarity in the music, even if just in the beginning, seems to establish a connection with the listener.<br /><br />-NealNeal - Sax Stationhttp://SaxStation.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-70935030770687018472010-08-13T18:44:53.412-07:002010-08-13T18:44:53.412-07:00I believe Jonah Peretti said that to appeal to &qu...I believe Jonah Peretti said that to appeal to "viralness" is to appeal to your target's pathologies. Replace "viralness" with "sellability"...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-25121885688508202932010-08-13T11:29:12.108-07:002010-08-13T11:29:12.108-07:00Thanks for the comments!
Alex, I'm confused b...Thanks for the comments!<br /><br />Alex, I'm confused by your clarification. Aren't expectations developed cumulatively? How would a listener be able to "start from scratch" with every new piece of music, only attending to the expectations set up by that piece? Are we not influenced in our expectations of any new work by everything else we have heard and formed opinions about? If you're surprised by a deceptive cadence in a given Bach chorale, isn't that because you've heard lots of other Bach chorales that end differently?<br /><br />And why can't more listeners establish sonic expectations when listening to Nels Cline? It's not like there is no common ground with other music. A set of audio events occurs over a specific period of time. The textures are pretty familiar to anyone who listens to pop or rock. I don't get how even the most benighted listener would fail to at least understand it as an attempt at music -- and then evaluate it according to whatever other expectations they might have. (No plagal cadence? Fail! Or win, depending...)<br /><br />One other thing to consider: I strongly suspect that nearly every component of a given "comfort zone" (except perhaps for the basic concept of a pulse) was at one point an unfamiliar idea for any listener. Maybe the real question is why does anybody ever stop developing new expectations?Andrew Durkinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11471871547839907538noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-78013774192018099672010-08-13T04:37:54.401-07:002010-08-13T04:37:54.401-07:00It's been awhile since I read that, but if I r...It's been awhile since I read that, but if I recall correctly, he was explaining how "violation of expectations" works *within* a song. For example, a deceptive cadence in a Bach chorale is gratifying to those who expected a tonic resolution.<br /><br />The problem with Nels Cline or what have you is that most listeners aren't able to *establish* sonic expectations when listening to it, because it is too far from their palette of sonic understanding. This is true for many people with regards to jazz, as well. People don't usually want to be assaulted with unfamiliarity, they prefer to hear something that establishes expectations and then messes with them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8326339.post-7788728735922582232010-08-13T02:01:21.039-07:002010-08-13T02:01:21.039-07:00I worked in radio for 20 years before chucking it ...I worked in radio for 20 years before chucking it to pursue making music instead, and i think you're essentially right. Most people don't what their expectations violated. This is indeed the reason radio and Pandora and the mainstream press go to great lengths not to do so. Your idea that people are looking for validation and community is the prevailing wisdom that is forever corroborated by focus groups and audience testing. <br /><br />Thankfully there are plenty of people out there, if not the majority, who, like you, do enjoy being violated. Erm, well, you know what I mean... ;)Jason Parkerhttp://oneworkingmusician.comnoreply@blogger.com