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  1. #1
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    Default Too much influence?

    Mark's first ever techno record thread really has me thinking, and this is something ive toyed with in my mind for a few years now....

    can influence be a bad thing? of course everyone needs a starting point, something that sparks a fire inside and pushes you to strive to create the sounds you want, but can too much influence be a bad thing? Can wishing to be part of something so much, or to be up there alongside those you admire, blind you from your ultimate goals?

    i personally think so. I think over the past say 7, 8 years this has become more and more apparent, with more and more *insert fave artists name here* a-likes appearing all the time. Dont get me wrong, im not saying this is a bad thing, because some people do go on to find a sound they can genuinely call their own, and use this as a spring board to carving their own niche in the scene, but obviously, alot dont.

    i make a point of listening to not much techno at all at home, depending on my mood too, because i find myself getting so excited by my fave artists, and sometimes i find my output that week or day or whatever is affected by this, albeit subconciously, and sometimes its not apparent until ive wasted a few hours on something that whilst technically stands up, artistically comes too close to the line of sounding like people i admire

    on the flipside, i find that when i havent listened to techno or electronic music as a whole in a while at home, and im in the studio, i feel this great sense of freedom, because im not thinking of such and such a record or artist and my subconcious is, seemingly, free to do as it pleases, and this is when i find i do my most original and personally gratifiying work, and these have (with the exception of one release) gone on to be my best records and personally the records that i am most proud off

    im rambling on here a bit i guess but im just looking for some opinions on this, as im guessing some of you must have had this same experience at some point or another

  2. #2
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    I used to be under an assumption that I was being a bit of a Cristian Vogel plagurist, which I've decided was false, I would have loved to have been, but was never good enough :)

    Sounding exclusively like your favourite artist shows a bit of a lack of imagination to me, there's nothing worse than sounding like a second rate version of someone else, unfortunately there are so many instances of it these days it makes me question the reason why these people are making music, because they'd be pretty naive if they really thought they were making any contribution to the advancement of music..

    I mean, ok, maybe if you like one track by someone, and want more stuff like that because they didin't do anything else like it, maybe, but these trax will always sound inferior to the original idea..

    original ideas rule, plagurism or plain copying sucks and is pointless in my mind...

    I don't think there's anything wrong with influences as such, it's what you do with it at the end of the day...
    Having said that, I know of one producer who refuses to listen to any techno apart from what he's made, and he makes some of the most original stuff I've ever heard.. so maybe there's something in that....
    Last edited by crime; 13-08-2007 at 11:51 PM.

  3. #3
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    be inspired but do not aspire to be anyone. I think if one can harness being able to listen to and identify the techniques that their favourite artist is using to create such a good sound then they should because it is all a learning curve.

    If one doesn't listen to the artists at some point then how will they ever gain technical knowledge (not about electronics and box's but the music itself)?

    I find myself doing the same thing as you Eyes. But the longer i smoke weed and forget about what i've just listened to the more i can make tunes my own,, and hopefully, with - as cheesy as it sounds - a better understanding about music and how to convey my imagination and develop it artisticly.

    But generally, if i like my fav artists tune i'll just play it on the decks and enjoy it - why would one need to go out and make another tune thats sounds like it???
    Last edited by clubsynthetic; 14-08-2007 at 12:11 AM.

  4. #4
    Junior Freak
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    oh and being original doesn't always mean good i think ;)

  5. #5
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    It comes down to lack of diverse listening, as well as obsessive influence.
    If all you listen to is the type of music you are making, then you won`t be learning much, as you are instantly putting yourself within boundaries and risk your music becoming nothing but pastiche.
    Solitary by nature.
    Isolation is the gift.
    Does anyone have courage to stand apart any more?

    myspace.com/dirtybassgrooves
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  6. #6
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    yeah thats true. so if you want to make original music one should go and listen to things they don't like? lol
    Last edited by clubsynthetic; 14-08-2007 at 12:20 AM. Reason: rewording

  7. #7
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    Partly, yes.

    Basically, no matter how much you "dislike" a type of music, if you are a producer and an artist, you will always learn something new from it.

    And learning from other music rather than just one type will allow you to learn other techniques and skills, different rythms, different sounds, thus increasing your knowledge and skill bass allowing you to have more weapons in your arsenal when making your music of choice.

    Or you can listen to one very narrow type of music and learn nothing more than how to sound just the same as someone else. In which case why not just buy their records and save yourself the time?
    Solitary by nature.
    Isolation is the gift.
    Does anyone have courage to stand apart any more?

    myspace.com/dirtybassgrooves
    http://www.myspace.com/dirtybassvoidloss
    http://www.subgenius.com

  8. #8
    Junior Freak
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    indeedy.

    so for best results of your productions, listen to absolutely everything, or nothing.. so your not bias.

    tis hard 'tho because most of the time i choose what i want to hear usually.

  9. #9
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    Personally I'd have to say most of my influence in sound comes from Industrial musik.

  10. #10
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    Good call...

    How to find that balance, as a producer, between listening to what is essentially your favourite style of music, and leaving it alone so that you can create what's coming out of you when you plonk yourself down in front of your monitors...:mmm:

    I'm sure we all notice straight away, when we're composing, that a tune has taken on a particular vein and straight away think of how to steer it in a different direction... this is innovation:teach:

    Having a sense of individualism in the first place is a key factor when constructing rhythms formed from your desire to create...:)
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  11. #11
    Supreme Freak
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    Quote Originally Posted by dirty_bass View Post
    And learning from other music rather than just one type will allow you to learn other techniques and skills, different rythms, different sounds, thus increasing your knowledge and skill bass allowing you to have more weapons in your arsenal when making your music of choice.
    Very true...

    Having done this your level of creativity increases as you have a lot more variables and ideas that you can pull together, or harness in a way that can be utilised within the framework of the style you are creating...

    This makes things all the more exciting which then feeds into the music you are making...
    Strength in numbers...MySpace
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  12. #12
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    I`ve learned more about making techno from other music, than I have techno.
    Especially when it comes to interesting rythms.
    I`ve been looking at indian rythms and some middle eastern stuff for odd tunings and such, great inspiration and it caused me to rethink my scales and use of polyrythms.
    Listening to nothing but techno would never have given me that.
    Solitary by nature.
    Isolation is the gift.
    Does anyone have courage to stand apart any more?

    myspace.com/dirtybassgrooves
    http://www.myspace.com/dirtybassvoidloss
    http://www.subgenius.com

  13. #13
    The Demon Beast
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    I find before writing, I listen to a lot of Death Metal lately.
    If not Metal some Old Old Jamiroquai, El-P and Diggin In the Crates Hip Hop.
    Wetworks
    Compound, Punish Blue, Mastertraxx

  14. #14
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    Its an issue that really has its roots in the technology that we use. Digital replication in particular - an 808 kick drum sounds like another 808 kick drum but they dont sound EXACTLY the same do they.

    It has bearing on the way in which bands such as rock bands play cover versions - now there is an argument that has been raging for years. And jaz musicians are more than happy to play a freeform version of mary had a little lamb that goes on for 20mins.

    As someone else said - inspiration not aspiration. After all - inspiration leads to perspiration rather than aspiration leading to an insipid nation.

    cheesy soundbite i know.
    Mind you this is music and NOTHING is sacred.

    Also - just to back up what DB said - (Praise bob) Diverse listening leads to diverse musical opporunities in the mind.

  15. #15
    the big pork pie
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    I agree with you 110% Scott.

    This has been bothering me for ages as well, especially within the acid techno scene. The new comers, who should be bringing something fresh and new are just bringing more of the same in my honest opinion. Thats not a bad thing, because these producers tracks are solid, and extremely well produced, but may as well have been produced by a certain big name producer already.

  16. #16
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    I feel that initially there is imitation
    until such time as you learn to walk on your own....
    LivePA
    That is all...

  17. #17
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    i dont think thee is such a thing as 'too much influence', its about how you interperate said influence and grow as unique. there is, i think, a very thin line between influence and Plagiarism.
    perhaps 'Plagiarism' is too strong a word, but you know what i mean.

    influence should be used as a growing tool, a point of reference, retrospective or otherwise. you learn from it then make something beautiful all of your own from what you have gained from your 'heroes'.
    Bás Ar An Impireacht

  18. #18
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    some quality replies here boys and girls nice one

  19. #19
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    I don't think you mean influence at all, what you really mean is copying - there's a world of difference.

  20. #20
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    not at all, sorry mate but please dont TELL me what i really mean....

    read it back through mate, im asking what peoples opinions are on the great old problem of over influence. To dismiss this is stupid, because its a problem everyone has faced at some point, wether they conciously are aware of this or not

    im talking about being so into certain artists that naturally, without sitting down and CONSCIOUSLY copying said artist, you can notice similiarities in your work. I would say it happens more so when people are starting out in production than when they are established, but it certainly happens, and alot of people actually are aware that they do this and release everything they do regardless anyway.

    it's human nature that if a person gets so excited and has such a passion for a certain sound, naturally at some point they are going to come close to sounding alot like their influences, at which point innovation and originality should, hopefully, take over

    im simply asking peoples opinions on when this has happened to them, if its happened to them that is, what they were thinking when they realised this, which direction this pushed them in etc etc

    i do think you've misunderstood my post there mate to be fair
    Last edited by eyeswithoutaface; 14-08-2007 at 03:12 PM.

 

 
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