Music is an art form. Musical Artistry is the arrangement of audio energy factors into a time duration palette with the intent of evoking an emotional-mind response on the part of the listener. The tools of this art evolve over time as do the listener responses. To place an inordinate amount of value on the 'live' sound ignores the fact that blind people live without any visual support component. It also ignores the profound effect that pre-recorded music often has on the listener in different environments.

Fact is that musical art does not aim at the same target in every performance. Driving music, dancing music, extreme sports music, elevator music, introspective music, cosmic music, mantra music, singalong songs, memory lane music, - I can think of so many - are all art forms which serve to aid the listener in reaching a certain space. There is probably a certain musical form which could be pursued as a transendant human experience - but it in no way limits our beneficial use of music in everyday life situations.

Call it 'common art' - call it making a living - whatever - if styles are working for one's musical artistry - so be it. Not every piece has to be a Picasso.

I struggle with styles in my music - but I know that if I learn enough about their creation - I can make them work for me - and I wouldn't give you a dime for a motif, fantom, triton, or any other fabulous sounding synth - and a sequencer - as an alternative.

So for all the 'kitten key' players out there struggling with the legitimacy of using styles in a musical performance - STOP. They are tools - nothing more. On the other hand -disliking those tools is fair game!! Disliking the artist because they use those tools is shortsighted.

regards from the north

I could not have said it better .

dano

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danosmusic@yahoo.com

Mike,
I think you furthered the point I made in another post as a reply to kitten keys. Well said.
jam on,
Terry