Pop Influences?

Okay, I'll say it upfront: I'm not classically trained, and a lot of my music comes out sounding... well, pop-y. Not bubble-gum variety pop, mind you, it just tends to be syncopated, ballad-y stuff. I've noticed this a lot lately--if I'm attempting to write a melody in 4/4, say, there will almost ALWAYS be something tied over the middle of the bar and over the barline. I can't seem to escape it. Does anyone else have this issue? And, more importantly, is it a "problem," in your opinion? By which I mean, does it somehow make a composition less valid to be pervasively pop-inspired?

By which I mean, does it somehow make a composition less valid to be pervasively pop-inspired?

No. Just because it is "pop" doesn't mean it is invalid or bad. Don't be so silly.

-Also, listen to some other music. Get some other style in your head. Become familiar with another style other than "pop" (Jazz, Romantic, Classical... you know the drill...). If you don't know what the alternative sounds like, then how are you supposed to create the alternative?

If you still have the problem then perposefully NOT write that way. You can escape it; all you have to do is not restrict yourself to whatever defines process (ear, chord progressions, whatever..). Avoid the tie, even if it sounds "weird". In this case, don't follow you ear.

Also, listen to some other music. Get some other style in your head. Become familiar with another style other than "pop" (Jazz, Romantic, Classical... you know the drill...). If you don't know what the alternative sounds like, then how are you supposed to create the alternative?

Just to clarify--the reason this trend of my ear (or whatever you want to call it) is so irritating is that I listen to virtually no pop music. I suppose the closest thing I listen to is musical theater stuff, which is probably where this whole urge to tie over comes from, but the point is, it's not for lack of trying: I listen to Classical music (er, that being "classical" music--so Baroque, Classical, Romantic, Impressionist, the whole shebang).

It sounds like it is more of a "bad" (this word is being used cautiously) habit that need breaking. :whip:

That being the case, it is all a matter of you working it out. But it is important to remember that it is not a bad thing, just a matter of taste.

It's not really a problem unless you consider it one. If you want to write music similar to Romantic/impressionist/classical etc, you just need a bit of time for your brain to make sense of all the new harmonies/compositional approaches.

I think you should try performing music similar to that which you want to compose if possible, that seems to help me a lot. Also improvising roughly within the style of a particular piece is useful.

perposefully

What a beautiful word. :P

Anyway, Deceased Poultry is right. It's not the poppish style that defines if a piece is good or bad. The problem here is if you can control the ambience of the piece and avoid going "happy pop" in something that is supposed to give you a feel of sadness, or vice-versa.

Perhaps find and listen to Danzon No.2 by Arturo Marquez and "The People United Will Never Be Defeated!" by Frederic Rzewski, and then make up your mind as to whether pop "influences" are such a bad thing.

If it still bothers, perhaps try to write something so far removed from "Pop" music that it won't interfere (perhaps in the direction/style of a Bach Invention).

Just some mediocre advice.

I wouldn't consider it a problem...that may be a good thing if you can use it to your advantage! It communicates to a wider audience. Jennifer Higdon grew up only listening to popular music, and now she says that her popular-music upbringing is partially what helps her communicate to such a wide audience.