Experimental music: does it have a role in today's society?

Followers

1. How much time do you listen to "experimental" music in a week? (The term experimental is in quotations because it's a very subjective term. Please interpret it in your own way)
- 0 hours
  
  37%
  
  6
- 1-3 hours
  
  31%
  
  5
- 4-6 hours
  
  6%
  
  1
- More than 6 hours
  
  25%
  
  4
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  0%
  
  0
2. How much do think "experimental" music is appreciated in today's society?
- 1 - Entirely disliked
  
  6%
  
  1
- 2 - Somewhat disliked
  
  33%
  
  5
- 3 - Not appreciated or disliked
  
  33%
  
  5
- 4 - Somewhat appreciated
  
  20%
  
  3
- 5 - Really appreciated
  
  6%
  
  1
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  0%
  
  0
3. How much do you appreciate "experimental" music?
- 1 - Entirely dislike
  
  0%
  
  0
- 2 - Somewhat dislike
  
  26%
  
  4
- 3 - Neutral: you don't appreciate or dislike
  
  0%
  
  0
- 4 - Somewhat appreciate
  
  33%
  
  5
- 5 - Really appreciate
  
  40%
  
  6
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  0%
  
  0
4. Please be honest in the next few questions about the first thing that comes into mind: do you think that composers that write "experimental" music should be considered composers?
- Yes
  
  86%
  
  13
- No
  
  13%
  
  2
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  0%
  
  0
5. Do you think that "experimental" music composers will be remembered by the general public (Much like composers in the 18th and 19th centuries)?
- Yes
  
  53%
  
  8
- No
  
  46%
  
  7
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  0%
  
  0
6. Do you think that any Modern orchestral composer will be remembered by the general public?
- Yes
  
  73%
  
  11
- No
  
  26%
  
  4
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  0%
  
  0
7. Will you be remembered by the general public?
- Yes
  
  13%
  
  2
- No
  
  53%
  
  8
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  33%
  
  5
8. Is there still a role in society that young composers could fill in the future?
- Yes
  
  100%
  
  15
- No
  
  0%
  
  0
- I'd rather not answer this question
  
  0%
  
  0

Please sign in or register to vote in this poll.

October 27, 20178 yr

Hi guys,

This is a short survey regarding experimental music. It's quite provocative, at least in my opinion. Please take the time to fill it out; it'll make you think about the place "experimental" music has today.

Now I know some of you consider yourselves as part of this experimental music spectrum, at least in what you write or listen too. Feel free to share your thoughts by wither messaging me or posting in the forum: I'll be glad to share the results of the survey. You have the right to exit the survey at any time and you have the right to anonymity.

I'll be awaiting your responses as I'm sure that everyone has at least something to say.

Maximus

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October 27, 20178 yr

In some way, the first answer in the poll is answered twice by me...
Maybe it has to do with the moderator permissions I have, but please count me on the ''1-3 hours'' answer.

Answering question 7 ''Will you be remembered by the general public'' with a 'no' honestly really hurts me. Of course, I prefer to answer with a 'yes', but for now I am negative about the future of my music.

Nice research, though!
I will write an essay about the Dutch identity regarding classical music. Maybe I will share the translated version here (originally Dutch).

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October 28, 20178 yr

Author

1 hour ago, ilv said:

First of all, I would use radio buttons instead of check boxes to prevent multiple answers to one question. With questions 5 to 7, my real answer is "maybe".

I'll keep that in mind for future surveys: can't change it now since it's already in motion. Also, this may be a pilot for a bigger survey in the future.

The real purpose of this survey is get people critically thinking about what they perceive, what other people perceive and what role young composers have in today's world.

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October 28, 20178 yr

Author

Also to all, please fill out the survey only ONCE. Thank you!

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October 28, 20178 yr

As my music catalogue is quite minimal, what do you consider experimental?

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October 28, 20178 yr

What do you think of "experimental" music? You know, we can't define a certain style as "experimental".

For example, you can consider someone like Chopin an experimental composer, because lots of his works are too different from other composers of his age. But actually, he's not an experimental composer.

In my personal opinion, "experimental art" is always alive, because there are always people who love to break the rules and create new things. For example in my country, Iran, lots of young composers (18-25 years old ones) prefer to compose rap or pop music (actually, they don't compose or write, they just copy and paste loops :)) ). But I make ambient music, some of my friends make metal music, and sometimes, we prefer to write classical/orchestral pieces. We can be counted as "experimental" artists, when people are busy with meaningless pop or rap songs made by others.

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October 28, 20178 yr

Author

3 hours ago, Muhammadreza said:

What do you think of "experimental" music? You know, we can't define a certain style as "experimental".

For example, you can consider someone like Chopin an experimental composer, because lots of his works are too different from other composers of his age. But actually, he's not an experimental composer.

In my personal opinion, "experimental art" is always alive, because there are always people who love to break the rules and create new things. For example in my country, Iran, lots of young composers (18-25 years old ones) prefer to compose rap or pop music (actually, they don't compose or write, they just copy and paste loops :)) ). But I make ambient music, some of my friends make metal music, and sometimes, we prefer to write classical/orchestral pieces. We can be counted as "experimental" artists, when people are busy with meaningless pop or rap songs made by others.

I've posted another topic on Composers headquarters to start a discussion on the definition of experimental music. I recommend you to check it out.

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October 29, 20178 yr

While I don't generally listen to experimental music.. I do occasionally, and write it every once in a great while.. To me, it's something I appreciate, to 'cleanse my palette. It is also fun, to ignore all the music rules, and conditioning most of us have been infused with.. It is also an area, where a composer can create his own rules.. If they continue this path, they create their own grammar and syntax to use..

Part of it's appeal is it is different, and the conception someone breaks the rules. something some composers and some listener can appreciate or go out of their way to discover.

The first synthesizers, were collections of electronic circuits, used for scientific projects, LFO', VCO's, Sine waves, VCA's etc.. So some of the first electronic pieces, were more often done by engineers, a collection of sounds, and processes. Many of these men, were not musicians per say. (some were).. Commercial synths, MOOG, and ARP, put all these separate modules into a box, with a patching system to connect things.. Other than Walter/Wendy Carlos, (who made the first commercially successful record of synths playing Bach);. Electronic music was largely blips, and beeps.. very experimental.. weird, off-putting, and also 'enticing' to some.

Also experimental music can sound 'chaotic', because it ignores most harmonic, and music process our ears have become conditioned to appreciate. It's something some can appreciate as our world seems to become more chaotic.. Frank Zappa, had a wide variety of musical influences as a child and young man.. Some well known (in their circles) experimental composers, as well as classical and jazz. Although his first music was more rock.. He advanced towards more experimental and chaotic compositions, once he acquired one of the first Synclaviers (a synthesizer or even 'workstation').. It made first class, out of this world sounds.. As his music became more experimental (and to me chaotic) his audience changed.

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October 29, 20178 yr

@Maximus

If all answers of the poll are hidden for everybody except staff, I apologise for publicing your answer on question 4.
I would like to know why you answered ''no.''
Why are, in you opinion, experimental composers not to be called composers?

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2 weeks later...

November 8, 20178 yr

I think experimental music is too ill-defined. In a way, all music is inherently experimental, and it's difficult to choose an axis of experimentation and a threshold on that axis which most people can agree with. I suspect you may get answers coming from very diverse ways of thinking.

But I'm definitely pro experimentation in principle.

I'll judge each experiment individually rather than say anything ill of such a broad category. I don't feel inspired by anything I've heard of John Cage or Stockhausen, but I'm glad they got it over with, and I think it's important to remember what they did so you don't get the same ideas and believe your work is more special than it is.

I think many experimenters of any kind will be remembered because the accessibility of music is better than it ever was and it will probably stay so or get even better, so the chance of the world "remembering" whatever goes public is high. Though, a lot will also practically drown in the quantity of known works.

Edited November 8, 20178 yr by Hugget Zukker

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Experimental music: does it have a role in today's society?

Experimental music: does it have a role in today's society? 15 members have voted

1. How much time do you listen to "experimental" music in a week? (The term experimental is in quotations because it's a very subjective term. Please interpret it in your own way)

2. How much do think "experimental" music is appreciated in today's society?

3. How much do you appreciate "experimental" music?

4. Please be honest in the next few questions about the first thing that comes into mind: do you think that composers that write "experimental" music should be considered composers?

5. Do you think that "experimental" music composers will be remembered by the general public (Much like composers in the 18th and 19th centuries)?

6. Do you think that any Modern orchestral composer will be remembered by the general public?

7. Will you be remembered by the general public?

8. Is there still a role in society that young composers could fill in the future?

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