Dare To Ask Talk And News About Our Differences - This topic has 7 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 23 years, 3 months ago by
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To Asians: To someone used to American and European melodies, Asian music seems so unfamiliar, even incomprehensible. What is the energy behind it?
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Name : Carly19265, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Age : 41, City : Austin, State : TX, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,It’s probably a matter of taste. I like 19th century (i.e. Romantic era) music, for example. Many styles, especially early 20th century music, can be ‘odd,’ too. Ever hear Stravinsky?
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Name : Catherine32434, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Age : 22, City : Toronto, Ontario, State : NA, Country : Canada, Occupation : Self-employed, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,I suppose my question wasn’t very clear. But nowhere in my question did I say that I think Asian music is ‘weird’ or ‘odd’. I am not really asking why people like Asian music. I am trying to ask about what it means and what artistic impulse it comes from, and how I can better listen to it from a different perspective than the one I am used to. I think that the Chinese and Japanese (and Indian) music that I have heard is beautiful and ethereal and … well, otherworldly, for want of a better word. I simply want to understand more about it, from someone who is willing to try to explain it to me. I have always been intrigued with the purity and dignity of Chinese and Japanese religious traditions (Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism, Shintoism), and I’ve wondered if the traditional Asian music that I have heard has any connection to these religious traditions. I am really not interested in arguing with anyone. But if someone out there can help me understand this beautiful music from a non-Western perspective, I would really appreciate it. Let me put it this way: to me, most modern Western music is all about high energy and strong rhythm. Asian music does not seem to be about high energy and strong rhythm. And I would like to understand how to listen to Asian music. So I’ll ask again, hopefully more clearly this time. What is the meaning and philosophy behind it? Does that make sense?
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Name : Carly, City : Austin, State : TX, Country : United States,I’m not Asian but like Asian music. The European/American melodies you like are brought about by the system of notation we use to record sheet music. Previous to this system of notation, discovered by J.S. Bach, most of the music played was on a five-note scale – pentatonic. Once Bach introduced his system of notation with sharps flats and key signatures, it took root across Europe and eventually the United States.
The unfamiliarity you describe in Chinese and Japanese music is caused by their use of the pentatonic scales when the music is composed. In addition, this means the instruments that this music is played on are designed to play the five-note scale.
Eastern European music has this element to it, too, as does Indian music.
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Name : Bert, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Atheist, Age : 33, City : London, State : NA, Country : United Kingdom,I’m not Asian, but I do listen to Korean and Japanese pop/rock. To me it sounds just like American music but in a different language. They still have kick-ass beats and the lyrics can be really decent. It may sound different because your mind is used to hearing things in a certain way.
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Name : Nikiya M, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Black/African American, Religion : Pagan, Age : 17, City : Washington, State : DC, Country : United States, Occupation : Student/Graphic Designer, Education level : 2 Years of College, Social class : Upper class,I enjoy all forms of music, from all different langauges. You dont have to understand the words to understand the feeling behind it because music is a universal langauge. You listen to it with your heart and feel it in your soul. Personally I love different forms of Asian music. From classical and traditional to modern pop or soul. If you only listen with your ears, you’ll never hear anything but noise.
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Name : Gordon, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Do not belong to any organized relitgious group, Age : 27, City : Anderson, State : IN, Country : United States, Occupation : Student/Engineer, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Upper middle class,In addition to the pentonic scale, most asian music was also written on the Chromatic scale (so instead of the 8 note scale with sharps and flats, the scale is 13 notes long). Modern asian music, mirror everything R&B and even punk rock, something for everyone. ^_^
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Name : Monique20350, Gender : F, Sexual Orientation : Straight, Race : Asian, Religion : Catholic, Age : 18, City : Monterey, State : CA, Country : United States, Occupation : Student, Education level : High School Diploma, Social class : Middle class,I’m sorry, but you clearly have no idea what you’re talking about. JS Bach did NOT invent western music notation; it evolved over centuries and was in use in a recognizable form HUNDREDS of years before him. Western European music did NOT originate with pentatonic scales either; our major/minor system originated from modal music that can be traced to at least the 8th century, and some claim all the way back to ancient Greece. I know that this is not really the forum for this, but this is GROSS information and I feel the need to correct you.
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Name : Santiparam, Gender : M, Sexual Orientation : Gay, Race : White/Caucasian, Religion : Methodist, Age : 23, City : Southington, State : CT, Country : United States, Occupation : Musician, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Middle class,
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