wakeride74
Headphoneus Supremus
- Joined
- Apr 13, 2005
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I figured with all the m&m bashing a few threads down I'd see how many people consider rap to be music.
Now before anyone gets all bent out of shape lets look at the definition. (taken from dictionary.com)
mu·sic n. -
1. The art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.
2. Vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm.
The only instrument in most rap is a keyboard or synth set and a turntable (if that's an instrument) and maybe on occasion a bass guitar. The lead raps instead of sings and there are often not much in the way of harmony and melody (unless it was pulled from a previously popular 80's song or something). Not even a laymen knowledge of music theory is needed for rap.
I don't care to argue its impact on society or that it is a "art" form (if you so chose to call it that), I realize it is a form of expression, good to dance to and all that. Does it take talent? Yes, I believe it does and I know I could not do it. I just think it's more rhythmic than musical.
So is it just a rhythm to move to or is it "a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre"? Is rap different from every other genre because it lacks many harmonic and melodic elements that are similar in all others?
Now before anyone gets all bent out of shape lets look at the definition. (taken from dictionary.com)
mu·sic n. -
1. The art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.
2. Vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm.
The only instrument in most rap is a keyboard or synth set and a turntable (if that's an instrument) and maybe on occasion a bass guitar. The lead raps instead of sings and there are often not much in the way of harmony and melody (unless it was pulled from a previously popular 80's song or something). Not even a laymen knowledge of music theory is needed for rap.
I don't care to argue its impact on society or that it is a "art" form (if you so chose to call it that), I realize it is a form of expression, good to dance to and all that. Does it take talent? Yes, I believe it does and I know I could not do it. I just think it's more rhythmic than musical.
So is it just a rhythm to move to or is it "a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre"? Is rap different from every other genre because it lacks many harmonic and melodic elements that are similar in all others?