Is there such thing as a completely original song/style of music?

Arya Stark · 05-27-2011, 10:36 PM

First of all, this thread reminds me of this series:

Everything is a Remix
It's really interesting.

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

Even random noises aren't original. It's been done before. All art is derivative no matter how hard you might try. The earliest art was cave paintings of animals and hunts, which was inspired by nature. Nothing is completely original.

I'm not sure how much I agree with this. I mean inspiration-wise, I guess random noises and such wouldn't be original, but at one time, something was original. It was inspired by something, but it was an original song/style.
I think the OP was talking about music, not about whether a song was inspired by something not-musical.

Subconsciously, I'm sure a lot of everything we write is based on something else we've heard, but I'm sure there are some sounds, some ideas, that are very partially original still.
I'm speaking from a more emotional point of view, than a literal one, I think, and this is probably where I'll end up butting heads with a lot of opinions.

duga · 05-29-2011, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwwSugar

I'm not sure how much I agree with this. I mean inspiration-wise, I guess random noises and such wouldn't be original, but at one time, something was original. It was inspired by something, but it was an original song/style.
I think the OP was talking about music, not about whether a song was inspired by something not-musical.

Subconsciously, I'm sure a lot of everything we write is based on something else we've heard, but I'm sure there are some sounds, some ideas, that are very partially original still.
I'm speaking from a more emotional point of view, than a literal one, I think, and this is probably where I'll end up butting heads with a lot of opinions.

Only nature is original...at least in relation to us as humans. I only brought up the example of the cave paintings to show that even what we could consider to be the first human attempt at art was not completely original. If something was completely original, no one would understand it. Art is our attempt at communicating what is going on in our heads on a deeper level than just talking can.

Things can be built on in an original way...and that is what we mean when we say a new band sounds very original. If you boil it down to what true originality means, however, there is no way you can argue that there is something like that.

Arya Stark · 05-30-2011, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by duga

Only nature is original...at least in relation to us as humans. I only brought up the example of the cave paintings to show that even what we could consider to be the first human attempt at art was not completely original. If something was completely original, no one would understand it. Art is our attempt at communicating what is going on in our heads on a deeper level than just talking can.

Things can be built on in an original way...and that is what we mean when we say a new band sounds very original. If you boil it down to what true originality means, however, there is no way you can argue that there is something like that.

Right. But I'm speaking musically. :P

duga · 05-31-2011, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AwwSugar

Right. But I'm speaking musically. :P

....so was I....