Re: Rhythmic Randomness vs. Melodic Randomness

["Per Boysen" <perboysen@gmail.com>]

I'm afraid I don't understand that question.  Who says he likes
rhythmic randomness? I doubt any one does. Randomness can never swing.
NOr groove. I just can't imagine that phenomenon! ;-))

Per



On Fri, Nov 14, 2008 at 11:20 PM, Rick Walker <looppool@cruzio.com> wrote:
>
> In the Vari speed thread (fascinating by the way)
> a lot is talked about doing things that generate random rhythms to
> play against.
>
> This seems to be a very popular technique used by a lot of looping 
>artists
> I've seen playing live.
>
> Firstly, let me say that I like a lot of randomness,  constraint of
> randomness and experimental and 'outside' types of music,
> but I also had this thought:
>
> I am a rhythmatist (a pro drummer/percussionist for over 30 years) and 
>I've
> come to believe that every rhythm has a distinct personality and effect 
>on
> the nervous system.    It is why you can play a simple 8th note quantized
> R&B rhythm and introduce one 16th note off beat on snare or kick and the
> rhythm is no longer an R&B rhythm,  it is a Funk rhythm.
>
> In much the same way,  the scalar constraints made in melodic music have
> much to do with the definition of a piece of music.   A Lydian, Flat 7 
>scale
> with the same scale pitch notes played in a melody sounds completely
> different from a Dorian scale as an example.
>
> And yet,  people very infrequently introduce chromatic randomness into 
>music
> (I know, I know.......some do)  but they always thing it's cool and hip 
>to
> do the same thing to Rhythmic randomness and when they do, it's 
>considered
> to be very avant garde or outside and thus, hard for mass culture to 
>take,
> aesthetically.
>
> I think it probably offends my groove sensibility as much to hear this
> rhythmic randomness done constantly as it might a Classical composers'
> offense at hearing a composition with random Chromatic melodicism 
>introduced.
>
> Why does rhythmic randomness seem far more accepted than melodic or 
>harmonic
> randomness?
>
> They both have very strong effects on the listener.
>
> Any thoughts?    I'm perplexed, frankly.