I was at a coffee bar this morning and they were playing the usual lame pop CDs. In this case, it was a woman singing and playing the guitar. Each of her songs used the same two chords, which she alternated, one chord per bar: F, C, F, C, F, C.

I realize it's much easier and more convenient for the performer to use only two chords. Imagine how much time can be saved not having to learn and practice more than two chords---valuable time that can then be used to promote one's music career.

However, allowing such predictable music to become so tremendously popular has exacted a tremendous cost on our culture, and hence the depth and meaning of our lives. Perhaps this is why coffee bars have sprung up everywhere: so we can caffeinate ourselves at a moment's notice and, among other things, still find the music we hear interesting.

But it's a vicious cycle. Soon we'll be down to one chord and no doubt be drinking even more coffee to compensate. This must make the coffee companies happy, but what will future generations have to say about us (assuming we don't eventually become so shallow that we no longer reproduce because we can't be bothered by the intellectual effort)?

As I sat there listening to this Ping Pong™ music, it occurred to me that it was like binary computer code: 0, 1, 0, 1. Except that even computer code is more interesting---because rather than simply alternating between 0 and 1, computer code varies the sequence. In that respect, I realized, the computer code that made up the song's data on the CD was more interesting than the song itself. If only the song's code were visible as well as merely audible, we'd really have something.

Thus my idea: a CD player with a large display that shows bits (no pun intended) of the code as it plays. Naturally, you wouldn't be able to show all the code because it'd flash by faster than we could take it in. Just some of it now and then would do. This would add variation and unpredictability to the music---and, IMHO, make it much more interesting, perhaps even worthwhile.

What do you think? Use your own words. I don't care what you write, as long as you are witty and don't just use the same two words over and over (or, if you must, that you at least vary the sequence).
-- Ander, Jul 20 2007

rant much?

Sometimes the most effective music is very simple in its chord structure. I think of Leonard Cohen's Suzanne, which is haunting and beautiful, and very simple. In fact, I think it is just two chords alternating.

Plus, simply piling on complex chords doesn't make a song automatically interesting if it has nothing else to offer. And I say this as a huge Mars Volta fan.
-- globaltourniquet, Jul 20 2007


"Suzanne" actually has four chords (C, F, D minor, E minor).
-- Ander, Aug 04 2007


The pattern of bits from a CD would just look like gibberish and I can't think of any way a machine could select a subset of the bits that didn't look like that. The closest thing I can imagine to what you're describing is the visualisation patterns you get if you play a CD or audio file in your computer.
-- Srimech, Aug 04 2007


Oh why oh why oh why?
-- MaxwellBuchanan, Aug 04 2007


// allowing such predictable music to become so tremendously popular has exacted a tremendous cost on our culture// -bunworthy

What about a system that displays the chords of a song (stated by Srimech) but also adds more complex chords and better song struture? A crappy music enhancer.
-- evilpenguin, Aug 06 2007


You got it, [braubeaton], but I want the option to save it as a Word file.

And can I have it with all my audio technology, please?

Note: I am not a guitarist, I am a guy who knows a few chords and occasionally enjoys having some fun with a guitar.
-- normzone, Aug 06 2007


// a CD player with a large display that shows bits (no pun intended) of the code as it plays. Naturally, you wouldn't be able to show all the code because it'd flash by faster than we could take it in. Just some of it now and then would do. //

So, you could fake this by just displaying random numbers at 2 Hz or so on the CD player's display?
-- notexactly, Oct 03 2019



random, halfbakery