MP3: Genre (Second Part)

First Part


I once thought that the sound quality of mp3s were far inferior to audio CDs.  This was the reason it took ages before I began copying songs I already possess. And with Sony Discman as my audio player, a hard drive barely able to store my computer games, and better sources of pirated CDs than P2P websites,  there was no reason for a techno switch. I was ready to brush-off the coming changes to pursue my old passions.

That was until I realized that an mp3 player is needed to sustain my gym workout.

The giant leap began with a Chinese-manufactured audio player. I bought the device for less than a thousand pesos. When it broke down after a few months, I switched to the sleek Creative Zen Nano for my music needs. It was my feeble attempt to catch up with technology.  However, the mp3 player could only store a limited number of songs.  Zen Nano's storage capacity was around 1 GB.  

Space-saving meant that I could only pick a few songs from the library and upload  it to the device. Since work-out songs must be separated with the rest of the mp3s, folders were created according to the genres. This idea was then adopted for the hard drive's music library. The system allowed my collection to expand in all direction.

6.  Light Alternative - Indie

To put Tori Amos, Sarah Mclachlan and Alanis Morisette along with Britney Spears and Miley Cyrus would be an abomination.  The musical differences are too striking, comparisons don't exist.

Also known as Adult Top 40, songs from this genre do not fall under pop, hard rock, hip hop, or dance music category. The songs mostly appeal to sophisticated urbanites and self-professed intellectuals who find themselves totally disconnected with mainstream music.

The songs in this genre are usually played in the FM station Jam 88.3. Though somehow similar to  Alternative-Rock, Light Alternative - Indie includes more female artists. The songs are more mellow and acoustic versions of the same, or even different genres fall under this collection. 


Trivia

• Drawing the line between pop music and light alternative sometimes get blurry. Pink, whose songs are considered mainstream contain profound lyrics and intricate tunes that would easily pass as Adult Top 40. Sadly, since she is identified with pop artists,  songs like "Who Knew," "Please Don't Leave Me" and "Just Like A Pill" appear in another folder.

• Dash Berlin is among the rising stars in the dance music multiverse. However, since his song "Waiting" has an acoustic version, the song falls under the Light Alternative genre.    
• There's a very big chance that if an artist uses piano or guitar as musical accompaniment, the song would fall under this category.
• Favorite tracks:  Paula Cole - I Don't Want To Wait; Shawn Mullins - Lullaby; The Cranberries - Linger; Tori Amos - 1000 Oceans; Joseph Arthur - In The Sun.

7.  New Wave

This collection covers many genres from different and often diverging artists. What holds them together is the decades when their songs first hit the airwaves. The heavy use of synthesizer-based musical instruments to create the sound was another consideration.

Mami Athena often said that the 80s was the last great decade when fashion,  pop culture and music achieved universal appeal. Songs from this period became timeless and iconic. It has a distinct character and nostalgic appeal  that touches everyone. Such impact remains unrivaled until today.  

New Wave's contribution to succeeding generations is immeasurable.  Aspiring stage performers born during the late 80's would sing  Heart's "Alone" or  Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart," without any idea that the songs were already  global hits long before they were born.

Trivia

 

• Let the music absorbs you:  The first song that enabled me to rhythmically move to the sound using improvised steps and gestures was Industry's "State of the Nation."  It was the first song  I danced. 
• Erasure's "A Little Respect," MG's "No Sense of Reason," and Seona Dancing's "More To Lose" are the forebears of today's electronic dance music.
• A lot of one-hit wonders such as The Divinyls "I Touch Myself,"  A-ha's "Take On Me," and When In Rome's "The Promise"  came from this genre. 

  

8.  Classical Music

My fascination with classical music must have been born out of guilt.  Thrice did my parents worked hard to put me to piano school, but all attempts to learn the instrument were for nothing. I chose not to complete the short courses and preferred the joys of juvenile wanderings instead.

Eventually, my knowledge of piano keys and musical notes all disappeared. Even reading guitar chords, which I was able to play in piano was lost to memory.

I know little about Mozart, Bach or Beethoven. Clint Mansell and Bear McCreary were new discoveries. Their compositions clear my head, and shows the extent of my esoteric leanings.  I seldom listen to classics, but whenever I hear an artist play the piano, I could almost imagine myself performing the piece.

 
Trivia
 

• The reason why my parents enrolled me to piano school is for me to use the piano at home. They bought it the first time my "militant" dad earned from doing "real" work. 
• "Entry of the Gladiators" is a circus music often used to introduce clowns 
• Vitamin String Quartet is a group of musicians known for their tribute albums to rock and pop acts. The group is known for transforming songs such as "With or Without You," "Yellow" and "Screaming Infidelities" to classics.
• Favorite tracks. Clint Mansell - Together We Will Live Forever; Beethoven - Moonlight Sonata; Pachelbel - Canon in D (Full Orchestra)

9.   Anime-J Pop

Some bloggers asked why I don't have K-Pop songs in my library.  The answers are simple:  First is because many K-Pop artists look weird ( the boys put make-up and try to look effeminate). Second is because I don't like boy and girl super-groups.  Third is because of generation gap. There's no such thing as "K-Pop" when I was still a groupie. In its place was J-Pop; the song and dance entertainment extravaganza imported from Japan.

Fueled by the second and third wave anime invasion during the late 90s,  J-Pop enjoyed minimal success over mainstream radio.  However, the genre's global breakthrough gave rise to the otakus we know today.


Trivia 

• Opening and ending theme songs whether in anime or tokusatsu are sung by  J-Pop artists. If the oldest track in this genre includes theme songs of  Japanese TV shows, the oldest I have would be Daimos' opening song.
• While Penny Tai and F4 are both from Taiwan, their songs were listed under J-Pop. I still have to create a "world music" folder where they rightfully belong.
• Melodic people tend to focus on tunes rather than lyrics.  This is the reason why I could appreciate J-Pop songs without ever understanding the lyrics.
• Notable J-Pop songs that are also opening/ending theme songs of animes:  Snow - Nightmare (Jigoku Shojo)  and  L'arc En Ciel - Drivers High (GTO) 

10. Pinoy Pop

Mula sa pinaka-jologs hanggang sa medyo conyo, lahat ng mga kantang pinoy na hindi matuturing na banda o kaya naman ay original OPM (katulad ni Basil Valdez) ay kabilang sa genre na ito. The reason for putting everything under one genre is because of my limited knowledge in original pilipino music.

Kaya naman hindi nakapagtataka na sa aking music library, ang RnB princess na si Kyla ay kahanay ng Aegis at ang piling mga kanta ni Gary Valenciano, MYMP at Regine Velasquez ay ka-folder ng Salbakuta at Gagong Rapper.  

Masyado bang hindi katanggap-tanggap? Kung gayon ay paumahin. Sadya lamang malawak ang taste ko sa music na pati mga kantang maririnig mo sa Patok at Malaguena na jeep ay kumakapit sa aking pandinig.    



Trivia

• Crappiest songs in the collection:  Masculados - Nakaka; Vhong Navarro - Totoy Bibo
• Songs that keep me in-touch with the peons of Payatas:  Gagong Rapper feat Kyla - Kabet;  Aegis - Basang Basa sa Ulan; Crazy As Pinoy - Panaginip
• Favorite tracks: MYMP - Torpe Song #5; Gagong Rapper feat Gloc9 - Panaginip (Acoustic); Jeans - Ngayong Gabi; Eric Santos - I'll Never Go

 -tobecontinued-