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Chris McGovern thinks HM is a waste of time...

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Certif1ed View Drop Down
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    Posted: 10 May 2013 at 3:24am


What a twat!

I'd like to see him try to play Dream Theater, and discuss their use of classical and jazz modes, rhythms and structures.

Even if I do dislike Dream Theater's music, they're one of the reasons why metal musicians nowadays really need to understand theory - and where better to study music theory than at university?

Metal music makes a LOT of money - probably more than Classical or Jazz music these days, so why not study it?

You might just as well say "Music is a waste of time".

Did I say "What a twat?".

Feel the anger - and write some songs about it

BBC News Article

Edited by Certif1ed - 10 May 2013 at 3:25am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2013 at 3:42am
Let�s take a wild guess on how much heavy metal Chris McGovern has listened to in his life...Ermm... there are quite a few bands out there (Dream Theater definitely one of them) where a degree would certainly be of great use to understand and further dig into their music (Meshuggah also comes to mind). Not all heavy metal is simple and easy to understand.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wilytank Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2013 at 7:52am
Originally posted by Certif1ed Certif1ed wrote:

Dream Theater...
Feel the anger

I loled.

And actually, I'm backing this guy up.  He's not saying the genre itself is a waste of time, he's saying a college degree is.  I agree there.  You do not need a college degree to make good heavy metal music and there are literally hundreds of examples I can bring up to prove that.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vmoore Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2013 at 8:01am
i think that a degree in heavy metal is a huge waste of time. 1. because you can learn an instrument such as a guitar on your own with lessons of even with just YouTube and 2. how many bands that you can think of actually have a degree in heavy metal? well tell me some because i can come up with none.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote UMUR Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2013 at 9:34am
Originally posted by Wilytank Wilytank wrote:

Originally posted by Certif1ed Certif1ed wrote:

Dream Theater...
Feel the anger

I loled.

And actually, I'm backing this guy up.  He's not saying the genre itself is a waste of time, he's saying a college degree is.  I agree there.  You do not need a college degree to make good heavy metal music and there are literally hundreds of examples I can bring up to prove that.
 
...but the question is do you need a college degree to play jazz or classical music? Isn�t it all just a matter of practising enough hours? As far as I know a guy like Frank Zappa was more or less self-taught and the man did compose some pretty complex classical Works.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Kingcrimsonprog Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2013 at 6:20pm
Ive never heard of him. But yeah. Heavy Metal good. Ludicrous degree bad.    


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Wilytank Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2013 at 9:22pm
Originally posted by UMUR UMUR wrote:

Originally posted by Wilytank Wilytank wrote:

Originally posted by Certif1ed Certif1ed wrote:

Dream Theater...
Feel the anger

I loled.

And actually, I'm backing this guy up.  He's not saying the genre itself is a waste of time, he's saying a college degree is.  I agree there.  You do not need a college degree to make good heavy metal music and there are literally hundreds of examples I can bring up to prove that.
 
...but the question is do you need a college degree to play jazz or classical music? Isn�t it all just a matter of practising enough hours? As far as I know a guy like Frank Zappa was more or less self-taught and the man did compose some pretty complex classical Works.

Do people actually need a degree to play jazz or classical right now?  If so, between musicians in those genres and those who play metal, I can see who are the bigger suckers here.

And for the record, complex rhythms, structures, etc. are not an automatic indicator of better music.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Stooge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 10 May 2013 at 10:22pm
I'd have to say I agree with the article as well.  I think that music education should be used to broaden your overall taste and appreciation of music. I could see an elective in metal history drawing significant interest (and definitely has enough cultural relevance to qualify for credit), but bands that try to push boundaries will often incorporate elements and theories famously used in other genres (jazz, classical, various types of world music, etc.)  to dial in a sound of their own.  

However, I would be interested in seeing some program outlines and course syllabuses when they become available.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Time Signature Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2013 at 5:37am
Who's Chris McGovern?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Triceratopsoil Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2013 at 12:05pm
I don't think you need or can justify a college degree for any type of music.  Even for jazz or classical or other theory-intensive music, going to college to learn it just makes up for lacking the motivation to learn on your own accord.  There are more than enough resources available so that's obviously not an issue, especially in the internet age.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote vmoore Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 May 2013 at 10:00pm
^ so true i bet you could probably learn how to play any instrument on youtube
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nick Dilley Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 11 Jun 2013 at 6:48pm
Lots of great commentary here. I agree with the majority here. A degree in metal is a bit silly. But the point regarding whether or not it's necessary for jazz and other forms of music is totally valid. The intricacy of music depends on the composer not the genre. There's tons of minimalist stuff in classical, and there are hundreds of jazz standards that are pretty darn simple harmonically (as in, the biggest difference being the use of 7th chords). But I digress...

Now, that's not to say that it would be a waste of time to have a "focus" in a certain genre or two. Like a degree in music (usually focusing on composition, performance, or theory) and a focus in a few styles. In that case, a rigorous schedule of honing metal chops would translate to other genres, as would the ability to improv, if you were in a jazz focus.

In any case, it's all about money. The article said it was created due to student demand. On the surface it sounds like they want to make their students happy. But, in reality, they saw a chance to make money. Simple as that.



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