Prog clichés

Sounding like Jon Anderson.

Originally posted by ExittheLemming The people who create cliches are always far more important than the talentless hacks who recognize the phenomenon being subsequently repeated by others e.g. Dylan, Floyd and the Beatles could be considered the primal movers and shakers for what would become our beloved Prog.

Dylan? How?

^ M-hm.

Originally posted by Ambient Hurricanes Profound lyrics about universal love/philosophy will always be poignant (as long as they're done well!), ...

What do you mean by "done well"? I think there are some philosophical lyrics that work if they are insightful. If not, I don't see any chance on poignancy.

Originally posted by Ambient Hurricanes concept albums don't lose their resonancy because many of them are made, ...

I don't get that one.

Originally posted by Ambient Hurricanes complex musical ideas have been used for hundreds of years and didn't become cliche in jazz or classical music.

... though still there are times when complexity can be useless when it's done for the sake of complexity.

Edited by Dayvenkirq - March 21 2013 at 12:16

^ Looks like we understand different things by "resonance". Oh, well. My point was that sometimes conceptualization isn't necessary.

It is cliche to not be cliche.

Originally posted by rdtprog this thread is becoming a real cliché...

Clichés are probably found in less great prog bands with obvious influences that are over-emphasizing some element, for example the rhythm in a 7/8 groove, as if the time signature is the heart of the song.

And in a related way.... songs beginning with a complex groove in odd time-meter - but that section is typically followed by a plain groove in 4/4, overly simple in comparison, making you feel that the complex section was just an exercise, and the 4/4  section is an in-between section were you can relax.

In other words, contrived ways of using odd time signatures.


Another cliche could be spacy synth solos with a sort of sound that for example Mark Kelly of Marillion have used in some solos, like this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q79xkgIXhmU&t=1m52s
(I wouldn't call this example cliché but there are probably other neoprog bands that have used this sound in this way)
(by the way, I think this 7/8 song is good, so not an example of over-emphasized 7/8 groove )

There are no clichés related to good prog! I think!?!


Edited by wilmon91 - March 21 2013 at 17:48

Lyrics about artificial problems like split personality, depressions. Awful!

Originally posted by Ajay Playing bass like Chris Squire.

Originally posted by HarbouringTheSoul Originally posted by Dayvenkirq Originally posted by Ambient Hurricanes concept albums don't lose their resonancy because many of them are made, ... I don't get that one. I think he means that just because there are a lot of concept albums, that doesn't mean they have lost their resonance. But I can see how one would read it the other way around (that because there are a lot of them, they haven't lost their resonance).

Yeah, I meant it the first way.