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Even if not, there are still many examples that can be found. Much of the Hollow Knight soundtrack is pretty quiet (not the boss themes, though), and there's lots of quiet classical music out there. (It's not unusual for classical music to be both loud and soft at different parts; the 3rd movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony alternates between quiet passages in the low strings and loud passages in the brass, at least at first, while the 2nd movement of Beethoven's 7th symphony (highly recommended, one of the best symphony movements out there) starts quiet and gradually builds during the first major section of the movement.
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clarry: I'm not sure I can look up the examples now but I'm guessing it's got something to do with the lack of a (discernible) beat or percussive elements. Slow strings or pads fade in and out, move from note to note without an attack, and so on. Is that what makes music quiet for you?

But in my case, even arhythmic ambience can be loud. And then there's music that I consider quiet or loud depending on how I listen to it. For example, this one song can surround me with thundering loudness, but if I turn it down, I hear a calm beat reverberating through the distance.

Anyway, I love *chill* music, and I've never really considered quietness as such. What comes across as chill is of course very subjective... I can fall asleep listening to Insomnium or Serenity in Murder, but most of everything I hear on radio would be super irritating and difficult to chill to.

Finally, I think this is pretty quiet. Whether it is metal or just a metal band playing something entirely different is up for debate; a debate I shall take no part in. I don't care about genres too much; my two main genres are "I like it" and "I don't like it."

Warning: linked music features instruments you hate :<
Actually, when it comes to rhythm and volume, I could, again, bring up the 2nd movement of the Beethoven 7th. The start of the music is very quiet (after the initial chord in the woodwinds), and there's no percussion at that point (just low strings, I believe), but there is a very clear rhythmic beat that underlies the entire A section of the piece (the piece is sort of in ABABA form, though the A parts are a bit different each time).

I really do recommend giving that movement a listen. A simple Youtube search comes up with this recording:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgHxmAsINDk

(As with most famous classical works, this isn't the *only* recording you'll find; I would be really surprised if there existed a major professional (classical) orchestra that *hasn't* played this particular work.)

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dtgreene: Another thing: Unlike what many call "concerts", in classical music concerts the audience is expected to be quiet so that everyone can listen to the music (PDQ Bach's Beethoven sportscast not withstanding).
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GameRager: Technically ANY music can be included in a concert.
It might be hard to include the class of works that I call "notation works" in a concert. Fairie's Air and Death Waltz is perhaps the best example I can think of.

To see what I mean (and for a *really* good laugh, make sure you're ready for it), check out this website, which has this work and a few others by the same composer:
http://socks-studio.com/2012/05/19/the-unplayable-score-faeries-aire-and-death-waltz-john-stump/
Post edited July 06, 2019 by dtgreene
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d3adb01t: Because metal is harder than rock
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dtgreene: But why would "hard" be a desirable quality for music?

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clarry: Hmm, before answering that, one would have to consider whether quiet music is a thing at all. I mean besides the obvious interpretation in which quietness is a function of the volume knob, not of the genre. Then what makes quiet music quiet?
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dtgreene: If you consider 4'33" (John Cage) to be music, you have your answer right there.

Even if not, there are still many examples that can be found. Much of the Hollow Knight soundtrack is pretty quiet (not the boss themes, though), and there's lots of quiet classical music out there. (It's not unusual for classical music to be both loud and soft at different parts; the 3rd movement of Beethoven's 5th symphony alternates between quiet passages in the low strings and loud passages in the brass, at least at first, while the 2nd movement of Beethoven's 7th symphony (highly recommended, one of the best symphony movements out there) starts quiet and gradually builds during the first major section of the movement.

Another thing: Unlike what many call "concerts", in classical music concerts the audience is expected to be quiet so that everyone can listen to the music (PDQ Bach's Beethoven sportscast not withstanding).
There's no such thing as quiet and loud music. Classical music often has a high dynamic range (the loudest sound is A LOT louder than the quietest sound).
There is a thing called "perceived loudness" where people "perceive" music with a low dynamic range (like modern pop music) as a lot louder than music with a high dynamic range (e.g. classical music, ambient, even jazz).

Then there is overall loudness as a recording quality. By itself it's pretty irrelevant since you can amplify any recording to an ear-bleeding volume. Though amplifying a low loudness recording can (relatively) introduce more noise - depending on the hardware.

Ok, my conclusion: loudness exists as a recording quality, everything else is just "perceived loudness". And the volume on your stereo isn't inherent to the music itself (but that one sounds pretty evident to me).
Post edited July 06, 2019 by teceem
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teceem: There's no such thing as quiet and loud music. Classical music often has a high dynamic range (the loudest sound is A LOT louder than the quietest sound).
There is a thing called "perceived loudness" where people "perceive" music with a low dynamic range (like modern pop music) as a lot louder than music with a high dynamic range (e.g. classical music, ambient, even jazz).

Then there is overall loudness as a recording quality. By itself it's pretty irrelevant since you can amplify any recording to an ear-bleeding volume. Though amplifying a low loudness recording can (relatively) introduce more noise - depending on the hardware.
Have you heard of the "loudness war", where recording studios for popular music keep increasing the average volume (and losing what dynamic range existed in the original source) just to make it sound louder, making the music worse off because of it?

(Fortunately, this hasn't affected classical music; then again, those who listen to classical music, unlike those who only listen to popular music, tend to value the dynamic range in music to the point where a classical album with compressed dynamic range probably wouldn't sell well.)
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dtgreene: Have you heard of the "loudness war", where recording studios for popular music keep increasing the average volume (and losing what dynamic range existed in the original source) just to make it sound louder, making the music worse off because of it?
Wasn't I referring to that when I said the following?
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teceem: ...people "perceive" music with a low dynamic range (like modern pop music) as a lot louder than music with a high dynamic range (e.g. classical music, ambient, even jazz).
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richlind33: Do you really believe he banged a yoga teacher? lol
Haven't you been at least with an actor, or a model? Those are easy to come by, nowadays, lately. Are you really rich, lind? lol
Post edited July 06, 2019 by KiNgBrAdLeY7
I don't think that the higher the dynamic range is, the better the music is. Often it is "style-dependent". Though I'd like to think I can notice when some music is compressed-to-death for commercial reasons.
Sometimes it's been done in the composing/recording stage, sometimes only after mastering. Hard to tell the difference.
An example: Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel. Great album, musically (IMO), but I wish it wasn't so brickwall compressed/limited. :-(
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dtgreene: It might be hard to include the class of works that I call "notation works" in a concert. Fairie's Air and Death Waltz is perhaps the best example I can think of.

To see what I mean (and for a *really* good laugh, make sure you're ready for it), check out this website, which has this work and a few others by the same composer:
http://socks-studio.com/2012/05/19/the-unplayable-score-faeries-aire-and-death-waltz-john-stump/
Still, MOST other musical works can be played in a concert, even if they have weird rhythms/tempos/etc or are otherwise "weird sounding".
Speaking of badly compressed music, Mastered by Muppets is pretty brilliant.
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GameRager: Still, MOST other musical works can be played in a concert, even if they have weird rhythms/tempos/etc or are otherwise "weird sounding".
Sure... "technically" everything is possible I guess. But I'm not waiting for Aphex Twin trying to reenact Drukqs with 50 musicians on stage.
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GameRager: Still, MOST other musical works can be played in a concert, even if they have weird rhythms/tempos/etc or are otherwise "weird sounding".
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teceem: Sure... "technically" everything is possible I guess. But I'm not waiting for Aphex Twin trying to reenact Drukqs with 50 musicians on stage.
Now I wanna hear Jethro Tull stuff on a diggeree doo(spelling) or perhaps Queen music on floppy drive.
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teceem: Sure... "technically" everything is possible I guess. But I'm not waiting for Aphex Twin trying to reenact Drukqs with 50 musicians on stage.
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GameRager: Now I wanna hear Jethro Tull stuff on a diggeree doo(spelling) or perhaps Queen music on floppy drive.
Now that I think of it; "live performance" can be a meaningless concept (when you think of musicians playing instruments). What about, for example, music that uses a lot of field recordings?

I love industrial noise music and I've seen some great live performances, though the majority of people won't even acknowledge that it's music at all, let alone call those performances concerts.
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GameRager: Now I wanna hear Jethro Tull stuff on a diggeree doo(spelling) or perhaps Queen music on floppy drive.
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teceem: Now that I think of it; "live performance" can be a meaningless concept (when you think of musicians playing instruments). What about, for example, music that uses a lot of field recordings?

I love industrial noise music and I've seen some great live performances, though the majority of people won't even acknowledge that it's music at all, let alone call those performances concerts.
I find floppy/zip/cd rom/hdd drive music also good and a concert of it would be smashing good fun imo.
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GameRager: I find floppy/zip/cd rom/hdd drive music also good and a concert of it would be smashing good fun imo.
I think most people (into music) love a great visual performance (subjective of course), but I also like a "concert", where there's nothing really to see but you get to hear a unique musical piece.

Well, any real live performance is always musically unique, but it can range from a cover band trying to imitate the official recording to an interpretation that makes you wonder what you were there to see in the first place.
Post edited July 06, 2019 by teceem
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GameRager: I find floppy/zip/cd rom/hdd drive music also good and a concert of it would be smashing good fun imo.
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teceem: I think most people (into music) love a great visual performance (subjective of course), but I also like a "concert", where there's nothing really to see but you get to hear a unique musical piece.

Well, any real live performance is always musically unique, but it can range from a cover band trying to imitate the official recording to an interpretation that makes you wonder what you were there to see in the first place.
Both can be good, I agree. Also most music is good to someone, as we all know.
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richlind33: Do you really believe he banged a yoga teacher? lol
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KiNgBrAdLeY7: Haven't you been at least with an actor, or a model? Those are easy to come by, nowadays, lately. Are you really rich, lind? lol
Guys that get laid tend to be more interested in getting laid than in bragging about it on the interwebz. :o