# Do You Ever Like Bland Recordings?



## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Like the Mozart for Babies discs, or Classical for Studying.

Sometimes I like the new age feel of them.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Nope, and I think that they do a disservice to classical music because they make newbies think that this wonderful and varied genre is just about relaxing.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Like the Mozart for Babies discs, or Classical for Studying.
> 
> Sometimes I like the new age feel of them.


Exactly, you can find hours of the music on You Tube. I know someone who use it for meditation.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Xisten267 said:


> Nope, and I think that they do a disservice to classical music because they make newbies think that this wonderful and varied genre is just about relaxing.


I think it's just another interpretation of the score. It's up to the listener to seek out others or not, they might be persuaded to seek out local classical radio stations, or ones on Apple Music. That's how it all starts!


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

I think TC does a great job of being welcoming of newcomers which is also important in gaining new fans.


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## mbhaub (Dec 2, 2016)

No. There are many recordings of ambient music created especially for things like napping, studying, relaxing, meditation and other activities. I have quite a few; the thunderstorm/rain cd is particularly relaxing. I have been given some with music on them - Bach, Debussy, and quieter stuff - that I have no use for at all.


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## SONNET CLV (May 31, 2014)

*Do You Ever Like Bland Recordings?*

Sure do. When the neighbors are throwing a party. It's the music I hope they play, rather than the loud, obnoxious rap or heavy metal they tend to blast on their low-fi sound equipment....

Unfortunately, the neighbors apparently don't like bland recordings as much as I do.

Fortunately, I have a good set of ear-plugs.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Many people who don't like Classical Music are actually hostile to it. These bland recordings provided many common people an access to Classical Music and made them at least not to hate it.


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## KevinW (Nov 21, 2021)

Also, for stuff like Mozart for babies discs, they are definitely good... No baby will spontaneously purchase CDs and play them as their lullaby... If there is one, he must be the modern Mozart. :lol:


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

SONNET CLV said:


> *Do You Ever Like Bland Recordings?*
> 
> Sure do. When the neighbors are throwing a party. It's the music I hope they play, rather than the loud, obnoxious rap or heavy metal they tend to blast on their low-fi sound equipment....
> 
> ...


:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


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## MarkW (Feb 16, 2015)

Back around 1970, Decca didn't know what t do with Richard Bonynge (Joan Sutherland;s spouse), so they let him record full discs of 19th century ballets by Adolphe Adam, etc. I used to play them on a way early Sunday morning show I had drawn the short straw on, so I and the audience could sleep in.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

There are styles of music -- variously known in different eras as New Age Music, Ambient Music, Light Classical, or Knife and Fork Music -- which are intended to be placed in the background and not intrude on other activities. There's nothing wrong with that.


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## sharik (Jan 23, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Do You Ever Like Bland Recordings?


nope, for these misrepresent the music as such.


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## sharik (Jan 23, 2013)

NoCoPilot said:


> There are styles of music -- variously known in different eras as New Age Music, Ambient Music, Light Classical, or Knife and Fork Music -- which are intended to be placed in the background and not intrude on other activities. There's nothing wrong with that.


except those aren't music, rather a room design noise.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

sharik said:


> except those aren't music, rather a room design noise.


Value judgment.


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## Nawdry (Dec 27, 2020)

Supposedly these kinds of recordings are also good for plants. Helps 'em grow.


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## NoCoPilot (Nov 9, 2020)

Apocryphal at best.


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Like the Mozart for Babies discs, or Classical for Studying.
> 
> Sometimes I like the new age feel of them.


Have you heard Brian Eno's Airport Music?


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Mandryka said:


> Have you heard Brian Eno's Airport Music?


Yep, it's alright. I like tighter edges in my compositions though, eno is rather circular on that album.


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

I thought you meant bland interpretations.

People use music for all sorts of purposes, including relaxing or as background filler. Its obvious that not everybody will listen to classical striking the pose of Rodin's _The Thinker_. I am usually doing all sorts of things while listening to music, e.g. work, chores, cooking, having a meal, etc.

In any case, quite a bit of what we call classical was intended as a sort of background music, either for dinner parties of the aristocracy, or in the salons of bourgeois and intelligentsia. Are things today so different?






It can also just be a matter of packaging. There's a series Naxos put out called _Easy Listening Piano Classics_, each set dedicated to a composer. I've got the Godowsky one. Its a three disc compilation of pieces that are taken from old Marco Polo recordings of the composer's music.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61uLKLPQmlL._SX355_.jpg


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Xisten267 said:


> Nope, and I think that they do a disservice to classical music because they make newbies think that this wonderful and varied genre is just about relaxing.


I think not.

If I bought a Beatles Lullabies CD ("Beatles for Babies") to get little Skippy to fall asleep I would not think that The Beatles were all about bland lullabies.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

pianozach said:


> I think not.
> 
> If I bought a Beatles Lullabies CD ("Beatles for Babies") to get little Skippy to fall asleep I would not think that The Beatles were all about bland lullabies.


Almost everybody knows rock, so of course people know that the bland rock recording sounds different from the original. But few people really know classical music, so this kind of recording may be thought as being a true representative of the genre by them. I have met many people in the web who firmly believe that classical is all about relaxing, and my impression is that in most cases the major problem are the poor performances of it they hear.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Xisten267 said:


> Almost everybody knows rock, so of course people know that the bland rock recording sounds different from the original. But few people really know classical music, so this kind of recording may be thought as being a true representative of the genre by them. I have met many people in the web who firmly believe that classical is all about relaxing, and my impression is that in most cases the major problem are the poor performances of it they hear.


First, you assume all hear it as bland, that was just a targeted word for the thread title.

I see the problem laying in the listener and not the product. They are effective!


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Captainnumber36 said:


> First, you assume all hear it as bland, that was just a targeted word for the thread title.
> 
> I see the problem laying in the listener and not the product. They are effective!


I'm not against music created for the purpose of relaxing, or of studying, or of meditating etc. I think that, given the right context, this kind of music may be effective, like you put it. The problem in my view is when people take some classics of music that weren't made just for relaxing, for studying, or for meditating etc., and sell them as if they were, what, I think, has the dangerous potential of making many listeners unaware of how profound, multifaceted and interesting they can be if played correctly, particularly if they belong to genres that tend to be unknown by these listeners, such as classical music.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Xisten267 said:


> I'm not against music created for the purpose of relaxing, or of studying, or of meditating etc. I think that, given the right context, this kind of music may be effective, like you put it. The problem in my view is when people take some classics of music that weren't made just for relaxing, for studying, or for meditating etc., and sell them as if they were, what, I think, has the dangerous potential of making many listeners unaware of how profound, multifaceted and interesting they can be if played correctly, particularly if they belong to genres that tend to be unknown by these listeners, such as classical music.


I feel as though you place too high a value on "expensive artists", ones that are well regarded and who's CDs cost lots, in stating these works shouldn't be imagined in the way they are on those "easy-listening" discs.


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## Xisten267 (Sep 2, 2018)

Captainnumber36 said:


> I feel as though you place too high a value on "expensive artists", ones that are well regarded and who's CDs cost lots, in stating these works shouldn't be imagined in the way they are on those "easy-listening" discs.


In music I place a high value in what I believe to be artistic, regardless of price. I want quality. But not necessarily more quality means more expensive, and actually I usually avoid the expensive because I'm not rich.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Xisten267 said:


> In music I place a high value in what I believe to be artistic, regardless of price. I want quality.


Right, your own idea of what quality is.


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

But let's not make this an objective/subjective thread please.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Nawdry said:


> Supposedly these kinds of recordings are also good for plants. Helps 'em grow.


There are people who are saying that actually, just like talking to plants and hugging trees .


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## Woodduck (Mar 17, 2014)

No. ...................................


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## Tarneem (Jan 3, 2022)

NO!

especially when it comes to listening to classical Chinese, Japanese, Japanese and Indian music


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Yep, it's alright. I like tighter edges in my compositions though, eno is rather circular on that album.


This is maybe your sort of thing


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

Mandryka said:


> This is maybe your sort of thing


I enjoyed it, thanks.


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## Gothos (Jan 11, 2018)

Yes I do enjoy Bland recordings.









I'll get my coat...


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

If I enjoy it then I'm probably not going to consider it bland...


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## Captainnumber36 (Jan 19, 2017)

dissident said:


> If I enjoy it then I'm probably not going to consider it bland...


Good point. But you know what I meant, I think.


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## 59540 (May 16, 2021)

Captainnumber36 said:


> Good point. But you know what I meant, I think.


Yeah, I think what you may mean is "are there recordings that some would call 'bland' that you like anyway", probably. Sort of like "guilty pleasures".


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Mandryka said:


> This is maybe your sort of thing


OMG. Is that what depression feels like?


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## Mandryka (Feb 22, 2013)

pianozach said:


> OMG. Is that what depression feels like?


No, this is what depression feels like


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## pianozach (May 21, 2018)

Mandryka said:


> No, this is what depression feels like


That sounds more like profound sadness, not depression. It's too melodic to be depression.


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