Thanks to Kanye West the "oldies sampling" has really shined for some new R&B songs.

I know everyone always talks about originality, but there are few producers out there who can make a decent slow R&B cut these days without sounding too syrupy and fall in2 the new R&B style.

I just heard Faiths "Again" Marqus Houston new cut, and songs like Alica's "You Don't Know My Name" and "Talk About Our Love" by Brandy.

Do they bring air in2 the same lame R&B industry that is produced with the same protools beats? Should they go and bring back those good ol synths and drum kits they used in the 80's 2 be original again?

Every since Jodeci / Boys II Men / R Kelly came out R&B has been too laid back.
But sometimes those samples bring soul, and oddly sounds more fresh.

I just think someowhere in the midst of technology, so called musicians has really lost their muse, u know their sense of creativity. I think people r playing it safe these days, rather then doing something completely original & different. A lot of times the record company only wants 2 deal with what sales, rather then what's really good out there. The Record Excutives r in control of the music. they determine what we should think is cool or not. Music these days is so much more then just about writing a good tune, it's really about MONEY and well u market the album.

Seriously

U can just write a couple of okay tunes, but depending on how well u market the album will determined the success of the Album. U have 2 pay the Radio DJ 2 even Play ur music as a artist, so music become a market rather then a talent... now we have 2 put up with these wack artist. Basically it's all a gimmick. but that's just my opinnon. The only way to find real soul or whatever u in2 is Underground.


[Edited 2/28/05 13:25pm]

Sampling is not making music.
Sampling is making money.

I must agree with your comment on contemporary original cuts - they really are extremly simplistic and dull.

But the way out it should not be sampling of old school songs but getting some freakin musical education. A muscian must know his instrument and music thoery. A producer which can't play no instument ain't a producer. If a singer can barely sing one octave she's no real singer. Rappers are not musicians (most of them).

Naturally - it's good when you get inspired by older genertions. But to be inspired is to study thier craft not and imitate it; not to copy-paste their tracks.

Kanye brought nothing to the music legacy so far.

IMO naturally

rushing07 said:

A producer who can't play an instrument is an engineer.

You're right about music education, but I can see where this sampling went out of control. First, many of the current R&B and hip hop acts grew up in schools where music and other arts education programs were eliminated or severely cut due to budget constraints. They may have the love of music, but they don't have the proper education in music theory. Second, technology may have made creating music easier, but without the proper music education, it hasn't resulted in any original music composition.

The other issue involved is the role of the record labels treating music as "product" and not art. When music is reduced to just another widget to be processed and sold, it becomes mass produced and monotonous; as a result, the labels become less interested in how it reflects artistically and more interested in how much money it creates for the company. It's one thing to create cars, TV's or vacuum cleaners which are designed and manufactured to be like each other, but it is entirely different to create music or movies to be that way.

Most definately.



It goes back even further than that to Whitney Houston. She's the one that paved the way for all the mellow bull that followed. After her, R&B slowed down drastically.
[Edited 2/28/05 19:37pm]

rushing07 said:

Bravo!