Does incessant repetition of musical phrases drive anyone else nuts?

[bill5]

aka what I am calling the "Bill Withers Syndrome" (IknowIknowIknowIknowIknowIknowIknow) only with notes....sure sometimes SOME repetition works, but I'm talking excessive...it's like fingernails on a chalkboard to me and it never ceases to amaze me that any musician would think it's a good idea. Merits an immediate song change at home (and if it's live not much you can do so I just clench my teeth and pray for it to end lol). Just wondering if there were any other teeth clenchers in the audience. 

[JamPro]

Do you mean like the 5 or 6 notes heard in every pop guitar solos since like 1960?

[Baldwin Funster]

I guess you don't like songs by Willie Dixon.

[Mighty Motif Max]

Not a Sweet Dreams fan, eh?

 

I'm more annoyed by songs where the chord progression hardly moves at all - thinking of songs where the verses just stay on the tonic the entire time.

[KuruPrionz]

1 hour ago, JamPro said:

Do you mean like the 5 or 6 notes heard in every pop guitar solos since like 1960?

Or the boring same old same old keyboard solos? 

Or the repetitive bass lines?

Or the drummer playing one beat?

Or the drum machine playing one beat?

 

All that stuff? There's lots of it but I gotta give the OP props because out of all that "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, " drives me closest to mass murder followed by suicide. So, first post nailed it. 

And... what does "he know"? That's the question. John Prine may have answered it "Nothing but a big bunch of nothing, driving me insane."

[timwat]

i repeat myself when under stress

i repeat myself when under stress

i repeat myself when under stress

[TommyRude]

 

[o0Ampy0o]

I understand the OP's subject but Bill Withers's Ain't No Sunshine is not the poster boy example. It would be the exception. That particular part of the song is the best part and I and I know many many many many many many many many many many others waited for it every time we heard that played on the radio back in its day.

 

[ksoper]

And then sang along with !@$*%^, nailing the ending of the phrase. Best feeling in the world in a top 100 list. 

[bill5]

  

3 hours ago, JamPro said:

Do you mean like the 5 or 6 notes heard in every pop guitar solos since like 1960?

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but probably no.

 

1 hour ago, KuruPrionz said:

Or the boring same old same old keyboard solos? 

Or the repetitive bass lines?

Or the drummer playing one beat?

Or the drum machine playing one beat?

No. This isn't simply about anything that has any repetition of any kind in a song or is unoriginal. I mean taking a few notes as part of a solo and repeating it excessively (granted what's excessive is subjective). IMO it's like screaming "I don't know what to play and have no original ideas of any kind."

 

One of the most well-worn examples is when in so many pop/rock songs they do this bit, play these notes quickly (again an example, of course the key can vary):  G,A,C  - overandoverandoverand insert power puke here

 

Quote

out of all that "I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, I know, " drives me closest to mass murder followed by suicide. So, first post nailed it. 

ty sir. I was hoping someone could relate but admit I wasn't sure.   I like Bill Withers a lot and RIP but the guy had serious OCD issues. 

 

 

[AROIOS]

 

[KuruPrionz]

33 minutes ago, bill5 said:

  

I'm not quite sure what you mean, but probably no.

 

No. This isn't simply about anything that has any repetition of any kind in a song or is unoriginal. I mean taking a few notes as part of a solo and repeating it excessively (granted what's excessive is subjective). IMO it's like screaming "I don't know what to play and have no original ideas of any kind."

 

One of the most well-worn examples is when in so many pop/rock songs they do this bit, play these notes quickly (again an example, of course the key can vary):  G,A,C  - overandoverandoverand insert power puke here

 

ty sir. I was hoping someone could relate but admit I wasn't sure.   I like Bill Withers a lot and RIP but the guy had serious OCD issues. 

 

 

It would be like some parts of the solo infinite ending of Freebird then too?

 

[bill5]

It has been a long time since I've heard that, but if I recall correctly, more or less.

 

If I come across a good example of what I mean, I'll post.

[stillearning]

1 hour ago, o0Ampy0o said:

I understand the OP's subject but Bill Withers's Ain't No Sunshine is not the poster boy example. It would be the exception…

 

Agreed!

[GRollins]

You mean like the monotonous wheedly little synth lines in rap songs?

 

Grey

[counterpoint]

Neil Young guitar solo on Southern Man...

[CyberGene]

I've sometimes heard jazz soloists that otherwise have wonderful studio improvisations, to resort to endless phrase repetitions in live concerts, probably out of nervousness. But it's really annoying. I would prefer a memorized solo rather than hearing some repeated phrases.

[StanC]

10 minutes ago, counterpoint said:

Neil Young guitar solo on Southern Man...

That overlaps with another whole category "Endless Guitar Solos";  also capable of driving one nuts. . .

 

e.g. Freebird,, Comfortably Numb to name a couple

[marczellm]

11 minutes ago, CyberGene said:

I've sometimes heard jazz soloists that otherwise have wonderful studio improvisations, to resort to endless phrase repetitions in live concerts, probably out of nervousness.

I've heard that once but that was more out of being very very drunk.

[counterpoint]

20 minutes ago, StanC said:

That overlaps with another whole category "Endless Guitar Solos";  also capable of driving one nuts. . .

I like Slash's comment on this...apropos to the topic...  https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/man-breaks-world-record-longest-guitar-solo/    I wonder if there's a world's record is for the longest keyboard solo...?

[elif]

I think the one-note has its uses.  Red Prysock was one of those "one note" guys. In this recording, the one-note intro is just a hint of the extensive one-note soloing to follow. 

 

 

[16251]

Kars for kids.

[timwat]

8 hours ago, 16251 said:

Kars for kids.

For the love of all that is holy, please make them stop.

[Docbop]

I have no idea what you're talking about....

 

 

[John Tweed]

Any Grant Green solo …

[bill5]

21 hours ago, bill5 said:

If I come across a good example of what I mean, I'll post.

This is a relatively tame example compared to some I've heard, but in the name of trying to illustrate the point...I was just listening to Fourplay live at San Xavier Jazz Festival and Larry Carlton is playing a solo (you might be able to find on youtube) and towards the end (on the recorded version, 9:00-9:10 mark) he does it....and as I think of it, I think it is more common in blues solos.

[EricBarker]

I’m at a pub and the stereo is playing “Centerfold” (J Giles)… please make it stop! Way to milk a half-decent melody until it sucks.

[MathOfInsects]

I would say my answer to this is no. It only bothers me if it's because of the absence of other ideas, or if the player doesn't build or have a destination for what comes after the phrase. I actually think repetition is a very powerful tool, used right. You just have to mean it, wherever you do it.

[KuruPrionz]

1 hour ago, EricBarker said:

I’m at a pub and the stereo is playing “Centerfold” (J Giles)… please make it stop! Way to milk a half-decent melody until it sucks.

"Two things are infinite, the Universe and Human Stupidity but I'm not certain about the first one." ~ Albert Einstein

[Tusker]

20 hours ago, elif said:

I think the one-note has its uses. 

 

+1