Poll

What instrument do you feel has progressed the most over the last 2 decades?

Guitar
7 (11.7%)
Bass
5 (8.3%)
Drums
18 (30%)
Vocals
3 (5%)
Keyboard
26 (43.3%)
Other
1 (1.7%)

Total Members Voted: 58

Author Topic: What instrument do you feel has progressed the most over the last 2 decades?  (Read 5010 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline bosk1

  • King of Misdirection
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 12791
  • Bow down to Boskaryus
I was just thinking about how different a lot of the music I like today is from what I was really into in the '80s.  I mean, back then, I really liked hard rock and metal, and that hasn't really changed.  But the music itself has grown quite a bit, in my opinion.  And you have people today who do things people back then didn't really do.  I mean, you had great singers who claimed to be "operatic," but you didn't really actually see much actual opera-style singing like you do in some of the more symphonic metal bands.  And you had fantastic guitar players back then, but some of the stuff you see nowadays is just insane and wouldn't really have even been thought of back then.  But overall, although pop music and the more radio-friendly stuff that is mass consumed will always be a bit formulaic, I think there have been a lot of interesting changes in music that I've seen.

One thing that jumped out at me the most would probably be drums.  I mean, you had some drummers doing interesting things back then.  But few drummers that I can recall from the '80s were all that interesting to focus on.  Now, IMO, that has changed.  Drumming seems a lot more dynamic nowadays, and I'm not really sure what the ultimate cause of it is.  Maybe one argument is that the rap/hip-hop scene that grew up in the late '80s and early '90s contributed as you had bands that, instead of turning up their noses at genres outside of their own, collaborated with other artists to incorporate different elements into their music.  A lot of people didn't really know what to make of the Beastie Boys incorporating heavy guitar riffs into their rap songs and collaborating with Slayer, or Public Enemy and Anthrax working together.  I think that not only infused rap with some metal elements, but also influenced metal to embrace more grooves and complex drum beats.  Eventually, you started to see a lot more interesting drumming in metal than before, whether it be the actual drummers, incorporating programmed drum loops, or both.  When I was younger, I was definitely guitar and vocalist focused and didn't really care about the drumming.  But drumming, to me anyway, has gotten a lot more interesting over the years, and I often find myself focusing a lot more on the drummers nowadays.  In fact, I was even inspired to buy a kit about a year ago and start learning to play.  So, not to take away from other instruments, but my answer is definitely drums.  Your thoughts?
"The Supreme Court of the United States has descended from the disciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall and Joseph Story to the mystical aphorisms of the fortune cookie."

Offline Bombardana

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 691
I voted for drums. The speed and technicality of people like Tomas Haake and George Kollias is completely awe inspiring. You didn't see that in the 80s.

Offline The Letter M

  • Posts: 15494
  • Gender: Male
As a whole, I think drummers on all planes of genres have progressed to a great extent over the last couple decades, but to me, some of it is just a change in style or influence, while there is also an increase in skill and speed, but not so much creativity in some areas.

I picked bass guitar because there are some amazing bassists out there who produce some amazing bass work. I don't know TOO much about the history of bass, but as far as I can tell, bass was relegated to just being the simple bass/rhythm guy, there to keep the tonic notes under the harmonies of guitar and vocals, much in the way it was in classical music. Since then, bass guitar has risen to the point of being a melodic instrument in some genres, taking prominence in songs and bands with a great amount of exposure in music. Even bassists like Victor Wooten have taken the instrument to new levels, employing different techniques and sounds, like string harmonics, to create new soundscapes on the bass guitar. There's also the Chapman stick, a bass-related instrument, which created a whole new realm for bassists to play in.

As a drummer, I found it hard NOT to choose drums, but being that bass guitar is part of the rhythm section, I have found myself following bass in the music I listen to, and I find drummers who, while on their own may not be much, can shine with a great bassist in front of them. I also find the rise in bassists-vocalists to be amazing, and it shows that bass players can be multi-talented (Yes, we all knew Geddy was already) and not just plunk out quarter notes in time with the drummer.

The move from rhythmic to melodic bass playing has really improved the instrument, and definitely progressed it since the 80's.

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Offline TAC

  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 74107
  • Gender: Male
  • Arthritic Metal Horns
Surely drumMERS have progressed, but based on technology alone, I don't know how anyone can't vote keys.
would have thought the same thing but seeing the OP was TAC i immediately thought Maiden or DT related
Winger Theater Forums........or WTF.  ;D
TAC got a higher score than me in the electronic round? Honestly, can I just drop out now? :lol

Offline The Letter M

  • Posts: 15494
  • Gender: Male
Surely drumMERS have progressed, but based on technology alone, I don't know how anyone can't vote keys.

Good point. Do you (Bosk) mean the instruments themselves, or those who play them?

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Offline bosk1

  • King of Misdirection
  • Administrator
  • *****
  • Posts: 12791
  • Bow down to Boskaryus
I guess I'm more focused on the players and how they use the instruments in the songs, and not really the instrements themselves.  The technology for all of the above has grown by leaps and bounds, and probably the most notably in the keyboard area, but that's not really what I was focusing on.
"The Supreme Court of the United States has descended from the disciplined legal reasoning of John Marshall and Joseph Story to the mystical aphorisms of the fortune cookie."

Offline King Postwhore

  • Couch Potato
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 59297
  • Gender: Male
  • Take that Beethoven, you deaf bastard!!
Surely drumMERS have progressed, but based on technology alone, I don't know how anyone can't vote keys.

This 1000%.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline Ultimetalhead

  • The Mighty Masturbator
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 7029
  • Gender: Male
  • .ay rof dab s'ti dna...
It's a tough call between drums and bass for me. They've always been condemned to the role of the rhythm section, although there were bands like The Who who were doing things that were interesting on both instruments. I guess I have to go with drums because of the vast majority of super-human drummers out there right now.
Orion....that's the one with a bunch of power chords and boringly harsh vocals, isn't it?
LOOK AT THIS AWESOME SHIT AHHHHHH

Offline King Postwhore

  • Couch Potato
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 59297
  • Gender: Male
  • Take that Beethoven, you deaf bastard!!
I guess I'm more focused on the players and how they use the instruments in the songs, and not really the instrements themselves.  The technology for all of the above has grown by leaps and bounds, and probably the most notably in the keyboard area, but that's not really what I was focusing on.

Wow that's a hard one because you can look at, for examlpe, Flea from the Chilli Peppers. Who played like that and in the forfront.  I think each generation has taken what the decade has done before and added to it.

Though all this pick plaaying in bass playing is killing me. It can be used as a great tool for a certain style but I prefer fingers.  I guess this thought could be used with all the instruments.  Hard one to quantify Bosk1.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down'.” - Bob Newhart
So wait, we're spelling it wrong and king is spelling it right? What is going on here? :lol -- BlobVanDam
"Oh, I am definitely a jackass!" - TAC

Offline rogerdil

  • Posts: 1024
Guitar.  While there have always been great guitarists, it seems more people these days have really good chops, particularly in the metal area.

Offline AwakeFromOctavarium

  • Posts: 1406
  • Gender: Male
  • Penguin wins by default.
Guitar for me. Back then there was only Blues and pentatonic scales, but the variation of playing styles these days is just huge. From progressive and simple scales and chords came out Sweep picking, tremolo picking, alternative picking, and tapping. There are guitarists who stick to the old school style (John Mayer, for example), guitarists who incorporate elements of other music in their playing (Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Romeo), guitarists whose playing style encompasses most of the existing ones (Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci), guitarists with innovative playing style (Steve Vai), guitarists with insane technicality (Chris Broderick, Jeff Loomis), and also guitarists with out-of-this-world playing methods (Buckethead, Micheal Angelo Batio).
<br />Girls are like square roots; If they\\\'re under 18, do them in your head.<br />
You Americans feed the bears with bacon! That's why they've grown so ferocious!

Offline LTE

  • Posts: 617
  • Gender: Male
Guitar for me. Back then there was only Blues and pentatonic scales, but the variation of playing styles these days is just huge. From progressive and simple scales and chords came out Sweep picking, tremolo picking, alternative picking, and tapping. There are guitarists who stick to the old school style (John Mayer, for example), guitarists who incorporate elements of other music in their playing (Yngwie Malmsteen, Michael Romeo), guitarists whose playing style encompasses most of the existing ones (Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci), guitarists with innovative playing style (Steve Vai), guitarists with insane technicality (Chris Broderick, Jeff Loomis), and also guitarists with out-of-this-world playing methods (Buckethead, Micheal Angelo Batio).


You've never listened to Jazz or fusion guitarists have you?

They have been doing all of that for years. Also it wasn't "just blues and pentatonic scales", new scales weren't "invented", they have always been around.
We are a way for the universe to know itself.
 I suffer from moderate/severe Depersonalization.

Offline El Barto

  • Rascal Atheistic Pig
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 30572
  • Bad Craziness
Tough to choose between drum and bass.  It seems to me that the difference between the two is that the bass just needed some creative innovation.  Plenty of people could have played like Jaco Pastorius, and subsequently did, but who would have thought to do what he did?  Creativity in drumming has always been around, but I'm not sure there were many who actually could do what some of today's super-drummers can.  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?
Argument, the presentation of reasonable views, never makes headway against conviction, and conviction takes no part in argument because it knows.
E.F. Benson

Offline KevShmev

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 41963
  • Gender: Male
  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?

In just the rock genre:

Peart
Bruford
Bonham
Palmer

Shall I go on? :biggrin:

Offline The Awesome

  • Posts: 92
Some of the most impressive drumming in history came out of the big band era. It's not so much that the instrument evolved, it's just a matter of where you had to look to find the technical side of drumming at different time points.

Offline MetalManiac666

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2650
  • Gender: Male
Honestly, I don't think many rock instruments have evolved much at all since 1990.  But I have to go with vocals.  Yes, vocals.  I hear vocalists doing stuff today that would have been unheard of back in the 80s.

Offline Sigz

  • BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13537
  • Gender: Male
  • THRONES FOR THE THRONE SKULL
  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?

In just the rock genre:

Peart
Bruford
Bonham
Palmer

Shall I go on? :biggrin:

No way in hell could Bonham play Harrison's or Carry's stuff.
Quote
The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.

Offline Jamesman42

  • There you'll find me
  • DT.net Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 21720
  • Spiral OUT
I went with keyboards in terms of the instrument's technological progress and Jordan Rudes.

Offline The Letter M

  • Posts: 15494
  • Gender: Male
  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?

In just the rock genre:

Peart
Bruford
Bonham
Palmer

Shall I go on? :biggrin:

No way in hell could Bonham play Harrison's or Carry's stuff.

Carry? Who the heck is Carry? Unless you all mean Tool's Danny Carey...

Either way, I do agree, there are drummers out there who are doing amazing things with limb independence and mixed meter, metric modulation, overlapped meter through poly rhythms, but now there are more OF them, and they all took their influence from some of the early greats in the 70's, at LEAST most notably Bill Bruford and Neil Peart.

I guess I'm more focused on the players and how they use the instruments in the songs, and not really the instrements themselves.  The technology for all of the above has grown by leaps and bounds, and probably the most notably in the keyboard area, but that's not really what I was focusing on.

As for being a part of the music, I think bass really has taken more of a prominent spot in songs, but I feel like drums have always been full of fills and heavy sounds, flashy showmanship and fast chops... they're just different now. Bass, on the other hand, has gone beyond what it used to be, and really becomes something more in many bands these days, where the bass gets noticed and enjoyed, rather than just felt.

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Offline Sigz

  • BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13537
  • Gender: Male
  • THRONES FOR THE THRONE SKULL
 :lol Yeah Carey not Carry. I knew it wasn't right but I was looking at Barto's post when I typed it instead of what I was typing.
Quote
The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.

Offline KevShmev

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 41963
  • Gender: Male
  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?

In just the rock genre:

Peart
Bruford
Bonham
Palmer

Shall I go on? :biggrin:

No way in hell could Bonham play Harrison's or Carry's stuff.

Let's see Harrison or Carey play "When the Levee Breaks" on Bonham's old drum kit.  Ya know, the one with only bass drum. :biggrin:

Offline The Letter M

  • Posts: 15494
  • Gender: Male
  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?

In just the rock genre:

Peart
Bruford
Bonham
Palmer

Shall I go on? :biggrin:

No way in hell could Bonham play Harrison's or Carry's stuff.

Let's see Harrison or Carey play "When the Levee Breaks" on Bonham's old drum kit.  Ya know, the one with only bass drum. :biggrin:

Yeah, but it was a HUUUUUGE bass drum... Oh, and only 3 toms. But they were HUUUUUGE toms... I guess for Bonham, less was more, but bigger was better.

-Marc.
ATTENTION - HAKEN FANS! The HAKEN SURVIVOR 2023 has begun! You can check it out in the Polls/Survivors Forum!!!

Offline Sigz

  • BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13537
  • Gender: Male
  • THRONES FOR THE THRONE SKULL
I never got the love for the drums on the song.
Quote
The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.

Offline orcus116

  • DT.net Veteran
  • ****
  • Posts: 9599
Bonham was a good drummer but not a great one. Keith Moon played circles around him as far as I'm concerned.

Anyways, guitarists have improved the most. If I heard a guitarist of back in the day play anywhere close to what guitarists of today can play I would be shocked. Anyone voting keys is wrong. There are countless number of classically trained piano players that have had incredible technical skill for centuries.

Offline El Barto

  • Rascal Atheistic Pig
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 30572
  • Bad Craziness
  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?

In just the rock genre:

Peart
Bruford
Bonham
Palmer

Shall I go on? :biggrin:

No way in hell could Bonham play Harrison's or Carry's stuff.
Not Peart either.  He's one of my very favorite musicians, but I don't think he could play Anesthetize.  I considered Bruford, but same thing.  

And yes, Danny Carey.  Didn't have time to confirm the spelling.  
Argument, the presentation of reasonable views, never makes headway against conviction, and conviction takes no part in argument because it knows.
E.F. Benson

Offline kirbywelch92

  • Posts: 352
  • Gender: Male
You failed to mention Ian Paice in your list of 70's drummer's, especially considering that he's the best from that era :tup

Offline UnutterableSquid

  • Squiddus Maximus
  • Posts: 114
  • Eddie, what took you so long?
I'd probably say drums, which have gone from more or less just a standard beat to an active part of the music.

Although I personally like how the bass has progressed, the biggest difference does seem to lie with drums.

The Final Frontier - August 16th, 2010

Offline KevShmev

  • EZBoard Elder
  • *****
  • Posts: 41963
  • Gender: Male
  Who in the 70's could play what Carry and Harrison do today?

In just the rock genre:

Peart
Bruford
Bonham
Palmer

Shall I go on? :biggrin:

No way in hell could Bonham play Harrison's or Carry's stuff.
Not Peart either.  He's one of my very favorite musicians, but I don't think he could play Anesthetize.  I considered Bruford, but same thing.  

And yes, Danny Carey.  Didn't have time to confirm the spelling.  

Okay, I was more or less playing Devil's Advocate earlier, but I don't think the inability to play someone else's music automatically makes you inferior, which is seemingly what it is being implied here. 

And why is Danny Carey being put on such a pedestal here?  He is good, but not that good.

Offline sonatafanica

  • cocksucking maniac
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 4660
  • Gender: Female
  • ☠☠☠☠☠☠jesus take the wheel☠☠☠☠☠☠
The Purdie Shuffle is as far as drumming technique can go anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FX_84iWPLU

Offline Sigz

  • BLOOD FOR THE BLOOD GOD
  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 13537
  • Gender: Male
  • THRONES FOR THE THRONE SKULL
Quote
The world is a stage, but the play is badly cast.

Offline AwakeFromOctavarium

  • Posts: 1406
  • Gender: Male
  • Penguin wins by default.
The Purdie Shuffle is as far as drumming technique can go anyway.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6FX_84iWPLU
I came.
<br />Girls are like square roots; If they\\\'re under 18, do them in your head.<br />
You Americans feed the bears with bacon! That's why they've grown so ferocious!

Offline Failtality

  • Posts: 37
My answer may be different if I weren't doing this at about 1:15 AM, but I have to go with vocals. To me(although there were exceptions of course), the 80's seem to have had bands that used just one style of vocals each (or two similar styles), whether it be classic(ish) singing, growling, or something else. Now there're just so many different artists that incorporate many types of vocals into one piece of music. Back in the 80's you would be hard-pressed to find a band that incorporated a three-vocalist style as dynamic as that of Alesana (with all three using at least one style completely different from the others), or the contrasting male-female vocals of Lacuna Coil or Eyes Set To Kill.

There is no denying the advancements in guitar, drums, bass, or keyboards; but, to me vocals are the most extreme as far as advancing in the last twenty or so years.

Offline MetalManiac666

  • DTF.org Member
  • *
  • Posts: 2650
  • Gender: Male
Finally, someone who sees the truth.

Offline LTE

  • Posts: 617
  • Gender: Male


And why is Danny Carey being put on such a pedestal here?  He is good, but not that good.

No, he is that good.
We are a way for the universe to know itself.
 I suffer from moderate/severe Depersonalization.

Offline El Barto

  • Rascal Atheistic Pig
  • DTF.org Alumni
  • ****
  • Posts: 30572
  • Bad Craziness


And why is Danny Carey being put on such a pedestal here?  He is good, but not that good.

No, he is that good.
Yeah, pretty much.

Personally, I wouldn't call Peart inferior to Carey or Harrison; there are very few drummers I'd rather listen to.  I do think that drumming has progressed beyond the abilities of some of the great ones, which is the topic of discussion.

As a potential answer to my own question, perhaps Simon Phillips. 
Argument, the presentation of reasonable views, never makes headway against conviction, and conviction takes no part in argument because it knows.
E.F. Benson