Missing the Point

[Marvellous G]

This might come across as sounding superior but that's not my intent.

Basically I have several friends who like Metallica so I'm sort-of-trying-to-get-them-into-DT at the minute with moderate success. I was pleased with this until I realised some of them would, for example, skip the intro of Octavarium, maybe fast forwarding a few sections of it too. One extreme case is someone who actually skipped to the 'Trapped Inside This Octavarium' bit, and only listened to that. Now I'm all for listening how you want, but that really does seem to be missing the whole point of that section to me. Similarly with Metallica I'm hearing of people skipping the intros to songs like One and Blackened. Is it just me, or is the kind of person that would ideally listen to progressive music the opposite to the kind of person that would want to skip said progressive sections? [/rant over]

[mizzl]

I agree. A piece of progressive music isn't just a piece of progressive music, it's a whole musical story. You can't skip the intro.

[LTE]

I completely agree. I have friends that almost always listen to albums start to finish. And they like what DT i've showed them, but complain that the songs are too long..

But skipping to certain parts in songs, so annoying.

[millahh]

I skip over those parts in 8vm, as well...when I ever even listen to it.  I just don't like it.

[TL]

I'll skip to certain parts of songs sometimes, even for songs where I'll normally listen to the whole thing.
I know that especially when I was first getting into progressive music, I skipped parts of songs all the time. I almost never do now. If it helps someone get into prog, it's fine, since they'll eventually get past that stage.

[blackngold29]

I don't skip parts of songs. Doesn't shock me that some people do though. Not sure if I'd rather they skip parts or just listen to the radio because it's the same thing, it's gimme the good part now, 87 times in a row. There's no easing into it.

[Marvellous G]

I suppose it is fine if they're getting into prog, but to do skip to the 'trapped inside' bit seems to negate the point of it, even if the listener's new to the song, which said friends aren't.

[hefdaddy42]

The only point is to enjoy the music.  If that's how he enjoys the song, there's no reason to listen to the rest of it.

I always skip the outro of Misunderstood.  I dislike it and find that it ruins the song.  Therefore I don't listen to it.

[BlobVanDam]

They're enjoying DT, they can listen to it how they want. Maybe once they get more into it, they'll go back and give the sections another chance, but forcing them is just going to annoy them, so I say let them be and be glad they're enjoying the music you like to some degree.

[Adami]

I always skip the intro to 8VM, especially the live version.

How can you sit through the whole live intro?

[juice]

I always skip the intro to 8VM, especially the live version.

How can you sit through the whole live intro?

[hefdaddy42]

I always skip the intro to 8VM, especially the live version.

How can you sit through the whole live intro?

I must admit, I usually skip through it, even though I like it.

[SilentFox]

On the topic of how a person should listen to prog, it is equally as annoying when people listen to the song, get to the epic part, then rewind and play the epic part again, and again, and again.  If the artist wanted the song to be listened to that way, they would have just written it that way.

[ZBomber]

I always skip the intro to 8VM, especially the live version.

How can you sit through the whole live intro?

I must admit, I usually skip through it, even though I like it.

The intro to the song is what hooked me to the live version initially.

And a little off topic, but I hate when people listen to songs but will only listen to part of it before skipping to another part. Musical ADHD lol

[LTE]

There was a group on Facebook entitled "I change the song halfway through to listen to more songs cause I LOVE MUSIC!'

facepalm

[cramx3]

Well the only part of any DT song I skip is the continuum solo to star 8VM. I don't always skip it and I don't hate it, but it gets boring to me to listen to regularly. So I can understand skipping parts to an extent, but your friends are skipping practically the entire song. That would bother me a bit, but like other people said, you have to let them enjoy it they way they want to.

[Arcaeus]

I skip over those parts in 8vm, as well...when I ever even listen to it.  I just don't like it.

[sonatafanica]

So many of you fail. Hard.

[Arcaeus]

Well, see, I love the intro, but I try to listen to the song, enjoy up to the travesy that is Full Circle (although the instrumental section is decent), try not to laugh at the chorus and skip to Intervals (which is equally as laughable, but still cool).

I just don't like pretentious, overblown pseudo-intellectual prog metal epics.

The only point is to enjoy the music.  If that's how he enjoys the song, there's no reason to listen to the rest of it.

I think like this,

I agree. A piece of progressive music isn't just a piece of progressive music, it's a whole musical story. You can't skip the intro.

Not like this, which I find ridiculous. Music is music, and I would not choose prog-metal as the genre that goes beyond that, whether or not the music is more technical and less poppy, the concept is more "intellectually profound", whatever. But if you enjoy it more that way, more power to you!

[LTE]

I just don't like pretentious, overblown pseudo-intellectual prog metal epics.

How is it pseudo-intellectual and pretentious?? Just because it's long and has a concept within it?

[Rina]

I think if you're skipping parts of the song, you aren't getting the full song as a whole. You're missing a part of it. Obviously they put it there for a reason.   

[hefdaddy42]

If they're skipping it, then they've heard it before and don't like it.

[El JoNNo]

Some people like what they like, at least that like is DT. I skip parts of songs all the time. I have been a fan for many years and have listened to DT's songs thousands of times, some parts wear thin on me more then others.

[Plasmastrike]

I think if you're skipping parts of the song, you aren't getting the full song as a whole. You're missing a part of it. Obviously they put it there for a reason.   

Obviously you're "missing a part of it", but you're not "missing the point", as some are saying. The point is to enjoy the music, period. Let everyone be.

[Marvellous G]

I seriously think that with the specific example of skipping to 'trapped inside' in Octavarium, you really are missing the point of the section, even if that's how you enjoy it. It's like having an orgasm without even having an erection first. 

[Kyo]

I was pleased with this until I realised some of them would, for example, skip the intro of Octavarium, maybe fast forwarding a few sections of it too. One extreme case is someone who actually skipped to the 'Trapped Inside This Octavarium' bit, and only listened to that. Now I'm all for listening how you want, but that really does seem to be missing the whole point of that section to me.

If I listen to Octavarium, I usually skip the first twelve minutes or so
simply because I find them quite boring. Sometimes I just listen to
the finale because it's so cool. It's been a while since I've done that,
because having to skip sections to increase enjoyment of a piece
isn't really that much fun. It speaks for the quality of DT's writing in
their better moments that I bother to do this (with other bands I usually
don't bother playing such uneven songs at all), but I really wish they
would be more consistent so that I wouldn't feel the need to do this.

Having said that...

I always skip the outro of Misunderstood.  I dislike it and find that it ruins the song.  Therefore I don't listen to it.

For me that's the only song on Six Degrees that is perfect from start to finish.

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

I seriously think that with the specific example of skipping to 'trapped inside' in Octavarium, you really are missing the point of the section, even if that's how you enjoy it. It's like having an orgasm without even having an erection first. 

Good analogy.

[cthrubuoy]

I always skip the intro to 8VM, especially the live version.

How can you sit through the whole live intro?

I must admit, I usually skip through it, even though I like it.

I like to watch it, but yes I usually skip listening to it.

[Global Laziness]

Musical ADHD lol

People with this "condition" drive me up the wall. I generally prefer to listen to an entire song rather than skipping parts of it, but I can see how some people might have trouble with prog music. I was listening to Porcupine Tree's psychedelic/progressive song Voyage 34 with some friends back in December and there was a pretty mixed opinion as to whether or not it was an awesome proggy/trippy experience or a boring and repetitive jam session.

[Metropolis Pt. II]

Musical ADHD lol

People with this "condition" drive me up the wall.

Agreed 100%. It's just like putting in a movie, then skipping to the epic battle sequence near the end. Wtf is that all about. Yeah, you have the freedom to do such a thing, but it ruins the whole point of the entire work of art. 

[AwakeFromOctavarium]

I always try not to skip parts, but there are times when you just want to change the song you're listening to. But that's a different case

[hefdaddy42]

Musical ADHD lol

People with this "condition" drive me up the wall.

Agreed 100%. It's just like putting in a movie, then skipping to the epic battle sequence near the end. Wtf is that all about. Yeah, you have the freedom to do such a thing, but it ruins the whole point of the entire work of art. 

If the entire work of art doesn't float your boat, then why would you suffer through it?

[cthrubuoy]

But then isn't that similar to only wanting to see the bottom left of the Mona Lisa?

[millahh]

But then isn't that similar to only wanting to see the bottom left of the Mona Lisa?

No.

Especially since more than 15% of the Mona Lisa is enjoyable.

Of course, i solve the problem altogether by not even having listened to 8vm in about four years.

[RazielSR]

I was,some years ago, one of that kind of people. Now I replay that parts.