Emotions in music

[PH]

Yesterday evening a friend of mine visited me and she told me that she was planning to paint four pictures. Each one of these pictures represents an emotion. Fear, anger, joy and sadness.

It fascinated me and I thought about emotions in all kind of things. What do you feel when you look at certain plants, or what do you feel when you're in a small corridor, or standing in the sun.
Everything gives you an emotion.
For example, when I stand in the sun I feel an emotion of joy. When I am in a small and dark corridor I feel fear, or maybe sadness too.

In music we also have these emotions.
Arena for example is based heavily on fear and sadness. And with the addition of Rob Sowden we have a certain amount of anger in the songs too! Joy however is not something that fits Arena.

A.C.T on the other hand is more 'happy' music, so I would classify them with the emotion called "joy". The music makes me happy.

Now, I give you these four emotions anger, joy, fear and sadness.
We have all these prog bands and it's up to you to put these bands to ONE (EDIT: Ok, two, but no more!) emotion(s), based on overall view. The emotion that has the highest priority so to say.
Is Porcupine Tree anger, joy, fear or sadness?
Is Dream Theater anger, joy, fear or sadness?
etc.

This could give a nice discussion, because without a doubt there will be different opinions about this!


-Paco

EDIT:

According to PH:
Arena: anger & fear
Dream Theater: anger & sadness
Porcupine Tree: fear & sadness
Spock's Beard: joy

According to Appelmoes??:
Arena: joy & sadness
Dream Theater: anger & sadness
Spock's Beard: joy & sadness

[Appelmoes??]

I find some songs of Arena actually VERY uplifting, Like overcoming a difficulty. Cutting the Cards/Ascention and Jericho for example. But indeed, the main mood or emotion would be a grim one. But let's make a list:

Dreamtheater (how they are today): Anger and sadness
Arena - Sadness and Joy
Spock's Beard - Sadness and Joy

Hmm, I can't seem to pinpoint one emotion for a band...

That's a good thing, prog is way to complex to label it

[PH]

Ok then.
You can give a minimum of one and a maximum of two emotions for band.

It's not about lyrics only, and not about music only.
It's about the effect of a combination.
And it's an OVERALL VIEW of the band, so not "well this song is very joyful, so I say joy" and then the rest of the album gives an emotion of sadness.

Thanks Appelmoes??!

-Paco

[Bupie]

Arena - Sadness and Joy
Spock's Beard - Sadness and Joy

Hmm, I can't seem to pinpoint one emotion for a band...

That's a good thing, prog is way to complex to label it

The paradox is that you can enjoy -and sometimes get uplifted by- a music which is sad to the core ! DT's MOLS or even more obviously Marillion's Sugar Mice are not what you would call happy songs but they are SO moving that I get uplifted to the idea to listen to them ...

[bluepony]

According to PH:
Arena: anger & fear

According to Appelmoes??:
Arena: joy & sadness

Hmm... I understand both of you, although at first sight the emotions seem to contradict each other quite a bit. I personally always felt Arena's music very uplifting and happy, whereas the lyrics are rather dark and depressing, yet the combination of both creates a feeling that varies from song to song - also depending very much on the way Rob sings. Does that make any sense? 

[PH]

But how many happy Arena songs are there?
I'm sure that there are more dark and depressing songs than happy songs.
To be honest...


-Paco

[Appelmoes??]

Let's categorize then... Ph, go ahead

[Appelmoes??]

Talking about emotions in music, The Human Equation is pretty straight forward

[PH]

Talking about emotions in music, The Human Equation is pretty straight forward

LOL, since that album is all about emotions, I guess we won't have a choice and can put it in all four emotion categories.
But that doesn't count since we're talking bands here, not albums.

-Paco

[Appelmoes??]

And it would be a project anyway

[PH]

Well, haven't thought about that, but now you mention it, you're right.
Ayreon is not a band, it's a project...

It's the best musical project I know.

[bluepony]

But how many happy Arena songs are there?
I'm sure that there are more dark and depressing songs than happy songs.
To be honest...

-Paco

Mind you, I was differentiating between music and lyrics. I know that it takes both to make a song, and like I said, it's always the combination of both that creates a special atmosphere that varies from song to song. Some are sad, some are angry, but even so some of them make me feel happy (especially some of the instrumentals), although they in itself may not be very happy songs. Er... a bit confusing, I admit... but do you know what I mean?

For example, I personally find "I Spy" has a very happy melody, but of course the lyrics aren't very happy.
"Ascension" on the other hand has rather positive lyrics, so maybe this qualifies as a happy song?

[johninblack]

Hmm... I understand both of you, although at first sight the emotions seem to contradict each other quite a bit. I personally always felt Arena's music very uplifting and happy, whereas the lyrics are rather dark and depressing, yet the combination of both creates a feeling that varies from song to song - also depending very much on the way Rob sings. Does that make any sense? 

For example, I personally find "I Spy" has a very happy melody, but of course the lyrics aren't very happy.
"Ascension" on the other hand has rather positive lyrics, so maybe this qualifies as a happy song?

Totally sums up my feelings on Arena's music and lyrics.

[bluepony]

Phew - so that means I'm not alone! 

[PH]

Hmmm, I was digging up some of my old threads.
I wonder if there's anyone in 2013 who has something to say about this subject.



(I think it's nice to read back a few old topics once in a while, especially when the rest of the time it's only 'Now Playing' etc...)

[Peter]

I will do with a quote:

Emotion - I remember.

[Draco chimera]

I particularly love one type of emotion that music sometimes make you feel. It is that feeling you get (generally during the last song of an album) that somehow, you are standing at the end. For example, songs like Ascension, Closer by IQ or the outro to Goodnight, Travel Well by The Killers (which is kind of progressive in my opinion, and one of their best songs) give you this impression that you have completed some kind of journey, that you made it through. It makes me feel like I'm looking back at the road I've travelled with the artist throughout the album and gives me a strange sensation of relief.
In a different way, The Tinder Box also deliver an "end" feeling as soon as you hear the first notes, but this time it is more filled with regrets and bitterness - a bit like the first part of Goodnight, Travel Well.
Two ways to make you understand this is the end, yet two totally different emotions. Ain't that great?