Does one have to be a musician to truly appreciate and understand metal?

[Esteban]

And how the hell does knowing why something feels like it does even matter? Do you need to know the molecular make-up of a towel to critique the cloth that it is made of? If not, you don't know WHY it feels so soft and dries up water better than a sheet.

I agree, who gives a shit? If it sounds good and you enjoy it that's more than enough, that's appreciation.

 

[J.]

No, to think otherwise is just plain wrong.

 

[SculptedCold]

Luminous has posed the sound logical answer to this, and I agree fully.

 

[Jondur]

I've played piano for just over a year, and I'm doing Grade 5, but I still know absolutely fuck all when it comes to the theory side of things.

Yeah but won't you have to do your grade 5 theory before you can progress further? Or has that changed since I did mine (many many moons ago)

 

[SADUDE]

It depends on the extent to which you wish to discuss things. Some musicians don't deserved to be called that. However I would say people in the know of music theory know how much was put into the music. I have almost mastered tonal theory, and can tell you that on opeth use more complex harmonic arrangements than any other "metal" I've heard. Does one need to know that to rock out to morningrise? No. Musicians have a different language(theory) to explain things that the general listener talks about. I say shit like complex chord changes, modulation, dense harmony. The non-musician would be more inclined to refer to the same things as "atmosphere"(a word i use also ) Just because you know how much was put into the music doesn't mean you will get the same out from it either. I think I enjoy music at a higher level than I did pre-musician. Becoming a musician is what lead me to enjoying the various metal and classical sub-genres.
Another point is technicallity should mean nothing to the non-musician, and therefore would go unrecognized. But I for one don't care if a musician sits down and write their stuff thinking only of how hard it is to play(which doesn't make it good i.e. Malmsteen)
THere is a fine line between the likes of mastering composition(Opeth) and being technically flawless(Cryptopsy). These things are harder to distinguish to the non-musician. I think there are more things to appreciate when you are a musician that you probably wouldn't fully pick up on if you weren't but for the most part everyone is listening to the same thing and both can enjoy the same piece of music and get completely different but equally valid things out of it. Understanding and appreciation aren't directly correlated.

 

[no country for old wainds]

Yeah but won't you have to do your grade 5 theory before you can progress further? Or has that changed since I did mine (many many moons ago)

I don't know, heh, I don't get informed about these things.