Just thought I'd make a thread for instrumental music. Any genre. What do you like to listen to when you're in an instrumental mood?
I'd wager a good 70% of the music I listen to regularly is instrumental, usually new age, space music, Berlin School, ambient, and otherwise electronic stuff.
I also like a lot of swing and big band instrumentals, 50s and 60s lounge music, and occasionally chillout instrumental hip hop and post/math rock stuff.
Like Mrs. Waffles, a lot of what I listen to is instrumental. The biggest chunk of that is probably jazz (mostly hard bop, post bop, free jazz, and jazz funk), but a lot is also electronic (especially IDM, trip hop, downtempo, and vintage synth stuff) and metal (doom and drone).
Over the past several years, I find myself listening to a lot more instrumental music than I used to. Surf-rock, jazz, ambient, film scores, psych-rock, soul, funk, lounge, exotica, and various styles of Latin music. Probably 50 to 60 percent of the music I listen to these days is instrumental.
Here's one I stumbled across this morning while I was online. An instrumental version of a song I've been very familiar with since it was first released...
QuoteMy original idea for the opening tracks for 'Houses of the Holy' was that a short overture would be a rousing instrumental introduction with layered electric guitars that would segue in to 'The Seasons', later to be titled 'The Rain Song'. Again there would be a contrasting acoustic guitar instrumental movement with melotron that could lead to the first vocal of the album and the first verse of the song.
'The Seasons' was a memo to myself as a reminder of the sequence of the song and various ideas I'd had for it in its embryonic stage. I'd worked on it over one evening at home. During the routining of the overture now titled 'The Plumpton and Worcester Races', the half time section was born and the overture shaped in to the song, 'The Song Remains The Same'. These rehearsals were done in Puddle Town on the River Piddle in Dorset, UK.
The first set of recordings were done at Olympic Studios with George Chkiantz.
We then came to record at Stargroves, Sir Mick Jagger's country home, and, like Headley Grange, with the Rolling Stones recording truck.
'The Song Remains The Same' was played on a Fender 12 string, the same one used on Becks Bolero, with my trusty Les Paul number 1 on overdubs in a standard turning. The 'Rain Song' was an unorthodox tuning on acoustic and electric guitars. On live shows, it became a work-out feature for the double neck.
- Jimmy Page
I'd say 70% for me too... Ambient, post-rock, IDM, neoclassical, minimal techno, turntablism, downtempo, drum'n'bass, psytrance/goa trance, psychill, progressive trance.
mostly folk.
for example:1)
Blazin' Fiddles are an instrumental band from scotland.
Dancing on the Moon
by Blazin' Fiddlesfrom the album "the old style"
2)
Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach from scotland, discovered them a few years ago from bandcamp.
The Shores of Loch Gowna: Moll Ha'Penny / The Shores of Loch Gowna / Merrily Kiss the Quaker's Wife
by Charlie Grey and Joseph Peach3)
Jennifer & Hazel Wrigley a duo from scotland
Utiseta: Roseness / Churchill Barriers / Deerness Reel
by Jennifer & Hazel Wrigleyfrom the album "skyran"
One of my favorite guitarists covering "Malagueña" by Ernesto Lecuona...
Roy Clark - Malaguena
My favorite San Diego based heavy-psych band, kicking up a storm at Desert Daze in 2018...
Earthless - Volt Rush
Generally, I like early sixties surf instrumentals in particular. My favorites have to be these two though. Pretty well known.
I once saw 'Booker T. & the MG's' play with Neil Young as his backing band and they played "Green Onions" for the encore.
Here's my total playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7e2Ww2FZGLQSGFm0Kj09qb?si=Cdg7ppJLScqXKCGVmqaRMQ
And for just one song:
It could be anything at any given time, really - but most recently, tracks from Alice Coltrane's Reflections On Creation and Space, Isaac Hayes's Instrumentals, Sun Ra's Sleeping Beauty, The Caretaker's An Empty Bliss Beyond This World and Roland Kirk's Rip, Rig & Panic have been in rotation.
I just let the jukebox pick but I have a lot of instrumental stuff in any genre you can think of. Sometimes I don't even notice there aren't any lyrics.
Jealous of your jukebox
@larsvsnapster! ;)
One of my favorite instrumentals from Bowie.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WAXpMTE_sY
Now listening to "Galatea's Guitar" by guitarist Gábor Szabó, whose music comprised Hungarian, Gypsy jazz, Indian and pop elements. Guiro textures courtesy of percussionist Hal Gordon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrH8-PHjyGE
Paul McCartney, London Symphony Orchestra and Lorna Mar Quartet -
Working Classicalhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rEBOakqRXFs&list=OLAK5uy_nwUHpqr1gkUa8ZJ_jyno_jkcLt8QaLzbI&index=7
This playlist by sonemic.com (a.k.a rateyourmusic.com) is my go-to playlist when working:
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1PYLCMJlYimZJvJuJOZ2Rm?si=cefed4fd5d104a13 (https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1PYLCMJlYimZJvJuJOZ2Rm?si=cefed4fd5d104a13)
It's over 63 hours of instrumental music spanning almost every genre you can think of, and varies from well-known artists to the more obscure.
Quote from: ribbons on Nov 18, 2023, 06:57 PMNow listening to "Galatea's Guitar" by guitarist Gábor Szabó, whose music comprised Hungarian, Gypsy jazz, Indian and pop elements. Guiro textures courtesy of percussionist Hal Gordon.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrH8-PHjyGE
That's not only one of my all-time favorite instrumental albums, it's also my favorite album by Gábor Szabó.
My initial reaction when I saw this thread was, "Right! I love instrumental music!" , but after glancing at my cds and music files, I have to revise that downwards. Contrary to Psy-Fi, who now listens to more instrumental music, I've gone in the opposite direction:-
I used to listen to lots of acoustic guitar albums: Fahey, Kottke and the lesser known Stefan Grossman or John James
Also used to listen to a lot of Tangerine Dream and early electronica. Anyone remember Bo Hanson?
Some elec blues guitarists have what are essentially instrumental albums, with lyrics confined to one or two tracks: Roy Buchanan, Dereck Trucks, Danny Gatton.
Then there's a whole bunch of jazz stuff and world music, which I'm more inclined to listen to today, but that would take a long time to list out.
Bottom line: I'm not a purist about instrumental music, but I often listen and re-listen to music because of the instrumental sections it has - a good example being my fave band, The Allman Brothers: short verse + llllooooonnnggg instrumental sections + short verse. That's a song structure I really like, where the lyrics are reduced to bookends that work well, just to tether the song back to the ground, and let in a bit of human content as well, which is something I yearn for if I've been listening to too much TDream. (Sorry, Mrs. Waffles :shycouch: )
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Dec 04, 2023, 03:25 PMMy initial reaction when I saw this thread was, "Right! I love instrumental music!" , but after glancing at my cds and music files, I have to revise that downwards. Contrary to Psy-Fi, who now listens to more instrumental music, I've gone in the opposite direction:-
I used to listen to lots of acoustic guitar albums: Fahey, Kottke and the lesser known Stefan Grossman or John James
Also used to listen to a lot of Tangerine Dream and early electronica. Anyone remember Bo Hanson?
Some elec blues guitarists have what are essentially instrumental albums, with lyrics confined to one or two tracks: Roy Buchanan, Dereck Trucks, Danny Gatton.
Then there's a whole bunch of jazz stuff and world music, which I'm more inclined to listen to today, but that would take a long time to list out.
Bottom line: I'm not a purist about instrumental music, but I often listen and re-listen to music because of the instrumental sections it has - a good example being my fave band, The Allman Brothers: short verse + llllooooonnnggg instrumental sections + short verse. That's a song structure I really like, where the lyrics are reduced to bookends that work well, just to tether the song back to the ground, and let in a bit of human content as well, which is something I yearn for if I've been listening to too much TDream. (Sorry, Mrs. Waffles :shycouch: )
Perfectly fair! Personally I feel a very powerful humanity and organic quality in the analog synthesizer music of TD and other 70s electronic artists, certainly compared to a lot of electronic music of the computer era. But I see what you mean.
And I absolutely adore Bo Hansson, a hidden gem of instrumental prog. Now I have a craving to listen to some of his stuff, so thanks!
(https://i.postimg.cc/26bf4FqN/TOL.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Dominic Frontiere - The Outer Limits (Original 1963 TV Soundtrack)
Top-notch instrumental music for a top-notch sci-fi series from a top-notch composer. 'Nuff said.
^ I don't think that program aired on British tv, and so the music didn't have much impact over there.
Quote from: Mrs. Waffles on Dec 04, 2023, 03:33 PMPerfectly fair! Personally I feel a very powerful humanity and organic quality in the analog synthesizer music of TD and other 70s electronic artists, certainly compared to a lot of electronic music of the computer era. But I see what you mean.
Quite right, Mrs.Waffles. I'd be a fool to suggest that instrumental music cannot express the human spirit. One track I find particularly uplifting is
The Heavenly Music Corporation. As that's only 20 mins or so of music, I also play the live double album,
Air Structures, which provides more of the same:-
QuoteAnd I absolutely adore Bo Hansson, a hidden gem of instrumental prog. Now I have a craving to listen to some of his stuff, so thanks!
HaHa! Enjoy! I was about 17 when that album came out, and me and my best buddy would often spend a weekend afternoon playing chess, with
Lord Of The Rings or
Days Of Future Passed playing in the background: anything too much like rock would interfere with our concentration, ditto too many lyrics!
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Dec 04, 2023, 04:55 PM^ I don't think that program aired on British tv, and so the music didn't have much impact over there.
It was similar to 'The Twilight Zone' but with a bit more of a sci-fi orientation overall. And every bit as good in the writing, directing, and acting as far as I'm concerned.
Quote from: Psy-Fi on Dec 04, 2023, 04:20 PM(https://i.postimg.cc/26bf4FqN/TOL.jpg) (https://postimages.org/)
Dominic Frontiere - The Outer Limits (Original 1963 TV Soundtrack)
Top-notch instrumental music for a top-notch sci-fi series from a top-notch composer. 'Nuff said.
Frontière is remarkable. I remembered hearing him on the smoothest library tracks, such as 'Embassy Row', which I would suggest Mr. & Mrs. Waffles put on just before
Modern Sound Quartet at their upcoming party, as guests arrive and wait to be ushered into the cocktail lounge.
I do like how the bass confidently picks up midway through. Steady on, bassy. Ribbons, you may enjoy this one.
99% of my listening is instrumental as well. Mostly ambient drones, frippertronics, field recordings, and process/tape music.
But I'll share three highly-accessible tracks for those not necessarily into those scenes. These are the most famous singles from Simon Jeffes' ensemble, Penguin Cafe Orchestra. A few of these have turned up in off-beat cinema like
Napoleon Dynamite and
The Handmaid's Tale series.
The band's sound is not easily categorized, having elements of exuberant folk music and a minimalist aesthetic occasionally reminiscent of composers such as Philip Glass.
Describing how the idea of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra came to him, Jeffes said:
In 1972 I was in the south of France. I had eaten some bad fish and was in consequence rather ill. As I lay in bed I had a strange recurring vision, there, before me, was a concrete building like a hotel or council block. I could see into the rooms, each of which was continually scanned by an electronic eye. In the rooms were people, everyone of them preoccupied. In one room a person was looking into a mirror and in another a couple were making love but lovelessly, in a third a composer was listening to music through earphones. Around him there were banks of electronic equipment. But all was silence. Like everyone in his place he had been neutralized, made grey and anonymous. The scene was for me one of ordered desolation. It was as if I were looking into a place which had no heart. Next day when I felt better, I was on the beach sunbathing and suddenly a poem popped into my head. It started out 'I am the proprietor of the Penguin Cafe, I will tell you things at random' and it went on about how the quality of randomness, spontaneity, surprise, unexpectedness and irrationality in our lives is a very precious thing. And if you suppress that to have a nice orderly life, you kill off what's most important. Whereas in the Penguin Cafe your unconscious can just be. It's acceptable there, and that's how everybody is. There is an acceptance there that has to do with living the present with no fear in ourselves."Perpetuum Mobile"
"Music For A Found Harmonium"
"Telephone and Rubber Band" (famously-sampled by Spacehog for the intro to their alt-rock hit, "In the Meantime")
^ That's a curious insight into the workings of Simon Jeffes' mind, ISB !
Yes those are three great tracks from PCO: so impeccably put together, and so irresistible.
Here's a slower, beautiful piece, worth posting if only to show the
Signs Of Life cd cover:-
Quote from: Saulaac on Dec 06, 2023, 04:03 PMFrontière is remarkable. I remembered hearing him on the smoothest library tracks, such as 'Embassy Row', which I would suggest Mr. & Mrs. Waffles put on just before Modern Sound Quartet at their upcoming party, as guests arrive and wait to be ushered into the cocktail lounge.
I do like how the bass confidently picks up midway through. Steady on, bassy. Ribbons, you may enjoy this one.
:laughing: That comment of yours really made me laugh, Saulaac! TBH I needed your heads up as I all but missed the bass as I was waiting for a Jack Bruce type riff to burst in.
How about Andreas Vollenweider? During a particularly romantic time for me, my co-listener and I would hardly go a day without playing either some PCO or the
Dancing With The Lion album:
I love me some Vollenweider. White Winds was either on my 100 list or one of the 30 or so that I cut, but yeah he rules. Great shout,
@Lisnaholic !
Hey! Glad to hear that you like him too, Mrs.Waffles! :thumb: I remember White Winds too, and I remember thinking how consistent and reliable he was. Those may not be adjectives that muscians are hoping to hear about themselves, but it counts for a lot if your album is good from start to finish, with no disappointments or tracks that you want to skip.
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Dec 07, 2023, 01:19 AM^ That's a curious insight into the workings of Simon Jeffes' mind, ISB !
Yes those are three great tracks from PCO: so impeccably put together, and so irresistible.
Here's a slower, beautiful piece, worth posting if only to show the Signs Of Life cd cover:-
:laughing: That comment of yours really made me laugh, Saulaac! TBH I needed your heads up as I all but missed the bass as I was waiting for a Jack Bruce type riff to burst in.
How about Andreas Vollenweider? During a particularly romantic time for me, my co-listener and I would hardly go a day without playing either some PCO or the Dancing With The Lion album:
Hehe, I had a chuckly moment writing it, Lisna. :D
Thanks for reminding me of Jack Bruce. Only properly heard him in a couple of things like "A Gathering of Minds" with Billy Cobham and "Spirit" (Old Grey Whistle Test). Need to check his discog.
:thumb:
I'm not too familiar with his jazzier excursions or his post-Cream albums, Saulaac.
This, however is my favourite live clip of a bass player taking centre-stage for a song.
(In fact, if you listen carefully, you can hear Clapton saying,
"Steady on, Brucey" at one point.)
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Dec 07, 2023, 10:58 PM:thumb:
I'm not too familiar with his jazzier excursions or his post-Cream albums, Saulaac.
This, however is my favourite live clip of a bass player taking centre-stage for a song.
(In fact, if you listen carefully, you can hear Clapton saying, "Steady on, Brucey" at one point.)
^That's incredible, Lisna, thanks for posting it! Really really enjoyed the heaviness of the song. Is this blues rock?
After multiple listens, I'm sorry that I didn't catch where Clapton says "Steady on, Brucey". I was perhaps too transfixed by other things such as the drummer. Please give us a clue!
Monsieur Smeenus, didn't receive, please could you attempt your publication once more, cheers.
Quote from: Saulaac on Dec 09, 2023, 01:49 AMMonsieur Smeenus, didn't receive, please could you attempt your publication once more, cheers.
Sure
^ Good to see you here, Paul ! That Steve Morse track is an impressive display of playing technique.
I hope you'll post for us again soon; do you remember when you and I were sharing videos on MB about plate tectonics? Good times. :)
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Quote from: Saulaac on Dec 09, 2023, 12:52 AM^That's incredible, Lisna, thanks for posting it! Really really enjoyed the heaviness of the song. Is this blues rock?
After multiple listens, I'm sorry that I didn't catch where Clapton says "Steady on, Brucey". I was perhaps too transfixed by other things such as the drummer. Please give us a clue!
^ Yep, definitely blues/rock, Saulaac, and I'm very glad you enjoyed it. The passion of Jack Bruce's performance just sweeps me away every time.
I must apologize, because at no point does Clapton say
"Steady on, Brucey"; I'm afraid I assumed you'd realize that was a joke, and had no intention of tricking you. Also, at no point does Clapton say,
"Steady on, Drum Boy!", even though, as usual, Ginger Baker is drumming like a man possessed!
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Here's a piece of instrumental music from India: traditional, but played by superstar violinist L. Subramaniam who has collaborated in a jazzier style with people like Stephane Grappelli, Stanley Clarke, and Jean Luc Ponty.
Whatever I say about this track, I can't improve on this comment left by one YouTube listener:-
QuoteWhen I listening this music, i get soft hit to my heart, and from heart that feeling walk to my mind
If you like the sound of
"Raga Bahudari", you would prob love this album, if you are able to find it:-
(https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/x5MAAOSwhadlRotX/s-l1600.jpg)
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Dec 09, 2023, 04:04 PM^ Good to see you here, Paul ! That Steve Morse track is an impressive display of playing technique.
I hope you'll post for us again soon; do you remember when you and I were sharing videos on MB about plate tectonics? Good times. :)
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^ Yep, definitely blues/rock, Saulaac, and I'm very glad you enjoyed it. The passion of Jack Bruce's performance just sweeps me away every time.
I must apologize, because at no point does Clapton say "Steady on, Brucey" ; I'm afraid I assumed you'd realize that was a joke, and had no intention of tricking you. Also, at no point does Clapton say, "Steady on, Drum Boy!", even though, as usual, Ginger Baker is drumming like a man possessed!
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Oh shi, what a plonker I am ;D I was thinking he must have had a catchphrase and everyone knew him as "Steady on Brucey" or something.
Next time I'll probably congratulate you on a good joke and you'll have to explain to me that you were in fact being deadly serious :laughing:
Quote from: Lisnaholic on Dec 09, 2023, 04:04 PMThat Steve Morse track is an impressive display of playing technique
Hopefully you caught Morse's joke, Tumeni Notes = Too Many Notes :}
Quote from: Paul Smeenus on Dec 10, 2023, 06:56 AMHopefully you caught Morse's joke, Tumeni Notes = Too Many Notes :}
Thanks Paul! No, that completely passed me by. Between Saulaac and me, one thing is statistically clear: people who like instrumental music are terrible at getting jokes. :(
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Instead of whole genres in general, I guess what I like are certain individual instrumental albums. Although it has some words, I would 100% rec Moondog's
Elpmas album. Here is a great way to begin your Sunday morning :-
I am a huge fan of Moondog!
Mr. Scruff sampled him on his downtempo electronica track, "Get a Move On" which I use as a ringtone and never fails to get everyone in the cafe line dancing when it goes off.
I attended an annual record faire and was escorted by a record store owner who knows my taste to a booth with an original 1953 pressing of Moondog's debut 10" LP! It absolutely went home with me.
I also made sure to get his 1969 self-titled LP and his biography.
Most recently, during a trip to my old home town I made a pilgrimage to my favorite record shop. I told the staff I was on a mission, knowing that the Shop had always been my #1 source for 20th-century classical minimalism and electroacoustic avant-garde recordings.
I quickly penned a list of the original pressings which had eluded me and my collection for the past 20 years just in case they had any of the titles in store that day.
Sure enough, just the evening prior Moondog's 1971 second self-titled LP had come in! There is some ringwear to the jacket but the disc is pristine. And it was only pressed once more than 50 years ago so I knew I had to buy it on the spot.
There is a Moondog biopic in production titled, The Viking of 6th Avenue. I'm looking forward to seeing it!
(https://i.imgur.com/V3ClKxzl.jpg)
(https://i.imgur.com/jifxdAnl.jpg)
Once again, your collections and knowledge are on-another-level impressive, ISB. :clap:
What I have myself is a kind of "Best of.." cd that I made from tracks downloaded to MP3 format, so zero value to anyone but me. I did, however, start with "Single Foot" (1951) by Moondog and his Honking Geese , so the cd picks up some obscure tracks and delivers them in a format that I can regularly listen to in the car. So Moondog lives on in Mexico, especially when, windows down, I stop at traffic lights and other drivers look across with a puzzled expression.
Instrumental music with unusual instruments sometimes catches my eye (or ear). Vincent Gémignani developed this instrument called the bronté, which gives off high echoey chimes. I can't tell if it is scraped or struck.
(https://i.ibb.co/Nr9C2c9/Vincent-G-mignani.jpg) (https://ibb.co/HCt4T5t)
Quote from: Dianne W on Feb 19, 2024, 10:59 PM
That's one of my all-time favorites.
And on a side note... one of the times I went to see Robby Krieger play live, he said that the Doors song 'Riders on the Storm' was created from a jam session one day while they were trying to play '(Ghost) Riders in the Sky.'
Ageless for Me at the time, but as years pass like it does, music styles will come and evolve often, we want to listen though, and some that wow us and some might leave us cold, but we love to dig in and try out, that's what music does for me the discovery of something we missed out on that wow's me, whether old....has happened often to me....or new.
One of my favourites by these guys, but weirdly it's not on YouTube 🤔
Norwegian avant-prog ❤️
https://m.soundcloud.com/panzerpappa-music/bati-la-takton