Theory
This page will remain indeterminately under construction. Comments are very much welcome.

I, like many others, have given much thought to the Theory of Musical Relativity. By that, I mean the notion that certain aspects of music can be compartmentalized in an attempt to discover patterns to further enhance our ability to discern precisely what properties are shared by the music we like. Certain projects, such as Pandora, have taken a very scientific approach, relying on the most micro of properties, from vocal tonalities to degrees of vamping. Other sources, such as All Music Guide, simply list bands they deem are similar enough in style to your favorites for you to check out.

I've opted for my own novel approach. I present to you: Aesthetics.

I should note that this approach is by every means anecdotal, and if little is shared in common with me, this will likely result in a useless guide. On the flipside, if you and I share a lot in common (likely the reason you ended up here in the first place), this may very well be a veritable goldmine to further your music interests.

My idea for Aesthetics started when I began discovering patterns among my favorite songs. Over the last three years, I've given the idea constant thought, and I've been able to discern several commonalities. Here are the basic templates at which I've arrived:

ether - characterized by that sense of soaring through the sky

bombast - characterized by pulsing, powerful instrumentation

roar - characterized by vocal dynamics that sink into swelling instrumentation

crash - characterized by the climax of instrumentation

highwire - characterized by the tinge of high tones

flow - characterized by a quick, steady burst of instrumentation

rocksteady - characterized by a hypnotic element of instrumentation

zone - characterized by gentle instrumentation over a dream-like soundscape

running - characterized by a continuous, repititive element of instrumentation

drive - characterized by an aggressive, melody-rich force

This list is by no means complete. And yes, I realize there's much overlap. Otherwise, I can dissect all my favorite songs and see a direct correlation between how much I like the songs and how many Aesthetics are tapped.

Once I've forged enough of a feel for my Aesthetics, I'll begin applying them to every song updated on this journal.