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Twilight's BBBFF Song, what does it sound like?


ExtravagantEvil

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Okay. From 0:00 to 0:29, does this song sound really eerily familiar to anypony?

I feel like I heard the opening phrases there in some other song 1000 times over.

Especially from the Flashback shots to :29.

Can anypony answer what song that part sounds like? Because this song sounds like I heard very Very Similar Melodic phrasing in a pop song or two from ages past.

Really, the entire song sounds like one I heard before. Can any, and I mean ANY pony answer this nagging itch at the back of my skull?

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yeah, I actually thought the same thing after I first heard it. I figured it was just me, so I didn't bother asking anyone about it. I can't think of what it might be from either :\

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Oh no, it's not the instrumentals. It's the Melody.

:15 to :22 are also a part of this glaring reminder of another song.

Not in a "Another Pony song" way, specifically to another song by another artist. The verbal cadences, the way the melody goes (especially on the Everyponysings sheet music) it looks and sounds a LOT like something else.

The reason this grinds me is because it unfortunately makes the song seem derivative, and if there is no other song that this was based on, which will baffle me if that's so, the song seems generic, which is a shame because I love nearly all of Ingram's work.

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Oh no, it's not the instrumentals. It's the Melody.

:15 to :22 are also a part of this glaring reminder of another song.

Not in a "Another Pony song" way, specifically to another song by another artist. The verbal cadences, the way the melody goes (especially on the Everyponysings sheet music) it looks and sounds a LOT like something else.

The reason this grinds me is because it unfortunately makes the song seem derivative, and if there is no other song that this was based on, which will baffle me if that's so, the song seems generic, which is a shame because I love nearly all of Ingram's work.

The song is somewhat derivative, but so is a lot of Ingram's work as he pulls inspiration from other work either in feel, tonality, or straight good ol' fashioned homage.

That said, the Bruno Mars song that Angie linked to is the same chord pattern progression, in a higher octave.

NOW! I should mention that there are a LOT of great songs that are derivative at least in part. Ever hear of Led Zeppelin? Yeah, well, they sorta stole guitar rhythms and pieces of songs without credit many times. This includes the ever popular "Stairway to Heaven." Don't believe me? Listen to "Spirit" by Taurus and compare to the intro of Stairway to Heaven. There are many others though, that is just the most well known since they kinda toured with them...

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Thank you for the information :).

However, I am not discussing the instrumentation, though starswirl, you do make an accurate point here.

Derivative isn't bad.

But, I am talking about the melody sounding eerily familiar, not the chords (though as I listened I did notice a similarity). The reason I'm not focusing on that, is that lots of songs use similar chord structures.

The Famous "Pachelbel Rant"

And Axis of Awesome's "Four Chords"

I just know the Melody that Twilight sings is So eerily familiar. Which is why attached that specific idea of a derivative work being negative.

In that it would just be nothing more than slightly altering a different melody. The way it stands it's not seemingly connected to anything worthy of calling it an homage.

So, while I understand Ingram has done some derivative pieces, (and frankly who hasn't? It's all been done before and all that) I find that this Melody is so similar to something it borders on the generic. So I want to figure out what Twilight's Melody for the first 30 seconds sounds similar to, Melodically.

Though, to keep things in a preserved Civility, I will need to check out Taurus. :D.

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Being generic and sounding generic are two very different things. There is a certain familiarity, yes, but the fact that I can't place it, nor anyone else for that matter only tells me that it isn't generic. Like I was able to pick out melodies from many different bands and place the original tune. My first was when I was younger... Ice Ice Baby and Queen's Under Pressure.

That said, the song itself is actually quite generic overall. But that does not make a bad song. It is still enjoyable, and still hits some people strongly.

In fact, I still say that every song in Canterlot Wedding felt like it was pulled from somewhere else. Especially in feel and overall tonality.

And you should. They aren't fantastic, but they are certainly underrated.

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I agree with you on most of the Canterlot Wedding music, with the "This Day Aria" always holding a special place for the sheer force that it has, in a very Disney style. That means there was a lot of effort put into it so that it could evoke that similar spirit.

I also agree, it is not a bad song, but not knowing what that melody reminds me of is just frustrating, and almost ruins the song for me.

Kind of like when you're with friends, and don't get a reference that everyone else does. One feels disconnected, out of the loop, and this can grate until one gets a moment to figure out the reference without disrupting the conversational flow.

It's the only reason, that I don't listen to the song more. Because that tiny niggling sense of alien familiarity that just puzzles me.

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The song is somewhat derivative, but so is a lot of Ingram's work as he pulls inspiration from other work either in feel, tonality, or straight good ol' fashioned homage.

That said, the Bruno Mars song that Angie linked to is the same chord pattern progression, in a higher octave.

NOW! I should mention that there are a LOT of great songs that are derivative at least in part. Ever hear of Led Zeppelin? Yeah, well, they sorta stole guitar rhythms and pieces of songs without credit many times. This includes the ever popular "Stairway to Heaven." Don't believe me? Listen to "Spirit" by Taurus and compare to the intro of Stairway to Heaven. There are many others though, that is just the most well known since they kinda toured with them...

I always felt that paticular critisism of Led Zeppelin is kind of picky. They have a heavy blues influence and in blues its not considered neccasary to credit sources or considered bad to take a part of a song and apply it to another. Alot of American tradditonal music kept up the practice into the 50s and 60s

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I always felt that paticular critisism of Led Zeppelin is kind of picky. They have a heavy blues influence and in blues its not considered neccasary to credit sources or considered bad to take a part of a song and apply it to another. Alot of American tradditonal music kept up the practice into the 50s and 60s

In a very commercial genre like rock, its considered courtesy which is why lawsuits happen and why some bands win. In fact, as I recall, Jimmy Page specifically was sued for one of the songs quite recently, and in the 70s for copyright infringement. Both of which were settled out of court as far as I know.

I should note, that I still love Led Zeppelin, and they aren't the only ones who have done it. However they are the most well known case of this happening. I also never said it was a bad thing, but rather that it happened and that causes derivative work, which was my entire point.

So for me, its less of a criticism and simply stating the facts of what happened. I also still consider Jimmy Page one of the best rock guitarists to ever walk the earth.

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I've read a couple of articles on this here, and here.

I agree that BBBFF has a familiar feel, but that doesn't harm it for me. Anymore there are so many artists that make entire albums that are basically the same song with different lyrics over and over <cough>Nickleback<cough> that you kinda have to accept it some if you are going to listen to the radio at all.

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