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All of the new iOS7 sounds lack much midrange oomph -- they all sound very tinny. And yes, I know this kind of frequency range works better for small speakers. But still. That would be my main complaint, I do like some of the samples, especially the ones that sound more natural, organic and less cheesy/grating as many of the previous iOS sounds did.

Never heard this guy before, but I can see why it's popular...this kind of autotuned-to-hell, cheeseball music has become de rigueur. The vocals are tailored to be completely inoffensive to any possible audience; not only sonically, but the content of lyrics as well. I'm not singling him out -- even most of the modern indie pop acts have this tepid kind of sound. I'm not sure why, perhaps these are the people who grew up listening to bad emo music in the 2000s, and stuff like Paramore. But the over-earnest vocals, and bending every vowel of every word, it's like nails on chalkboard to me. It's a weird autotune vocal accent that doesn't exist in real life.
 
Steve had an affinity for analogue devices, machines, textures, etc.

This appreciation was implemented into not only the visuals of the original iOS, but the sounds too, and was an example of how Apple's brand aesthetic was so very, very different from other companies like Google and Microsoft.

Unfortunately this unique taste is now completely gone from Apple, and we're stuck with guys who unimaginatively seem to worship at the alter of "digital" aesthetic, just like everyone else.

The new synthesized ringtones pretty much encapsulate everything I find wrong with iOS7. I understand most people couldn't care less, but I hate to see a company that was once truly inspirational to myself and other designers create mundane experiences.

very very well put.
 
It's an opinion, grow up. People can have them.

I didn't just say "He sux I hate him!!" I said I was glad for his success and glad people like him but I gave specific reasons to why I don't.

Let me explain something about English and "opinion". "He sux I hate him" is one statement of opinion, and one statement of fact based on your own personal emotion. Those are acceptable, and no one can argue with them. "He has no talent" is not an opinion, it's a statement of fact as "talent" is not a subjective thing. "Talent" is based on some sort of average or surrounding. You can say a kid on the high school soccer team has a lot of talent, and he will as a matter of fact have more talent than those around him, or at least be above average. People may hate Kobe Bryant for many reasons, and may hate him as a player because he's a show off, but you can't make an argument that he has no talent. People just don't like how he uses that talent.

You say that an artist (that I don't like but have knowledge of) has no talent and of course, you are wrong. You also confuse synth sounds with "auto tune", which is ridiculous given the amont of synth in voice and sound in many of today's genres. You may not like it, or understand it, but the fact is that the dude has a lot of musical talent. And if you can't accept that and stick with a real opinion like "he sux" than it is not us that needs to "grow up".
 
The new ringtones are horrible. Hey Apple. The 90s called - they want their motorola razor tones back....

And that is why they included the classic ringtones.

No reason on earth that you shouldn't be happy enough since you can always use those.

Oh yeah, you're posting on MR for all the fame that comes with clever commenting. :rolleyes:
 
But the over-earnest vocals, and bending every vowel of every word, it's like nails on chalkboard to me.

That's understandable, as there are genres that grate on me the same way.

It's a weird autotune vocal accent that doesn't exist in real life.

Neither does the electric guitar, or most instruments for that matter. Synth sounds are just a new wave of instruments that are enabling and augmenting the giant spectrum of entertainment called "music". Just like "electric instruments" that shocked people in the 50s and 60s it's no surprise that people (especially those not of a young generation) find "new instruments" unnatural. But unnatural sounds is, thank goodness, not a real criteria for the definition of music.
 
No one else thinking this sounds FAR too like Postal Service? First time I heard this on the radio a few months ago I got super excited that they were working together again, but alas... no. Very catchy all the same.

Yes, he is a flagrant Ben Gibbard, DCFC rip-off but with sub-sub-par lyrics and a-tune assist...frick off, Owl....hoooo?!
 
Owl city on ITunes Radio SOUNDS like ios7 LOOKS

Steve had an affinity for analogue device machines, textures, etc.

This appreciation was implemented into not only the visuals of the original iOS, but the sounds too, and was an example of how Apple's brand aesthetic was so very, very different from other companies like Google and Microsoft.

Unfortunately this unique taste is now completely gone from Apple, and we're stuck with guys who unimaginatively seem to worship at the alter of "digital" aesthetic, just like everyone else.

The new synthesized ringtones pretty much encapsulate everything I find wrong with iOS7. I understand most people couldn't care less, but I hate to see a company that was once truly inspirational to myself and other designers create mundane experiences.

You are on to something here. Just put owl city on iTunes Radio. It sounds like ios7 looks (not just owl city, all similar bands).
 
And that is why they included the classic ringtones.

No reason on earth that you shouldn't be happy enough since you can always use those.

Oh yeah, you're posting on MR for all the fame that comes with clever commenting. :rolleyes:

Agreed - admittedly, I do use 'Slow Rise' - kind of Harry Potter-ish. :) All in good fun ;)
 
Start the countdown to Microsoft and Google very publicly partnering with big names in pop music to create tones and alerts for forthcoming versions of their OSs.

Ringtones by Dre.

Start the countdown? The first generation of Power Macintosh computers startup chime was a tapped chord by legendary jazz guitarist Stanley Jordan... commissioned I am sure by mister Jobs himself...
 
Steve had an affinity for analogue devices, machines, textures, etc.

This appreciation was implemented into not only the visuals of the original iOS, but the sounds too, and was an example of how Apple's brand aesthetic was so very, very different from other companies like Google and Microsoft.

Unfortunately this unique taste is now completely gone from Apple, and we're stuck with guys who unimaginatively seem to worship at the alter of "digital" aesthetic, just like everyone else.

The new synthesized ringtones pretty much encapsulate everything I find wrong with iOS7. I understand most people couldn't care less, but I hate to see a company that was once truly inspirational to myself and other designers create mundane experiences.

You're spot on. Well written post.

Apple's commercials and marketing still have this aesthetic and human quality (perhaps too much these days, often becoming a bit corny or "We created happiness and love"), but their actual products are losing this. iOS 6 was badly outdated, true, but Apple's approach now lacks a human touch.
 
He's actually really talented. You're entitled to your opinion that his music is bad of course (I don't much care for his music these days either), but talent isn't an opinion.

Synthesizers play just like piano's for the most part. (Good) Electronic musicians have the task of playing and managing multiple keyboards at once, all while managing the laptop in which they run the sounds through.

I don't know about you, but one piano is hard enough for me!

As for his singing, I did see him live back in the day when I did like his music a ton, and he sings all of it without the auto tune (aside from a few songs which it is used for effect rather than vocal correction).


talent to me is the ability to stir complex emotions and thoughts, not being a fast technical typist.

you will find the former not only levels of magnitude more difficult than the latter, but also rarer.


/rollseyes @ "back in the day" being circa 2010~ :confused::rolleyes:


Let me explain something about English and "opinion". "He sux I hate him" is one statement of opinion, and one statement of fact based on your own personal emotion. Those are acceptable, and no one can argue with them. "He has no talent" is not an opinion, it's a statement of fact as "talent" is not a subjective thing. "Talent" is based on some sort of average or surrounding. You can say a kid on the high school soccer team has a lot of talent, and he will as a matter of fact have more talent than those around him, or at least be above average. People may hate Kobe Bryant for many reasons, and may hate him as a player because he's a show off, but you can't make an argument that he has no talent. People just don't like how he uses that talent.

You say that an artist (that I don't like but have knowledge of) has no talent and of course, you are wrong. You also confuse synth sounds with "auto tune", which is ridiculous given the amont of synth in voice and sound in many of today's genres. You may not like it, or understand it, but the fact is that the dude has a lot of musical talent. And if you can't accept that and stick with a real opinion like "he sux" than it is not us that needs to "grow up".

See above.
 
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Neither does the electric guitar, or most instruments for that matter. Synth sounds are just a new wave of instruments that are enabling and augmenting the giant spectrum of entertainment called "music". Just like "electric instruments" that shocked people in the 50s and 60s it's no surprise that people (especially those not of a young generation) find "new instruments" unnatural. But unnatural sounds is, thank goodness, not a real criteria for the definition of music.

There's a big difference between new sounds and new vocal phrasings. Electric guitars and synthesizers defied conventions for some people, but they just made new sounds. Autotune, especially the way he is manipulating it, alters something we have a different, more personal, much deeper relationship with: the human voice. We project many qualities onto the voices we hear...trust, understanding, kinship, love, hate, etc. When a human voice is altered with artificial perfection and robotic precision, it's no longer a human singing, but some simulacrum of one. Guitars and drums don't have this problem -- we are used to sounds changing even in the natural world.

Now I'm not saying there isn't a case for autotune -- it can be used to good artistic effect with discretion -- but to just slap it on a voice and distort a natural talking/speaking style and accent that humans are used to, it comes off (to me) as disingenuous and fake. Especially when you add to the mix his super-earnest vocal style a la Postal Service and other emo bands of that era.

Obviously that's my opinion of the music, but comparing acoustic->electric guitars to the use of autotune is just not equivalent. Humans have a fundamentally different relationship with voices. Instruments provide rhythm and melody and can create emotional textures, but voices create an emotional judgment and reaction (or conversely, ambivalence) on the singer and the song, because that's how our brains are built to relate to other humans.
 
talent to me is the ability to stir complex emotions and thoughts, not being a fast technical typist.

you will find the former not only levels of magnitude more difficult than the latter, but also much rarer.


/rollseyes @ "back in the day" being circa 2010~ :confused::rolleyes:




See above.

I get what you mean about talent being about stirring emotions and thoughts. I agree with you. But you do have to realize that people have different musical tastes and will be emotionally provoked by different songs. Back in my early high school days when Owl City was one of my favorites, his music caused me to think and feel emotions.

It's all a matter of opinion on whether you like him or not, but again, you can't say he has no talent simply because you personally don't connect with his style of music.
 
That's understandable, as there are genres that grate on me the same way.



Neither does the electric guitar, or most instruments for that matter. Synth sounds are just a new wave of instruments that are enabling and augmenting the giant spectrum of entertainment called "music". Just like "electric instruments" that shocked people in the 50s and 60s it's no surprise that people (especially those not of a young generation) find "new instruments" unnatural. But unnatural sounds is, thank goodness, not a real criteria for the definition of music.

oh jesus here we go.

ok seriously, unlike the sounds of an electric guitar or bass circa the60s (when alot of social movements and cultural happenings were going on), the sounds of some of todays synth/autotune IS NOT shocking anybody, its putting us to sleep, or to be even more succinct - makin us feel vapid. thats the problem.

I do love a lot of EDM but get REAL.
 
The text tone is the only one I can tolerate. For a company with the grandeur of apple they should be commissioning the likes of Brian Eno for stuff like this, instead of cutting corners.

Grandeur of Apple? Apple sells their iPhones in Walmart and RadioShack now in case you haven't noticed. They're in the business of making money.
 
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