What is Experimental Music?

What’s your definition of ‘experimental’ music?
In this video, I attempt to demystify this ambiguous musical genre. To help shine a light on why it’s important, and how the act of experimenting could help musicians and composers.
This video doesn’t investigate the history of experimental music, or look at the innovations and breakthroughs it succeeded in the past.

Honestly, I used to hate the term "experimental" when it applied to music. But, I eventually grew to accept it. I also learned that most debates on the term stem from such a broad (mis)understanding of it. That's one reason I made this video. To try to dig deeper into the diversity of its meaning.

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NOT RIGHT MUSIC is a part of Nook Nook Music School in Tokyo, Japan.
Marcus Staniec is the owner of Nook Nook.
He has been teaching music since 1995.
After Berklee College of Music, he moved to Japan as a musician and an educator.
He has taught music at top universities, high school, private schools, workshops, and now his own school.
He is best known for teaching “unconventional music” and improvisation.
He also continues to compose music for various media and frequently performs around the globe.

[DBruce]

I like the reminder/injunction to try to make some music where you don't know what the result will be. Very good to keep that thought in mind, and harder to actually genuinely do than it might seem! Great vid!

[ivanina]

I see experimental music also as "inconsumable music", something that sounds new even after years.

[nickn]

To me, experimental music is something that no one has ever tried before, or that if already tried it hasn't been explored fully or explored in new ways. But I exclude following trends. Meaning, if a rock band mixes pop rock and EDM, though it has never been tried before, it's just mixing their music with the new trend, or if a band simply mixes its rock borrowing ideas from experimental artist without really adding something new or personal or adding very very little, I would say it isn't experimental, but just trying to sell that music, because it's weird and weird is artsy aka trendy for some people, that do not understand there is very little experimentation in what they hear. To sound experimental and to be experimental, are different things in my opinion.

[TranslucentMeaning]

I make experimental music and the hardest part is getting listeners. I think you're right, experimental artists generally live in the shadows, influencing others who will eventually make the sound or technique accessible to the average listener. Evolution at its finest.

[TheXComputerXDr]

True expiremental music allows you to explore feelings you didnt know were possible, in my opinion.

[LorcaLoca]

Props for including DJ Screw amongst the more discussed experimental artists of popular music (zorn, zappa, Sun Ra etc).

[Tantacrul]

Nice work, man! A lot of hard work done here. Enjoyed the part where I imagined my own experimental music. Wish you'd recorded it for me.

[matthewdowns]

im a closet experimentalist with music. but have released some of my work on the internet, but dont share it with people i know. not because im afraid of what they will say, but more afraid of what they dont say.

[spaghetti]

I just think of it as playing with music, not being strict with it
Kinda like abstract art, going with the flow and wherever your luck and instinct leads you to

[bingbang]

I decided to try to make some experimental music, I'll tell you how it goes!

[zazenbo]

I get upset that my music is never quite experimental enough. Like I’m missing something when I’m working. Ah, who knows.

[PlanetBloopy]

Your 1st definition is more the way I think of it. Challenge oneself musically is a great way of saying it, as I find myself doing that without necessarily intending to run an experiment. The experimental element can be accidental / serendipitous. As a label, experimental is like saying "well I couldn't think of genre names for this". The specific genre surely still exists somehow, even if it's new and undeveloped! Or existing genres may just need to evolve a little.

[knowmoore]

The recordings of Dharma Son Collective and AnomalyEnsemble have space rock elements incorporated with psychedelia, noise and experimental weirdness..Everything from spacy instrumentals to modal drones to acid rock to straight up frenzied apocalyptic noise explosions, , some of their stuff can be chaotic at times but Damn are they odd and Very original! I don't think they are on YouTube but they are definitely worth seeking out if you can find them! Some standout works are "We're Not The Only Spirits Awake" and "Kryptic Triptych" from 2006, "Subliminal Messages From The Attic" and "Zenogenesis" from 2007, AnomalyEnsemble's "Fantasmas" and "Space Peace" from 2008, "See Thru Tribulations" and "Citaedelia" from 2009, "Headcoasting" from 2010, ..They are strange birds!

[shineyfaces]

Fantastic video! I'd love to see you make more videos on various musicians and composers. My definition of experimental music is like your second one. Anything that is hard to define and attempts to break musical rules. After typing that out I realize how hard it is to define!

[normapadro]

I experiment with sounds when I compose music. I add effects, and distort the sounds so they can sound different.

[drioko]

My definition is music that gives off ENA vibes, computer, retro, low poly 3d art, pixelated ps1 graphics, white background, grids

[chipotlemerlot]

Very interesting stuff. I happened to have found you from a video talking about noise in music. I’m liking your content so far.

[bigdrumskyreligion]

As a free improv musician, I am predisposed to champion free improv as the most experimental form of experimental music. We never know what we're doing.

[elizabethveldonstuff]

a friend sent me here.

i'm not sure, so long after the silent music of john cage and raymond scott, the AMM albums, braxton's scores and so on that 'experimental' music is really that 'experimental' any longer and is not itself a set of formal exercises avant inclined people like myself engage in.

not that there isn't still new forms to be found but so few experimental artist i know are looking for them

also: like he said - make yer own music! make it with anything you can find and in any way you like.

[kunzangrangdrol]

My approach to music is simple:
1, All sounds are none other than Buddha's speech & musical.
2.Break the
rules.
3 All dissonance is self-resolving
4.Any tempo is variable and all rhythms are also buoyant and malleable.
5.The musical sky is wide open without limits