# Basic Preferences in Music + Type



## Snowflake Minuet (Feb 20, 2016)

Of course, it’s the combination of rhythm and tonality and melody that makes music what it is for us. But some music emphasizes rhythm more prominently, while in other music it could be said that the melody or tones are emphasized, at least comparing all music types relative to each other. (for examples, most rap music could probably be on the rhythm-heavier end, whereas Debussy’s music is more on the melody end).


Considering this, which would you say is the aspect of music that grabs you the most? They are both important, but try and think about the sort of music you tend to listen to and pick what about it feels like the strongest pull for you in that music. If you don't fell it's too obvious just by the type of music, what is it while you'e listening that you enjoy the most? If a pop song is on, are you more likely to fell like getting up and dancing or drifing of with the melody?


This is inspired by something I read in a great book about music and the brain, but I won’t tell you—yet, at least—for now


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## Jaune (Jul 11, 2013)

ISTP.

Melody is more important to me than rhythm. I find that the vocals or lead guitars of a song are much more memorable to me than its percussion. Also, I can't get much into music that is very rhythm-heavy, like rap, hip-hop, and electronic. My preferences lean towards metal and rock. While I really appreciate some good drumming and guitar syncopation, I prefer to hear a memorable guitar solo or catchy sung chorus.


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## TryptamineDream (Jun 22, 2016)

I think establishing a rhythmic pattern and maintaining a melody throughout a song is crucial to creating a musical masterpiece. There both vitally important. I guess it depends on the style of music that you want to play that determines which aspect should be emphasized more. For instance I'm a huge fan of lead guitar in electric blues (Hendrix, Clapton) but blues in general sounds bland without some sort of rhythmic context, like many other styles of music, metal, hard rock etc. My attention is drawn to a perfect mixture of both rhythm and melody, I get lost in it. I attentively listen to every individual note being played, coalescing with the rhythm.

It takes a true master to be able to play all those aspects of music in conjunction. Absolute prowess over a certain instrument isn't enough to pull this off. It takes imagination and a great deal of emotion, this is why I love Romantic-era composers and the blues masters.

As a guitar player, I've been gravitating towards learning a style that emphasizes on all those aspects equally. So I've been listening to the Jazz virtuoso masters a lot lately. The video below is a good example of a master guitarist who executes both aspects flawlessly. 






Btw, what book are you talking about?


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## Snowflake Minuet (Feb 20, 2016)

TryptamineDream said:


> I think establishing a rhythmic pattern and maintaining a melody throughout a song is crucial to creating a musical masterpiece. There both vitally important. I guess it depends on the style of music that you want to play that determines which aspect should be emphasized more. For instance I'm a huge fan of lead guitar in electric blues (Hendrix, Clapton) but blues in general sounds bland without some sort of rhythmic context, like many other styles of music, metal, hard rock etc. My attention is drawn to a perfect mixture of both rhythm and melody, I get lost in it. I attentively listen to every individual note being played, coalescing with the rhythm.
> 
> It takes a true master to be able to play all those aspects of music in conjunction. Absolute prowess over a certain instrument isn't enough to pull this off. It takes imagination and a great deal of emotion, this is why I love Romantic-era composers and the blues masters.
> 
> ...


Neat! I play the violin. And I completely agree that rhythm, melody, and tonality (and dynamics and more really) are all completely intrinsic to what music is--and that the mastery of all of those aspects is indeed quite challenging and also in part defining of a great musician.

Still, I think we sort of "get into" one aspect more so than the others--even from one mood to another (sometimes I find myself very excited to hear a Strauss waltz and I want to get up and dance; other times, a waltz doesn't affect me much at all, and I'd rather let my mind wander with violin sonata; of course plenty of times, it isn't so noticeable, and I just want a good balance, like a Beethoven symphony--but looking a extreme examples, I'd prefer the more melodic than rhythmic).

The book is This Is Your Brain on Music by Daniel Levitin. 
And this is the quote which made me think of doing the poll:
“Rhythm stirs our bodies. Tonality and melody stir our brains. The coming together of rhythm and melody bridges our cerebellum (the motor control, primitive little brain) and our cerebral cortex (the most evolved, most human part of our brain).”
The premise of my poll is a bit different, but the first two sentences made me think about the focuses of the various personality types. So I was curious if the more outside world, physically focused types, most prominently Se doms, would show any any preference for more heavily rhythmic music since the focus is more on the physical/body effects of things; and vice versa, if the more non-physically focused types, the types with higher Ne or Ni, would show any preference for tonality and melody since those are more stirring to the brain. That last bit may make this look biased, which it isn’t, and like I said the idea came mostly from those first two points, but I thought it was interesting to share anyhow.


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## Librarylady (Mar 11, 2017)

Melody - Fi


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## dulcinea (Aug 22, 2011)

Whoops I voted Fe instead of Ni. Oh well. Anyway, I voted melody. I love very melodic music. I also love very rhythmic music. I prefer both, but will usually choose melody over beat.


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## tanstaafl28 (Sep 10, 2012)

Ne. It's how they work together. I'm a rebel. :tongue:


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## Nashvols (Jan 15, 2017)

Ti - rhythm.

I am attracted by the flow of music. I like my guitar solos and vocal melodies, but I key into the guitar riffs, baselines, and drum beats. I love it when a song "fits" together. You can have several moving parts that continually intersect with each other, like a pattern being woven.

Rhythm is the foundation and framework of a song. It's the structure that allows the melody to ride on top of it.

I am generally attracted to Metal and Prog Rock (though I like bits and pieces of almost every genre).


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## MrsAndrewJacoby (Apr 11, 2013)

My type is ISFJ, so Si dom. 

I truly cannot choose one over the other. Clearly when I listen to songs like _Cassius 1999_ (album version) by Cassius, it's all about the rhythm (assuming you mean the percussion and bassline when you say rhythm). 
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 _Freqout_ by Symbion Project (off the Frequency Playstation game soundtrack), 
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[video=youtube_share;93ic2FEJE4U]https://youtu.be/93ic2FEJE4U"]_Freqout[/I[/video]_


_ or even Wednesday's Child by The Rippingtons. I also really like songs written in waltz time or 6/8 time, like The Stone by Dave Matthews Band._


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## VertigoH (Mar 21, 2012)

Fi - rhythm. Both rhythm and melody are vital of course, but it's most often the rhythm that draws me into a song, for reasons that have already been said here better than I can put into words:



Nashvols said:


> I am attracted by the flow of music. I like my guitar solos and vocal melodies, but I key into the guitar riffs, baselines, and drum beats. I love it when a song "fits" together. You can have several moving parts that continually intersect with each other, like a pattern being woven.
> 
> Rhythm is the foundation and framework of a song. It's the structure that allows the melody to ride on top of it.


I can find things I enjoy in most genres. On the faster end of things, I love indie/alt rock and EDM (electro funk, electro swing, anything with a strong baseline and fun beat). For slower stuff, I love ambient electronic, more chill indie/folk, post rock, chill trap, etc. I find it hard to get into things with rhythmic parts that I find uninteresting (doesn't have to be loud or slamming or upbeat, just interesting) even if the melodies are lovely.


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## wastingpotential (Jul 25, 2017)

Well I am an INTP and honestly I can listen to everything, but my preference is mostly metal, I just really like the sound of it, something about it just captivates me and I can't turn it off, it also helps when I am thinking too much, I pick the ones that are louder and they fill my head more often than not and I can't clearly hear my thoughts so not much thinking left, which I love, because I do think too much. 
I also love classical music, only instruments and no voice is really soothing as well. I mostly listen to them while I am reading a book and just want to read it, but I am still thinking of other things, it really helps concentrate on the book better. 
I do also like listening to foreign music, I am European so I grew up with a very diverse palette even in music. Although I do listen to European songs, I prefer listening to Asian songs especially their historical songs especially Chinese ones(honestly they are beautiful), because their instruments are somewhat different, the sound is different as well, so I really like it. Ofcourse I listen to Japanese songs (ANIME OST, mainly). I am quite a fan of their today's artist as well, from South Korea mainly, F. T. Island is my top favorite especially their new albums, tho I really like BTS, I have been their fan since debut.
I am very diverse in my songs but what I have noticed is that, when picking songs I go all or nothing (if it's metal, it's most likely heavy metal, if rock, hard rock etc.) It's very hard to choose one for me, because I like so genres. 

Išsiųsta naudojantis G7-L01 Tapatalk 4 Lt


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## anaraqueen (May 14, 2015)

if it ain't upbeat, i probably won't love it 
(i just don't know my type though)


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## Bunniculla (Jul 17, 2017)

Si dom - melody. I just like how it's more catchy and to me, it's more versatile.


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## Stawker (Nov 30, 2016)

It's hard to tell which I prefer generally. When I'm in a normal mode (happy, excited, and engaged), I think I prefer more rhythmic music. My favorite genre is Djent/Progressive Metal. I listen to stuff like this while I do math problems or read turgid books: 






It helps me focus.

When I'm in my other type of mood (I have only two kinds of moods really) -- melancholy and detached -- I start to prefer more melodic music types. Particularly, post rock, neofolk, and some shoegaze. Something like this,


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## Vahyavishdapaya (Sep 2, 2014)

Riddim is love, riddim is life. Here's Vybz Kartel tearing it up on the Egyptian & Blackout riddims, a pair of dancehall blassics from 2003, before the genre got stale, before the entry of autotune and before Kartel bleached his skin and before he became a convicted murderer... these were the times!











The whole Greensleeves Rhythm Album series dropped some fire riddims, they still bang hard after all these years










Jamaica's dancehall is the most intensely rhythmic musical genre I have heard, although there are a few hip-hop tracks that can match that intensity, such as:






Those drums are so sick, they could bring back the dead to the world of the living!






Holla if ya hear me! Although it should be pointed out that 2Pac does sample a dancehall track...








Snowflake Minuet said:


> So I was curious if the more outside world, physically focused types, most prominently Se doms, would show any any preference for more heavily rhythmic music since the focus is more on the physical/body effects of things; and vice versa, if the more non-physically focused types, the types with higher Ne or Ni, would show any preference for tonality and melody since those are more stirring to the brain. That last bit may make this look biased, which it isn’t, and like I said the idea came mostly from those first two points, but I thought it was interesting to share anyhow.


pls

It isn't even like that

The words matter just as much, if not more than the music! I think we have had this discussion before, but the reason rhythmic genres are so good is that the words stimulate your mind while the beat moves your body. Lyrics can be thought provoking and address very deep subjects dealing with one's personal life, the state of the world, the nature of life and existence itself, the political system, the public perception of history and the truthfulness of it, the existence of police brutality, and countless other subjects of heavy intellectual significance; lyrical music can be deeply philosophical. And when it is more hedonistically focused in lyrical content, there is still plenty to excite the mind in the form of witty wordplay, puns, similes and metaphors, and the use of other such literary devices and techniques. It should be taken much more seriously, I for one believe, for instance, that you will find far superior mastery of the English language and far superior displays of iambic pentameter in a song written by Rakim or Big Daddy Kane than you will find in any Shakespearean sonnet; and yet, Shakespeare is taught in schools all around the world while these superior poets receive no official academic recognition.


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## Cherry (May 28, 2017)

Melody is even more important than the lyrics, for me :O :O (besides a few select songs that have subjectively relevant/significant lyrical impact if that makes sense). I have a true musical ear, you see...

Dom: Fi (I think)


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## Vivid Melody (Apr 25, 2011)

This is a good question. I initially wanted to say melody because a melody can really make or break a song for me + a good melody is euphoric. However, whenever I describe what all my favorite songs have in common - I am forced to recognize that it's the rhythm I am focusing on the most. As I said in your other thread, I tend to be drawn to songs that start off slow and build in intensity as it goes on - much like an orgasm lol. I LOVE when music moves me - quite literally. Of course, being moved emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically is ideal! So if a song can accomplish all of that, it's gold.


Also, whenever I write poetry, I'm very focused on rhythm as well. I'm often told they read almost like a rap. I love channeling intensity into them. When my husband first read my poetry he said the word that came to mind was "fury." This probably has more to do with me being an SX dom though as I love to sleep, eat and breathe intensity in whatever I do. I love to be consumed by it.

And sure, I'm Ni dom but there's inferior Se there.


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## Malandro (Jul 17, 2014)

I'm a part of the rhythm nation.


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## Fimbrethil (Oct 5, 2017)

My preferences in music have nothing to do with lyrics at all- I definitely like highly rhythmic music, and mostly simple melodies cool chord progressions. Really lyrical pieces with soft lilting melodies are hard for me to listen to. I grew up on classical music, and I like music in which I feel like I can find a lot of symmetry and order. -Ti Dom


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## charlie.elliot (Jan 22, 2014)

Definitely rhythm, no question. It's what makes music come alive.


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## Birbsofafeather (May 18, 2017)

Fi: Melody is very important to me. I am primarily fickle with voices. I tend to like males with a nice range. I am also picky with instrumentation. I alternate between liking dark, intense songs and liking light and airy songs with soft voices. I find a song I like and listen to it obsessively. I once listened to a singular song for 2 hours on repeat without flinching or getting bored of it at all.

My intense favorite of all time:





My light favorite of all time:





I will also randomly (and much less frequently) get into piano songs again.

My favorite of all time, once again:






My last category is catchy 80's songs where I belt one line continually.:


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## Catwalk (Aug 12, 2015)

(Ni)

*Rhythm*


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## Skeletalz (Feb 21, 2015)

Rythm and melody are inseparable for me. I dont listen to or particularly like anything that is pure melody (acapella singing or whatever) or pure rhythm (idk, just a drum solo?), it is always a combination of the two. Even my instrumental music is not pure rythm:


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One of my fave albums is an extremely good example (in my opinion :wink of the synergy between rhythm and melody:


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In conclusion, I dont think it is possible to separate rhythm and melody like this. If you want to get semantic then some sort of rhythm (an equation describing the pace) is an integral part of a melody, its what a melody is built upon. Doesnt matter if the melody is in a simple time or all over the place like in the first two songs I posted, it still follows some sort of rule. As a side note, those Blotted Science songs are not the product of some guys just jamming, it is all defined by time signatures and notes, there is no random aspect. On the other hand, an instrument that is purely rhythmical can also be used to create melodies.


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## dukaalmaar (Dec 27, 2016)

Fi/Se

I don't actually know... I love the sound of some good drums (the start of Reflection by Tool is so good) but I like the sound of everything else a lot too. I focus on different parts of a song depending on what I feel like at that moment. Sometimes it's the bass, sometimes it's the drums, or vocals, or the guitars, or the way everything fits into each other. Music vs lyrics is an easy decision for me though, I love instrumentals (just not classical for some reason)


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## Lakigigar (Jan 4, 2016)

Rhytm by far.


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## OHtheNovelty (Aug 14, 2016)

Ugh, I dunno. I like both and can't bear for music to be without either of them, but if I have to choose something, I guess I'll go with melody.


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## OHtheNovelty (Aug 14, 2016)

Birbsofafeather said:


> I alternate between liking dark, intense songs and liking light and airy songs with soft voices. I find a song I like and listen to it obsessively. I once listened to a singular song for 2 hours on repeat without flinching or getting bored of it at all.


_Same._ 
And you listened for 2? I once stayed up the whole night listening to one song for 8 hours straight while doing some last minute homework. Although I haven't listened to that song again for 4 years now, lol.


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