NEW NAMES and DETERMINATIONS (Page 1 of 2)

Christian music is a sort of pop music that often uses "uplifting" chord prgressions such as C F G and A E D A. The singing is usually soft and breathy and the words are somewhat cheesy in my opinion. Im a Christian and the music just doesn't hit me as...well... very good. It reminds me of something I would have listened to on cassette tape as a little kid.

Indie music is pretty self explanatory Indie is short for independent. It's usually a sort of alternative rock that expresses a strong opinion on something. but as ken said, more and more bands have adapted the indie/garage style so it's name has lost it's original meaning. Im still a fan of indie though. check out The Fratellis, or The Arctic Monkeys.

::kori::

Sockrocker has it just right for the Christian music.  It's a sort of folk/pop fusion.  I call them 7/11 songs.  Seven words repeated eleven times.  There are a few Christian themed bands I enjoy, Mercy Me and some of Randy Travis' latest releases are examples.  The bands I enjoy are bands that play Rock or Country with Christian themed lyrics, and not necessarily worship or praise music.  The difference between worship and praise music, I have yet to grasp.  I play in a worship band as a backup musician (will actually be getting stage time in a couple Sundays), but we tend to rock out a bit more than the mamby-pamby stuff I hear on the radio. 

Being Indie has more to do with whether the band has a contract with a recording lable or not and has very little to do with style of music.  There are gazillions of Indie bands.  With the advent of relatively inexpensive studio equipment, including mixing and production equipment, it's now possible for a band to have their own studio and publish their own CD's.  Then they can sell them through sites like CDBaby.com (great site, by the way) or their own web-sites.  One of my current favorites along this line is The Duhks out of Canada.  It's mostly music that doesn't fit neatly into Country, or Rock, or Folk.  The Duhks play music that blends elements of Celtic/Cape Breton, Rock, Folk, and Bluegrass.  Another of my favorites is Hillbilly Idol, a band whose slogan is "It's not your grandfather's country music, but he'd probably approve."  This weekend, I'm going to be meeting up with a buddy on a fishing trip.  He records music in his spare bedroom, publishes CDs on his home computer, and gives the music away as gifts to friends.  He could be consider an "Indie."  I call his style of music "campfire music", because that's where you're most likely to hear it.  Good stuff. 

- Zurf

The definition of christian is a follower of "Christ". With that said being a true follower of "Christ' is not about religion as much as relationship with "Christ.

Bootlegger.

well it depends on which way you choose to DEFINE the words. Christian music to me is just music about Jesus (I'm thinking old bluegrass ballads or negro spirituals or some good rompin' stompin' heavenly highways) but within the last 10 years or so Christian music has become its own genre. Basically they have a watered down version of whatever's popular with lyrics that replace the themes of sex and alcohol with loving Jesus and having the joy of the Lord. Its disgusting really.
I've always figgered that if someone went to church they were looking for something DIFFERENT than what the world could offer them.... not a suckier version of what they can get on the radio.
'yuppie christians' as i like to call them seem to have this idea that if they can convinvce lost people that they're cool too they'll start coming to church (never mind the condition of thier SOULS just so long as they're down there shakin' it for Jesus )

There is some genuinely good Gospel music out there though but it usually falls under the southern gospel style (which has become marketed more nowadays but most of what you'll hear isnt the real thing), or bluegrass gospel.

Southern Gospel music kind of cultivated from bluegrass and spirituals. Its played mainly in 6/8 rythym and is usually sung in four part harmony. It can use any kind of instrument but features mainly piano and organ. The songs follow a basic 1-2-1-3-1 pattern but use alot of seventh chords and ocassionally step out of the order with the fourth and fifth chords

Bluegrass Gospel is basically bluegrass but its sung in harmony. usually has mainly stringed instruments.

Spirituals were developed by african american slaves and usually held hidden messages. the harmony and patterns they used were really amazing considering they had no kind of musical education. In fact it would probly be an interesting thing to look up theres a lot of history there

I would reccomend looking up sacred harp singing too and do some reading on it, its really impressive

All You Need is Love

Bootleger,

I could not agree more!

Old Doll.

lol sorry for the mixup
actually I DID se that episode...I love King of the Hill

r&b again: rhythm & blues ye or no

That was Stryper, but lets remember this was the pennicle of the "Hair Band" they did look abit "light in the saddle"  They were pop metal for the girls.  Yet they were cool enough at the time to bring my buddy and myself into the fold.  We would cruse the mall and the main strip blasting out the Battle hym of the republic by them and a few others. this version is really good.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhkYdD-QlKk.  The band that I really got into who was heavier is one called Barren Cross.  Very Iron maiden influenced. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BpMDb1KAgfA
6 years ago I had a christian rock radio show. it was called GODROCKS.  I played both of these bands pluse the current ones of the day(IE Toby Mack and little did anyone know then Chevelle) Chevelle has since gone mainstream yet retain some of their core values. 

I will agree that many of the newer church bands are watering down music and replaceing lyerics with "praise" lyerics.  My neighbor is a Awesome guitarist and he has always played in his church bands.  He invited me to one rehersal, I kept waiting for some powerfull accents to wake me up. They never happened.  I grew up with a father who is a Episcopal minister.  I may not be as christian as i should be, but all the years in the church taught me on thing.  PIPE ORGANS RUEL.  A well played organ (no side comments LOLOL) will totally rock the heavans.  Dad lead the campagin to have a whole new organ installed in the church in WV, After the organ was installed, my dad caught my brother and his friend in the church and my brothers friend was playing Boston tunes on it.  Sounded great,,but dad was pissed LOLOL.

So if the music pulls young folks in and keeps them out of trouble,, what ever works.  I personally like the stuff that gets your blood pumping.

beamer, upyerkilt left Chordie a couple of years ago this is a 2007 post brought forward by Doc..
ark.

As  a side note, I rarelyget on  my soapbox about religion.  If anyone was offended, that was not my intent. I broke my own ruel about talking religion.  - I usually dont, that and politics.  with a lawyer uncle and minister father,,,, I listened to too many arguements on church and state.  I also grew up with a inside perspective as a PK. (Preachers Kid).  If you have ever dated the preachers daughter / son (joke intended and also a great song https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNdUt0sTRuI ) then you might have a clue. LOLOLOL

I'm a Christian, but I do not care for the music played on Christian music stations.  Some folks might label you a heathen for avoiding it, but I won't be one of them.  I do like Mercy Me, though, because they don't do that 7/11 music.  To some degree, I wonder if the 7/11 'faith and worship' music is appropriate.  It's meant to be repetitive to help create a mood of worship, which is more or less mindlessly repeating themselves as the heathens do.  That's exactly what Paul warned AGAINST doing.  There's nothing wrong with it, per se, but it's also not helpful according to him.  Anyway, back to Mercy Me, they have well-written songs played with good musicianship with the theme of the lyrics being about their faith.  Also there's some good stuff coming out in the Country genre, like Randy Travis "Keep Your Lure in the Water" and "Pray for the Fish" (which is a humorous though Christian themed song), and Josh Turner's "Long Black Train."  So, I'm not opposed to the music thematically, and I'm not opposed to the performance because the musicians are often very talented, but just to the poorly written songs.  It's almost modern chant, but with weak meter.  Chant with poor meter is to music what greeting card doggerel is to poetry. 

- Zurf