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Tonight I am listening to Janis Joplin sing about life, love and heartache. Then I realized how closely I have related to many female singers and how they expressed emotions. When Carole King, Nina Simone, Joni Mitchell would sing about relationships I knew I felt many of the same emotions, joys and disappointments. When Billie Holiday would sing "I would rather my man hit me than up and quit me" I understood that physical pain was easier to live with than emotional pain.

In my late teens I was never interested in testosterone driven rock that many males my age found interesting and enjoyable. I wanted to have my feelings validated by the woman of folk/rock/blues. My first concert was of Maria Muldaur during her early days when she would sing "Don't you feel my leg". Of course my song was "Please feel my leg".

Even though I did not desire the body of a woman I have felt an emotional connection. My emotions were certainly more feminine even during my T years. Now as a eunuch I still connect easier with women singers. Of late I find I like the sound of a sexy male voice that I pretend is singing to me.

I was just wondering if anyone found they connected and related to one gender more than the other in music. I think my preference for female singers indicated my emotions as more feminine than masculine. Of course it may just be a gay thing. Ideas?

Absolutely!

I do prefer a melodious female singing voice, avoiding the high notes, please.

For their culture, the Japanese initially chose a traditional female Japanese voice for their speaker systems as they automated.

I wonder if in the same way the Germans chose a commanding deep male voice?

A culturally based appreciation, as opposed to gender and/or sexual orientation of the listener.

(oops, take it to the "I Wonder" thread)

Moi

I have given up trying to define my musical tastes.

I grew up with Classical and still like it at relaxing times, especially piano concertos, and lately Glenn Gould's recordings.

I recently re-discovered jazz for myself, mostly new-ish lounge-stuff (think Diana Krall), but also Miles Davis' more bizarre stuff (On the Corner... wow!). Bella Fleck, if he qualifies, is always a favorite.

But at times, especially when I'm excited, I just NEED hard rock, preferably with excellent bass work (Rush, Metallica, Primus, Butthole Surfers, others). This is what I probably listen to most often.

Other times, I, like Tugon, need the folky stuff, in particular Joni Mitchel, and lately, I've been over-playing the heck out of Court and Spark and her 80's tours with Jaco Pastorius (who I have fallen utterly in love with... difficult, considering he's dead).

In fact, if anybody else likes him, I'm willing to listen to any suggestions for recordings of his to buy.

need[/I]

StefanIsMe (imported) wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2010 1:49 pm the folky stuff, in particular Joni Mitchel, and lately, I've been over-playing the heck out of Court and Spark and her 80's tours with Jaco Pastorius (who I have fallen utterly in love with... difficult, considering he's dead).

In fact, if anybody else likes him, I'm willing to listen to any suggestions for recordings of his to buy.

You might enjoy Jaco's work on several of the Weather Report albums. I also enjoy Jaco Pastorius', "the Birthday Concert" which I recommend highly.

tugon (imported) wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2010 11:51 am I was just wondering if anyone found they connected and related to one gender more than the other in music. I think my preference for female singers indicated my emotions as more feminine than masculine. Of course it may just be a gay thing. Ideas?

Handel's La Resurrezione sung in Italian was originally scored in 1708 for male voices even the sopranos except for Maria Cleofe whose voice was sung originally sung by Margarita Durastante, but because it was a sacred oratorio the Pope was scandalized by the impropriety of a woman singing the role of a woman (though Maria Magdalena was sung by a castrato), so the next day Margarita was out and a castrato in drag was in church singing "dolci chiodi amate spine" [sweet nails, beloved thorns].

It is a lovely duet about torture. You can google it on you-tube.

It is interesting that I have never attributed any gender to the music I like. Not male nor female. Still, if I listen to voices, they have gender in it. Female voice is very different from boys or girls voice. I sterted to pay more attention on voices when I had a discussion with my friend about voice genders. And yes, There is somekind of sex tone in grown up voices. Hard to explain. While boys have certainly different and more clear voices.

Here is a perfect example of this genderless voice:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9ijwfRT ... re=related

Perhaps this is something castrato's had. Crystal clear, near angelic.

Was this 'something' that popes were looking for?

Rock and roll and heavy metal are certainly testosterone driven. I do not enjoy then much except few pieces. But I do not listen for heavy metal CD after CD. For sure.

I can't tell what is female music example.. Madonna perhaps? I don't like that either.

Music is certainly expressing emotions of composer and arranger. And I do not like music that is sourced from body and mind that is deprived of sex too much. This is only on aspect many emotions in human. Still strongest emotion after fear of death.

A good example of music, entirely charged with sex could be this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JsJHXIpZrZE

Beware you may want to masturbate or have sex! :p

Also what I have noticed, a really good music is made when there are difficult times. One must be really hurt to press out true emotions and form music out of that. There is a difference between perfectly played music which could be enjoyable (in that computers can not be beaten) and music that doesn't sound so perfect but has stronger emotions in it. Didn't find any perfect example, but this could do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtUBgbPl9Mk

You do not understand words, and the sound is far from perfect but you can feel emotion...

Another music which I like very much is electronic. Such as Jean Michel Jarre, Kraftwerk etc. - Genderless again.

Strange thought came to my mind, if you watch and hear Kraftwerk sexless, extreme and refined minimalism which is filled with minimal but strong message then you watch Britney Spears sexually charged emptiness, with myriad of complex sounds... A big contrast.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mvtDHH_IfP8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ovCK97hF ... re=related

Open your mind,

enjoy!

I have a thing for some of the more masculine countertenors, so....yup.

Try as I could, I have a hard time liking a lot of Handel's earlier Italian stuff. I'm into the blockbuster choruses of some of his English-language oratorios, or if I want to go earlier, I go to Purcell or some of the oddball Germans that Bach learned from; late 17th c music can be really out there. Earlier than that, Monetverdi.

And of course in Germany I can't avoid Bach. The cantatas and passions are great tools for learning German.

I've never just like a single "gender" of music. For that matter I don't even just like one genre.

I listen to rock, metal, punk, dance, trance, electro, pop, rap, R&B, classical etc etc.

erikboy (imported) wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2010 6:42 pm Also what I have noticed, a really good music is made when there are difficult times. One must be really hurt to press out true emotions and form music out of that. There is a difference between perfectly played music which could be enjoyable (in that computers can not be beaten) and music that doesn't sound so perfect but has stronger emotions in it. Didn't find any perfect example, but this could do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtUBgbPl9Mk

You do not understand words, and the sound is far from perfect but you can feel emotion...

[ ]

Open your mind,

enjoy!

This is a pearl! Thank you Erikboy.

punkypink (imported) wrote: Fri Feb 19, 2010 8:36 pm I've never just like a single "gender" of music. For that matter I don't even just like one genre.

I listen to rock, metal, punk, dance, trance, electro, pop, rap, R&B, classical etc etc.

I also enjoy all types of music. When I was dealing with anger after the end of an ugly period of life I would rage emotionally with heavy metal. I enjoy dance and high energy music when doing housework. I listen to a lot of classical music and I do enjoy a good countertenor. Still the music and my emotions that seem to compliment my more feminine eunuch emotions seem best served by songs written and performed by women.

Erikboy I look forward to enjoying the links you provided this evening, thanks.

My personal choice has always been a leaning toward traditional country music. Specifically I am a huge fan of the female voices. I have always identified with female voices more than male, but I am not in the least effeminate. I just prefer the sound.

I enjoy other genres , and in a really strange twist , am both a fan of and a player of theatre organ. Not many country fans could say that .

I enjoy true jazz, and blues, and love the strong sentiment songs from the 20's to the 60's. Good classical stuff , on the less orchestrated side, like concerto's and small string groups, and piano work.

The heavy metal/ dicso/ rock stuff just leaves me totally cold.

My tastes are ecclectic to be certain, but there it is ........

Raymar

I don't know about the gender thing but I always listen to words. I was an early Neil Diamond fan as his words where always very spiritual to me. I tend to listen to music that illisets<sp?> more feelings than music for musics sake. I'm glad you posted this question though. It is always nice to get a chance to compare.

I discovered Mike Oldfield, and Tubular Bells and all his other works, rather later than the hippies did. But I discovered him at more or less the same time as I was introduced to Mozart, Vivaldi , Haydn etc.

Blame the fiendish secet cult that I was involved with at the time. Ask me if you're interested. It's a long & boring story.

But ...

There is something about Mike Oldfield's music that remnds me of Mozart.

I wonder. If Mozart had been born in 1956 instead of 1756, with all the electronic effects of the seventies and eighties available to him, would he have been a powerful force in the popular music culture of today?

I reckon he would.

My musical tastes run the gamut of everything from classical and choral to "big hair 80's" and metal.

This boy is truly amazing, though. 14? Wow. It's great that we have the technology to record him before it all goes to hell!

erikboy, I think that Robin's singing is heavenly. His voice has so much power and such a wide range. It was a delight to hear. Well done him and you too.

Out of the many different kinds of music I enjoy, I think I like Placebo specifically because they look and sound very androgynous. A lot of their lyrics are gender non-specific or even confusing. Love it.

navog247 (imported) wrote: Mon Mar 01, 2010 11:06 am Out of the many different kinds of music I enjoy, I think I like Placebo specifically because they look and sound very androgynous. A lot of their lyrics are gender non-specific or even confusing. Love it.

Brian Molko once asked to sit with us when we were at a queer-indie club night in London. He actually asked "Hi, can I sit with you guys?"

Oh we also got invited to appear in a Placebo homage video to the fans. We had to do "Because we want you too" 7 times. First take, everyone was really into it. By the 7th take, we got a bit exhausted lol.

This is the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyffIMe7dcA

I appear in the video twice! XD

punkypink (imported) wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2010 2:35 am Brian Molko once asked to sit with us when we were at a queer-indie club night in London. He actually asked "Hi, can I sit with you guys?"

Oh we also got invited to appear in a Placebo homage video to the fans. We had to do "Because we want you too" 7 times. First take, everyone was really into it. By the 7th take, we got a bit exhausted lol.

This is the video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyffIMe7dcA

I appear in the video twice! XD

You lucky _____________ (insert foul language here) !!!! I am extremely envious. I think he looked muck better with long hair, I had a photo of him with a lolly pop and fake wings but I can't seem to find it anymore. Too bad... it made great desktop wallpaper. I bet you had fun even after exhaustion set in.

navog247 (imported) wrote: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:28 am You lucky _____________ (insert foul language here) !!!! I am extremely envious. I think he looked muck better with long hair, I had a photo of him with a lolly pop and fake wings but I can't seem to find it anymore. Too bad... it made great desktop wallpaper. I bet you had fun even after exhaustion set in.

Oh yes we certainly did. He crowd surfed over as at least 3 or 4 times. Defo a day to remember!

Rock music all the way for me. ACDC, Guns 'N' Roses, Styx, Poison, Journey, and other old school bands.