Robotic NIN vs. Organic NIN

[angry_sniper1990]

Hello everyone, this is my first thread in the forum.

The title sounds like a poll but I'm interest in the fan's view of which version of NIN do you like most

Do you prefer the robotic side of NIN (pretty hate machine, TDS, TF, YZ) where most of the instrumentation sounds like noises heard in a factory that are treated like instruments?

Or do you prefer the organic version of the band (WT, TS) where the band sounds like a real band playing instruments.

In my opinion, I used to hate NIN because the songs sounded like they were made as a soundtrack of a first person shooter like quake or doom (no pun intended), but as the times passed by I started to appreciate the unique arrangement that Trent did in the albums.

Now is your turn.

Regards

[sheepdean]

I don't think I really prefer either, they're sides of the same coin to me, the acoustic and the digital form together to make NIN what it is. And, btw, he actually did make the Quake soundtrack, which might be why you think that http://www.nin.wiki/Quake




And because of the thread title I want a drawing of a Robot Trent fighting an earth golem Trent now. Where's DCP when you need them

[angry_sniper1990]

Yeah that's why i put the thing of "No pun intended", I actually listened to the soundtrack he did on quake, it is pretty cool actually.

[sheepdean]

Btw, the majority of The Fragile really did use live instruments, it's all in the mixing.

How do you feel about Ghosts, which is the most intense combination of live and digital, imo?

[angry_sniper1990]

I thought the instrumentals he did in the fragile and still were amazing, but in ghosts he show me how a musician can make instrumentals in a clever and weird way by choosing instruments and all that. I think one of the first songs were actually annoying I cant remember if it was I ghosts 6 or 7. One housemate I used to have was mad with me; one day I was listening to the album he became insane with the song. I didn't expect that reaction actually.

[piggy]

I love when it's a mixture of the two, which to me is what happened on TDS and TF. Lots of inhuman programming, but lots of stuff that was meant to evoke imperfection and decay at the same time.

[Dr Channard]

I love when it's a mixture of the two...

Same here. Especially on tour. Trent can kick your ass with the roar of machines for 20 minutes, and the next thing you know he’s behind the piano performing Something I Can Never Have or some Ghosts tracks to bring you back down. I love the emotional peaks and valleys that creates. The diversity makes the ride.

[nineinchnerd]

To me, it's all organic.

[sheepdean]

To me, it's all organic.
How do you mean? Albums like PHM were made almost entirely digitally, and YZ made it clear that it wanted to be heard that way. Where do you hear organic sounds in, say, Me I'm Not?

[nineinchnerd]

How do you mean? Albums like PHM were made almost entirely digitally, and YZ made it clear that it wanted to be heard that way. Where do you hear organic sounds in, say, Me I'm Not?

The machines are tools just like any other instrument. In fact, ALL instruments are indeed machines. So who's to say a piano sounds more organic than a synth? They're both machines that essentially evoke different feeling. The way Trent utilizes these instruments, it all feels organic and beautiful.

[sheepdean]

The machines are tools just like any other instrument. In fact, ALL instruments are indeed machines. So who's to say a piano sounds more organic than a synth? They're both machines that essentially evoke different feeling. The way Trent utilizes these instruments, it all feels organic and beautiful.
I don't think organic is a good thing and robotic is a bad thing. And analogue sound, sound created through a machine that is outputting it without amplification or digital input (like a piano) is different to digital sound, such as a synth. And whilst there are synths that toe the line, with an analogue input (like the swarmatron), they are still inorganic.

[nineinchnerd]

I don't think organic is a good thing and robotic is a bad thing. And analogue sound, sound created through a machine that is outputting it without amplification or digital input (like a piano) is different to digital sound, such as a synth. And whilst there are synths that toe the line, with an analogue input (like the swarmatron), they are still inorganic.

Like I said, Trent makes them feel organic.

[sheepdean]

Like I said, Trent makes them feel organic.
In what way? I've never listened to something chaotic like Theme for Tetsuo and thought there was any level of organic music in that

[BenAkenobi]

Exactly! You listened to the rest of Bullet Man OST? That's truly "something chaotic" PLUS organic. "Theme..." pales in comparison to tracks by Chu Ishikawa :D

[Volband]

I love it when he creates chaos. The Becoming, Happiness In Slavery and The Great Destroyer comes to my mind first. But I'm not sure if I could choose, it really depends which day I'm asked about this.

Exactly! You listened to the rest of Bullet Man OST? That's truly "something chaotic" PLUS organic. "Theme..." pales in comparison to tracks by Chu Ishikawa :D
Off question, but don't you know if the OST for the Tetsuo film is available somewhere? I really liked that one!

[_T_B_W_]

I love it when he creates chaos. The Becoming, Happiness In Slavery and The Great Destroyer comes to my mind first. But I'm not sure if I could choose, it really depends which day I'm asked about this.

Off question, but don't you know if the OST for the Tetsuo film is available somewhere? I really liked that one!
I bought a three disc box set for the Tetsuo trilogy soundtracks a couple years ago off of amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Tetsuo-Various-Artists/dp/B00409HC1M
Wow, the prices went down by half for what I paid.

[BRoswell]

I prefer it all.

[pigpen]

It's interesting that you put TDS or TF on the "more robotic" list..

Both of those records have a very "alive" feeling to them, especially TDS.
They feel natural, dirty, and "organic", as opposed to the very clean and almost sterile feeling I get from YZ, TS, and especially HM.

[seasonsinthesky]

It's interesting that you put TDS or TF on the "more robotic" list..

Both of those records have a very "alive" feeling to them, especially TDS.
They feel natural, dirty, and "organic", as opposed to the very clean and almost sterile feeling I get from YZ, TS, and especially HM.

Agreed. I think for me it comes from drumming and percussion. TDS, some of Broken, Ghosts, TF and especially WT and Still have a lot of real drums played by various people over a significant number of songs; obviously, there's lots of programming too. However, all the drums are programmed for YZ, TS (even "1,000,000"), PHM, HTDA, and HM. It has a pretty huge effect on what feels "robotic" and not.

I would also class acoustic guitar in the same fashion, and piano. You can sample/program these things but there's a particular way TR uses them that always retains the human/imperfect performance aspect. This applies to electric guitar a lot but because of its textural use on a lot of NIN work I would say it's 'of two minds' overall, especially when a performance take gets looped (i.e. "Mr. Self Destruct").

[theimage13]

The machines are tools just like any other instrument.

Exactly. I don't remember who first said this, but back when synths were first gaining popularity there was this criticism that computers were going to take over songwriting. Someone was quick to point out that when typewriters came out, books didn't suddenly write themselves.

I'm not sure I'd ever label an album as "organic" or "robotic" based on the instruments used to create it. Whatever tools were used, it was still a man (or two or three) who sat down and created those songs. I guess that feels organic to me.

[pigpen]

I do miss live drums and buzzy walls of guitars...

:(

[r_k_f]

They are one in the same... NIN is like the Borg.