Originally Posted by MarioD
I have been doing some thinking about this and I believe I have found MY problem. First yes I can define "edge" in a song. I also believe that definition varies with each individual and each song. That is what I have been trying to say. Part of my problem starts with your chart. I totally agree with your Edge Score and your Descriptor. It is your Instrument and Performance Traits I have a problem with. IMO they are based only on your perspective while mine and others may be different. For instance a jazz song with a growling sax could fit #6-10 and not have distorted feedback-laden guitar, power chords, relentless crashing cymbals, etc.

If you would have left that part out I would have agreed 100%. Like I said I do agree with the first two columns of your chart and you did a great job on those two. YMMV
Ahhh, I now get what you've been trying to say and I agree.
No doubt, because music is such a personal thing, one person's definition of edge may not fully align with someone else's.
Of course, my table is my table, meaning it tries to capture my view on edge. If you have a different view of what "edge" means, great!

The point of the table is to "move the ball down the field"; to hopefully end up with a stronger music creation software tool. A tool that your nursing home muscians would adopt. I'm sure PGMusic can figure out how to label such a user-adjustable element so that it would have maximum applicability across its user base.

The real challenge, requiring real brains, is how do you create a software subroutine that can implement my table (or something like my table) so that you can increase the edge of a given style, level by level without destroying the underlying feeling and groove of the style you're operating on. This requires a deep understanding of musical arrangement, software coding and "edge". But I do believe it's possible and would be profitable.

I wonder if there are Suno or other 100% AI music tool users that can comment if their tools can accomplish this. I know that traditional programming and AI are apples and oranges but if an AI tool can do this, that might be inspirational to the traditional programmers.

And never underestimate the old-school power of a pad of paper and a pencil; whiteboards are also useful smile

https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677
BiaB 2025 Windows
For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.