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I just finished watching Nodame Cantabile, and it had me thinking about something I had already decided on. Do you want changes if someone is covering a song? Do you change anything when playing a song by someone else? Why? Where do you draw the line for change; Tempo rubato, notes, lyric or some varying degree to any of these?

I personally find nothing wrong, as Nodame changes the pieces according to her feelings. Are only famous people allowed to play songs differently? People proven as established or ingenious?(However that works)


Born into a conservative musical family I was taught to play music by 'will' of the composer. Which apparently is always dictated by the sheet. I clearly digress and believe that one doesn't need to play jazz to improvise. Needs to call the piece something else to input a self-composed variation. Or have to dress up to play a widely misunderstood genre of music...err...Not to deviate any further, your thoughts!!

There is an entire industry based on changing someone else's music, so I think it's acceptable D:

as when you publish a scientific paper you should assume that people have differences in view, want to change it for fun, or use your piece for inspiration
its a given in art and sciences, it doesn't mean the composer has to care or something odd like that

It becomes your own creation if you change it doesn't it? Since its being altered from the original anyway, so I don't really see a problem with it.

How so? I mean, only if you change it enough, right?

Please answer the questions, people. Thank you for replies.

I suppose that's the argument isn't it :p sorry if I'm getting sidetracked but If you play or use someone else's song but you add your own lyrics or musical effects the original song it will become a new composition completely in my opinion. But if you do make changes to a song and label it as your own I think it's only fair to give credit to the creator of the original song for being used as a base. As remixes go in the music business they take originals and edit them to their own tastes whilst still giving credit to the original artist.

What do you mean, like a cover or Weird Al parody?

That or Mozart's requiem, would it make a difference in an argument?

Touhou music. Literally thousands of artist all producing mountains of musical arrangements each year. Not only is it acceptable, it's freaking awesome. Heck, I've done it myself.

Just credit the original composer.

I think it's perfectly fine as long as you give credit to the original creator. There are so many good songs that are just remixes of other songs. It's awesome.

I think in some way its ok, but seeing someone making it big getting glory from it is not something i wanna see, and that does happen. and that's regardless of giving credit or not..lately a few has popped up on the radio..its really annoying to sit in a friends car and have it come on and even they enjoy it..drives me nuts i dont even have my radio programmed on my own car..!

For classical music, it's cool if they keep it the same, it's cool if they change it.

For pop/rock/most "modern" music that gets covered, it's only fun if they aren't trying to do the exact same thing (because the songs aren't technically difficult, for the most part). I don't want to hear anyone's best Adele impression, but I'm down to hear a different take on one of her songs. Ie.

From a classical stand-point it was supposedly to keep to the composer's will, but the irony is that many classical pieces today, like Bach, are played much faster than they were technologically feasible at the time due to their process of production of instruments, so in the end they aren't actually following the composer's will.

However, IMO, even though I haven't watched Nodame, I find it ridiculous that they would change the classical pieces in a performance without being famous. The classical music world is hardly forgiving, most people who get any pay at all are those who won't change them. Many composers who had potential ended up being only performers, including famous maestros such as Furtwängler.
Those who do will either not become classical performers or will be cast aside for those who won't change the compositions on a whim.
In the end if you want to perform classical music you got to follow the rules, the same way how in some jobs long-haired males or tattooed people aren't accepted.

Summarising, no, I don't have a problem with changing them, but Nodame sounds so far to me an anime trying to show how the characters are going to "revolutionise" the classical world when in fact they aren't, they only got plot armour.

Variation depends on the methods, styles & degrees.
Even for the same piece of classical music, different conductors can make the style significantly different.
Yet there are many failures too such as using the wrong type of instruments, cutting too much & adding garbage etc.

I feel the same way, honestly. Impersonation of other acts never make an interesting listen for me.
Cool cover, by the way. Remember the album of the year thread? I found Mouse on the key's Kasputin cover eventually.

I think it's pretty awesome.



I am sorry if my post gave you that idea. I meant something else entirely, as Nodame's changes are frowned upon through out. You should check out the reviews or something to get a better idea about it.

you should be, i have heard some decent remixes and improved versions of original songs, as long as they are not doing it against the artists will i see no problem with this

I think it's fine if you are going to change someones song but you need to state that it's your version. I love listening to covers/remixes of my favorite music but hate having to figure out if what I'm listening to is a cover/remix or the original if I'm not familiar with/haven't listened to the origional song yet...

Of course! That's what's wonderful about creativity--it can borrow as much or as little from any one idea or composition and breathe a new and unique life into it.

A new version of something doesn't make the original cease to exist. It just makes something new based on the original.

Of course, in terms of a concert pianist or something like that, it is slightly different depending what people are there to hear. Are they there to hear the piece, by the composer? Are they there to hear the piece, as interpreted by the musician? Well, that varies.

How did you deal with The Beatle's cover version of Twist and Shout?

Nice, that is pretty sweet.