# Happy music, does it really exist?



## germancomponist (May 9, 2015)

Yeah, the headline is provocative. :wink: 

Can you name examples from the very past?


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## Stiltzkin (May 9, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH2-TGUlwu4


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## Rob (May 10, 2015)

Stiltzkin @ 10th May 2015 said:


> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH2-TGUlwu4



Hahahaha

Seriously, Gunther, "happy" is a subjective term, but if you look for music with characteristics like:

Based on a major key
With a medium to up tempo 
Joyful articulations - legato/staccato, accents, trills
Harmonically leaning on the not too complicated side
Maybe using middle/high range 

You would probably find some happiness in there


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## jcs88 (May 10, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3ozEsN2UO8

~o)


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## Pasticcio (May 10, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7sjSHazjrWg


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## muk (May 10, 2015)

Of course.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Diu2N8TGKA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFBfgPFzOBE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7O91GDWGPU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ls9-I0N9sW4

Der Vogelfänger from the Zauberflöte.

And an absolute gem of humour and happines. Never has there been a more artful piece of utter clumsiness (and with the horns playing wrong transpositions every now and then it's probably the first piece incorporating polytonality). One of my absolute favourites: 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wFPoRmsiFzc


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## Saxer (May 10, 2015)

*this* sound makes me smile immediately and feel happy through and through

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cpH6yvDhbU&list=PLmYc9gG3yj8RucKTuvbn1QpfXz-dT3NsC&index=3 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0cpH6yv ... sC&amp;index=3)

but some more average happiness is probably here...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa70uFuKnnw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIT3tb9P1Us


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## TGV (May 10, 2015)

What's wrong with Pharell's song? I'll show myself out.

A tune that really cheers me up is http://www.hawksley.net/mp3/John%20Hawksley%20-%20Open%20Road.mp3 (this instrumental) by John Hawksley, an amateur musician (I think) I had a conversation with on a forum. It's not perfect, but so happy. I can't help whistling along with what's probably the refrain.

Classical:
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GyOEOuUPvM0
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y0ZboerS4zc
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyx99YcHdIQ
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pO7_IxbDsU
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sHsFIv8VA7w#t=4979

BTW, what do you mean by "the very past"?


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## SergeD (May 10, 2015)

Good ol' songs in American movies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmCpOKtN8ME at 1:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yu6--WBPBHo at 1:00


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## lucor (May 10, 2015)

This old demo of Sample Modeling's The Trombone always puts a smile on my face.  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCC1Vqk3_hA


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## Rob (May 10, 2015)

interesting how different is each one's idea of "happy"


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## KEnK (May 10, 2015)

I've always found West African music to be incredibly joyous.
James Brown, Big Band jazz, Classical Indian music-
Seems like an endless list.
Gunther, what makes you ask that question?
Are you listening to to much serial music?
I mean to me music is almost always about expressing joy.

k


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## marclawsonmusic (May 10, 2015)

KEnK @ Sun May 10 said:


> I mean to me music is almost always about expressing joy.
> 
> k


To me, music is almost always about expressing sorrow. :wink:


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## TGV (May 10, 2015)

Rob @ Sun May 10 said:


> interesting how different is each one's idea of "happy"


Ask: Deep, soul touching music, does it really exist? That will give you an even wider range, I think.


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## Hannes_F (May 10, 2015)

Now and then when I need a bit of lift up I listen to this song, composed by our very Christof (Unterberger):

http://www.vi-control.net/forum/viewtop ... highlight=


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## Piano & Strings (May 10, 2015)

lucor @ Sun May 10 said:


> This old demo of Sample Modeling's The Trombone always puts a smile on my face.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCC1Vqk3_hA



I love that video! Cracks me up and I KNEW it would be this when I clinked the link haha


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## Soundhound (May 10, 2015)

This makes me happy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyuqWFqyJ0E


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## David Donaldson (May 10, 2015)

Not happy but this makes me laugh. 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GX1DVnNWtGY


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## Consona (May 10, 2015)

https://youtu.be/9o-7rPnZhXo?t=39m41s (March Of The Halflings)


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## Living Fossil (May 11, 2015)

Rob @ Sun May 10 said:


> interesting how different is each one's idea of "happy"



Yes, indeed.
I think it has to do with the fact that some people define happy as "funny", and some others as "glad". 
Which are two totally different things:
The first has a happy surface the second is happy inside. 
And further, you can combine the two:
happy surface - happy inside
happy surface - sad inside
sad surface - happy inside
And then, there are myriads of nuances between happy and sad.

There are extremely dumb forms of happiness and there are intelligent ways, and
a lot in this considerations is even subjective:

Somebody may compose a really sad piece of music in such a clichéd way that it becomes perfect comedy.
And then there are tracks that are funny in such a clichéd way that they are a nuisance. (that's something that happens rather often).


@Gunther: a very interesting thread and a good question.
Some interesting examples have been posted so far


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## Lawson. (May 11, 2015)

Can't think of a more happier and magical piece than this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iClEaJz_A0A


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## JJP (May 11, 2015)

This stuff always makes me happy.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABLwmYI09Lw


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iHD7_TU8PK4


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## John Walker (May 11, 2015)

This one makes me laugh because its weird in its concept.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hI1nPd7hezM


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## impressions (May 11, 2015)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q5QFdxUjyo


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## germancomponist (May 11, 2015)

Many interesting suggestions, thanks!

What I mean when I say "in the very past" is "a Long time ago...". 

And with "happy" I mean music what makes me happy when listening, feeling wise.

Here are some examples of mine:

http://www.screenarchives.com/title_detail.cfm?ID=7189


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## Rob (May 11, 2015)

Living Fossil @ 11th May 2015 said:


> Rob @ Sun May 10 said:
> 
> 
> > interesting how different is each one's idea of "happy"
> ...



exactly my point of view...


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## germancomponist (May 11, 2015)

Rob @ Mon May 11 said:


> exactly my point of view...



Yes, but also interesting?


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## Rob (May 11, 2015)

germancomponist @ 11th May 2015 said:


> Rob @ Mon May 11 said:
> 
> 
> > exactly my point of view...
> ...



yes, if you, like me, have gusto for understanding how things work...


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## germancomponist (May 11, 2015)

Rob @ Mon May 11 said:


> yes, if you, like me, have gusto for understanding how things work...



I do!


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## Guffy (May 11, 2015)




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## lux (May 11, 2015)

i like this thread, have to say. It has a quirky and spontaneous feel to me.


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## Living Fossil (May 11, 2015)

germancomponist @ Mon May 11 said:


> Yes, but also interesting?



The differentiation of emotional states is a key topic in art forms as writing, filming and composing.
It's not so important to differentiate if you just want to get the people in a beer tent to have a good mood. As long as the bass player provides some humpa-humpa

o-[][]-o


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## germancomponist (May 11, 2015)

Lol :-D


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## germancomponist (May 11, 2015)

Another question:

Do you hear "happy" music now on your fovourite radio stations, or what do they play?


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## Saxer (May 14, 2015)

no way to stand listening to commercial german radio stations.

happy music is here  http://illinoisstreetlounge.radio.net


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## germancomponist (May 19, 2015)

Saxer @ Fri May 15 said:


> no way to stand listening to commercial german radio stations.
> 
> happy music is here  http://illinoisstreetlounge.radio.net



Nice, very nice!


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## Nick Batzdorf (May 19, 2015)

The correct answer is that the same piece of music can take on very different moods, especially when it's being used with visuals.


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## germancomponist (May 19, 2015)

Nick Batzdorf @ Wed May 20 said:


> The correct answer is that the same piece of music can take on very different moods, especially when it's being used with visuals.



So, listen to what the german radio stations are playing also in the early morning, for example: 



Would you call this as a happy music? Why do they play this in the early morning?


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## sleepy hollow (May 19, 2015)

Hey guys, try this:

Read through the whole thread again, and replace the word _happy_ with _hippie_...


Hehe :mrgreen:


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## impressions (May 29, 2015)

if this doesn't put a smile on your face after 5 minutes of watching...


something is wrong with you then


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## passenger57 (May 29, 2015)

Yes, the soundtrack for Frozen. It almost drove me to a mild form of insanity today but these are the kind of sacrifices we must make for our children.


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## Michael K. Bain (May 29, 2015)

I love this happy song!


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