What makes music pony?

[Tiaaaaa 176]

There's a lot of pony music out there, but only so much music from the show to work with. Not everyone in the community is a singer and some people don't like to sample sound clips so there's also a lot of pony music that doesn't include pony voices, lyrics about ponies, or music from the show. So what in your mind makes it pony related?

 

I know there's been a lot of commentary that Luna songs in particular have little to nothing to do with the series, and I think that a little unfair. But then again my answer is pretty simple and really broad. If the creator had ponies in mind when she/he made the song then as far as I'm concerned it's pony related. In other words, it's the artist's intent that matters to me more than the execution. Although having a name that fits the song well can really change the way you think about it. For example, For Celestia's Honor is a song that I really couldn't see being Celestia's theme at all. But giving it that name changes it from being a musical representation of Celestia to a song about Celestia or those loyal to her. In my mind it makes all the difference in the world. How about you all? What does/doesn't make a song pony in your opinion?

[janglehooves 3]

If the creator had ponies in mind when she/he made the song then as far as I'm concerned it's pony related.

I'd pretty much agree with that. Obviously it's not always apparent with instrumental tracks but if the inspiration was ponies then it's pony music IMHO. I suppose by using sound clips you can "ponify" a track but I quite like the idea of something a little more subtle such as using similar instrumentation to that used on the show. For example, the mandolin is fairly prominent in a number of songs from the show (this is a good thing! ).

[Marshmallow 1,137]

I'd pretty much agree with that. Obviously it's not always apparent with instrumental tracks but if the inspiration was ponies then it's pony music IMHO. I suppose by using sound clips you can "ponify" a track but I quite like the idea of something a little more subtle such as using similar instrumentation to that used on the show. For example, the mandolin is fairly prominent in a number of songs from the show (this is a good thing! ).

 

This, pretty much.

I'd say that as long as a song has been inspired by the show, then it's a pony song.

[Twilight Sparkle ✨ 8,527]

From an objective point of view, I agree with what's been said; that if the artist had ponies in mind when creating a piece, it's MLP fan music.

 

But if we were to delve into the question of what the "best" form of fan music is, I have a great respect for those who take the time to create an original piece of music inspired by the show, and see re-sampled songs as a bit of a cop-out. Don't get me wrong - I'll admit that I enjoy Avast Fluttershy's Ass and the like - but it's arguably not so much an original fan work as it is material from the show edited into something different.

 

The best fan music, I think, is the kind that is mostly original in its conception but takes influences from the show to keep it recognizable as having something to do with ponies. Like janglehooves's idea of having a mandolin part. Using little melodic or rhythmic quips from the show may also help to establish some familiarity in the piece's listeners, as long as they're used as accents and don't become the main focus of the piece.

 

I wrote an ambitious piece of Yoshi fan music for a 45-part orchestra last year. Just about all of it was my original work, but it still had a recognizable Yoshi flavour about it with my choice of instrumentation (the xylophone and flute were both quite prominent, and there was even a part for a music box - an instrument you wouldn't find in a normal orchestra) and a couple of sparingly used rhythms that any Yoshi's Island player would think they've heard before.