Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

For years the most important factor for me in enjoying music was the guitar work. Guitar heroes ruled my choice of favorite bands/genres. As I'm getting older I'm really starting to get more into the vocalists and even lyrics are becoming increasingly important to me. What catches my ear first and foremost is vocals. Are they easily understood? The quality, power, emotional impact of the vocalist is becoming more and more important to me. Being a bass player you would think the bass and drums might be the most important factor to me, but once you have a solid rhythm section then what separates bands/solo artists for me is the vocals. Maybe I'm overdosed on guitar heroes...

I've always been into lyrics. Sometimes I'll listen to Dylan just for the words.

Instrumentalists always grab my attention. I love the flute, of course ,and often rag on other non-flute instrumentalists but the truth is, there is nothing like someone who has a handle on their axe No matter what it is. As a matter of fact, the musicians who have inspired me the most do not play flute.

Melody rules. Something i can sing,whistle tap my feet to or hum along. As long as a good melody is punching through somewhere... I can listen, don't care what the genre is either. The instruments are toppings to me. I don't even have a favorite guitarist. Little wing is one great song but what sticks in my head is the melody. Both vocal and guitar.
Strip a song down to one instrument and a vocal and you'll see how good it is.

Lot of truth there Jahva. I love songs that I can play either acoustic or electric, for example Neil Young's "Down by the River".

To answer the OP, it really depends on what mood I'm in and what genre I want to listen to. I listen to a lot of classical and jazz in addition to rock. But if it's rock with vocals, I want to hear and understand the lyrics, and they better not be trite.

Music with instrumentalist depth. My favorite music has always been instrumental. Some complexity, playfulness, but not so complicated it loses feel.

If lyrics are involved, yes, clarity and power, with words that actually say something on a topic or theme or subject.

Instrumentation. Vocals are the last thing I hear in a song. I love a good synth or guitar solo. Melody, downbeat, composition, and mix, not necessarily in that order. I lubs to hear driving ge tars in a song.

I used to really enjoy all the big bands . They had it all. But rock a billy ruled over much of that when it came onto scene.

Bob, for me its all about emotion, and it can be in any part of the song.

I mean bass, Higher Ground by the RHCPs captures me, I mean when that bass starts off its got atttitude, or Dazed and Confused, that bass line just gets me.

I guess vocally I love the over the top guys, Plant, Gillan, Cornell, they just sing with such emotion.

Guitars the typical guys Page of course, I love the rythmic structures he has but then the total abandon he has in his solos. Hendrix, Blackmore, Van Halen, even Gibbons and Joe Walsh

Drums, When the Levee Breaks, Walk This Way , just love the emotion of these songs and the way the drums make me want more.

I like stories in Lyrics, from Dickenson Flight Of Icarus to humor Gillans No Laughing In Heaven

For me its just the general emotion of the song, not necessaruily a particular instrument, take Jeff Beck for instance his guitar lines just have that thang that I cant put my finger on but they are there.

Like Jimmy on my XM radio I listen to all styles of music and draw from them all. But its emotion that keeps me listening!

Feeling and emotion it can be in the melody or even in the lyric

Some music carries " power " Some don't.
I'm drawn to the power, same as I'm drawn to thunderstorms, boss cars, cold steel, and awesome weapons.

I could not define " power ", but I know it when I feel it.

It has to have the groove!!!!

Captain, It is so good too hear from you!!!!

Bob it really depends on the music. BOSTON, the prelude set up by the drums and bass on "LONG TIME " are extreme, Go listen. White Snake just came out with a new album, Awesome guitar work.[The album is worth a listen]

Your vids,, OVER THE TOP, completely different music but GREEAAT!

I just am partial to drums locked with bass.

Originality of the song-structure.
Then the groove (chords and rhythm)
Then the harmonies.

The Groove.

The Almighty Groove.

Nothing should come before the The Groove!

And that's not about the drums or the bass or any other single instrument.

For me, anyway, the groove is about the melody and the rhythm that underpins it. A solid groove can actually change tempos because, well, because it should. A solid groove isn't necessarily funky, but I like a funky groove.

Most important: a good groove is never boring, pretentious, trite or insipid.

It's as fast as it needs to be, but no faster.

It's elegant or nasty or greasy or slinky or maudlin or sexy or romantic. But it's always exactly right.

Maybe this is the bass player in me, but I had this epiphany years ago when I was in a band where the philosophy of several of the members was, "Though shalt not suffer a Groove to live!".

Best Grooves ever (that I can remember right now):

• Money - Pink Floyd
• Take 5 - Dave Brubek
• Brick House - The Commodores
• Ten Years Gone - Led Zeppelin
• Lazy - Deep Purple
• Still Got The Blues - Gary Moore (and, I should mention, I generally don't like Gary Moore)
• When The Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
• The Story In Your Eyes - The Moody Blues
• Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
• Yeah - Usher

I couldn't tell you why I like these grooves particularly. It's a holistic sort of thing.

aiki_mcr wrote:The Groove.

The Almighty Groove.

Nothing should come before the The Groove!

And that's not about the drums or the bass or any other single instrument.

For me, anyway, the groove is about the melody and the rhythm that underpins it. A solid groove can actually change tempos because, well, because it should. A solid groove isn't necessarily funky, but I like a funky groove.

Most important: a good groove is never boring, pretentious, trite or insipid.

It's as fast as it needs to be, but no faster.

It's elegant or nasty or greasy or slinky or maudlin or sexy or romantic. But it's always exactly right.

Maybe this is the bass player in me, but I had this epiphany years ago when I was in a band where the philosophy of several of the members was, "Though shalt not suffer a Groove to live!".

Best Grooves ever (that I can remember right now):

• Money - Pink Floyd
• Take 5 - Dave Brubek
• Brick House - The Commodores
• Ten Years Gone - Led Zeppelin
• Lazy - Deep Purple
• Still Got The Blues - Gary Moore (and, I should mention, I generally don't like Gary Moore)
• When The Levee Breaks - Led Zeppelin
• The Story In Your Eyes - The Moody Blues
• Play That Funky Music - Wild Cherry
• Yeah - Usher

I couldn't tell you why I like these grooves particularly. It's a holistic sort of thing.

Well put.