General Music Chat

The more chance you take, the more likely that if you succeed it will be bigger than you thought.

If you don't take any chances, you can't realize your own potential.

Like powerball, you have to in it to win it. (or is that Pick 6)

PS: No, I don't buy those bs tickets. I'd rather take bigger chances than throwing away 1$ at a time on a lousy ticket.

Capt if you won the powerball you could hire anyone to play with you anytime, LOL!

Its sad to me, cause I rarely hear anyones originals online that I would go out and buy, about the only thing on here for instance that I would pursue was one song, by Shredd called Burn, that song had some legs if it had gotten out there, but even having a great song doesnt guarantee success on any level, the last I heard Shredd was playing in a Raggae Party Band, doing well, but not anything near what he did in that song Burn.

Ive written 100s of originals, have been writting some stuff lately on acoustic, but I dont have the desire to even form an original band anymore, for most of the reasons Kramer listed. Plus Ive never written anything that just had that thing too it, and I know Im talking about my own material, sadly most people write a few songs and think they have that thing, but noone will tell them that it doesnt really sound that great.

I think in the end, you just have to do what makes you happy, be it original or cover, and just enjoy the creation process.

At least thats what I keep telling myself! LOL!

If i won any money, I'd play in private with a home full of good sounding toys and probably never write anything again.

But you know that's not going to happen. lol

Hire people to play with me>?

Haw,haw, haw. I'd tell them to get a day job.

I detest hired guns in general. They think that they got something, when in reality they are only filling a spot.

This other guy I know got canned after he played with this one bunch and he was basically unprepared. He cried about it afterwards. I just looked at him and told him the truth, "you did suck it up and for what they are paying you, you did a shitty job".

They weren't paying you to ad lib, they wanted you to be prepared.
You blew it and you're out. Next time, do the leg work or don't be involved at all.

well, w all due respect to those who do the cover thing and take the approach of trying to cop as close a vibe to the original as possible (yes, i do recognize that does take talent and skill)...that's just never appealed to me.

i prefer trying to bring something new or a little different to "the hits"....both when playing and when seeing some band do a "cover".

I personally like trying to reproduce the album version of a song as closely as possible because that's what they hear on the radio, and what they expect. It's a great way to learn new styles of playing. If you rely on your own "creativity" for covers, you you're basically exercising what you already know. If you don't care about picking up new things, just tweaking covers to your own taste, that's all personal preference, but you're gonna clobber bar patron's expectations

Cheerios!

sadly most people write a few songs and think they have that thing, but noone will tell them that it doesnt really sound that great.

spot on!

I've done it several times and I'm trying hard to do it again. We'll see.

it does sound however, like you are trying to cover more territory than might be feasible.

Additionally - your chances increase exponentionally if you are in LA, NY or Nashville. Sucks but there it is. You'll find the players in those places more apt to buy into a project than your local bands where the players are jaded and sadly, often boring. (ducking the stones that will fly my way

ultimately your band must have a sound that makes it unique. That sound is s function of the songs you write and the singer who puts them across.

That's right oh guitar players of the world - it's about the vox.

Talbot

Yeah, when talking to any prospective members, it's extremely important to know exactly what they expect.
If everyone knows each other's goals - right up front - it makes the selection process smoother.
If you play a wide range of music, it gets harder and harder to find musicians.
And, yeah, a singer can make or break a band.
(And usually the singers don't even have their own equipment, either!)

I decided very early on that I would have to be the singer.
It's not an ego thing.
I'm not that good.
But, even if we held a band together long enough to do much of anything, I didn't want to happen to us what always happens when a singer is replaced; the band usually turns to sh*t.
VanHagar, anyone?
More than any other band member, the vocalist is the least replaceable.

I personally like trying to reproduce the album version of a song as closely as possible because that's what they hear on the radio, and what they expect.

well, i get the expectation thing....and i'm sure that people might be easily entertained by juggling and sword swallowing but that's another compromise i'd prefer not to make if i don't have to.

It's a great way to learn new styles of playing.

well that's something i do all the time....trying to learn and copy things that tickle my fancy. but that's something i do at home for my own growth and fun.

If you rely on your own "creativity" for covers, you you're basically exercising what you already know.

i disagree. when a band member says "hey let's do this Black Sabbath tune up reggae style" or says let's play ""Black Dog" in 6/8...i think that having to come up w a part that works ( and maybe playing it a little differently each time you perform your part) is likely more challenging than figuring out the riff off the record and then recreating it over and over again. recreating a part note for note, that's craft...not art.

If you don't care about picking up new things, just tweaking covers to your own taste, that's all personal preference, but you're gonna clobber bar patron's expectations

well, again....it depends on what you're going for. if it's lowest common denominator, yeah....a note for note approach is the way to go.

and it depends on the expectations of your patrons. i'm not the least bit entertained by a band that plays (or is trying to play) note for note representations of songs. (yes, i know i'm in the minority).

i guess i've been fortunate enough to play w some talented and creative folks who can come up w interesting takes on well known songs and still have 'em appreciated by listeners and dancers. as usual...YMMV.

I personally like trying to reproduce the album version of a song as closely as possible because that's what they hear on the radio, and what they expect.

well, i get the expectation thing....and i'm sure that people might be easily entertained by juggling and sword swallowing but that's another compromise i'd prefer not to make if i don't have to.

It's a great way to learn new styles of playing.

well that's something i do all the time....trying to learn and copy things that tickle my fancy. but that's something i do at home for my own growth and fun.

If you rely on your own "creativity" for covers, you you're basically exercising what you already know.

i disagree. when a band member says "hey let's do this Black Sabbath tune up reggae style" or says let's play ""Black Dog" in 6/8...i think that having to come up w a part that works ( and maybe playing it a little differently each time you perform your part) is likely more challenging than figuring out the riff off the record and then recreating it over and over again. recreating a part note for note, that's craft...not art.

If you don't care about picking up new things, just tweaking covers to your own taste, that's all personal preference, but you're gonna clobber bar patron's expectations

well, again....it depends on what you're going for. if it's lowest common denominator, yeah....a note for note approach is the way to go.

and it depends on the expectations of your patrons. i'm not the least bit entertained by a band that plays (or is trying to play) note for note representations of songs. (yes, i know i'm in the minority).

i guess i've been fortunate enough to play w some talented and creative folks who can come up w interesting takes on well known songs and still have 'em appreciated by listeners and dancers. as usual...YMMV.

I am pretty sure the raga musicians of India state that a TRUE and GENUINE musician in touch with the Higher Power/Muse is an IMPROVISATIONIST rather than following composition to the note, so with that being said, I agree with you planetguy..

good for you dane. (the check's in the mail)

I am pretty sure the raga musicians of India state that a TRUE and GENUINE musician in touch with the Higher Power/Muse is an IMPROVISATIONIST rather than following composition to the note, so with that being said, I agree with you planetguy..

No TRUE Scottsman would ever copy a piece note for note!

I have been noticing that musicians (here at home) are approaching me if only to chat. They invite me to this and that...

grant, maybe they look at you in that cool brim and think...hey, i bet this guy's holdin'!

Ha ha I had not even thought of that...!

I am pretty sure the raga musicians of India state that a TRUE and GENUINE musician in touch with the Higher Power/Muse is an IMPROVISATIONIST rather than following composition to the note, so with that being said, I agree with you planetguy..

No TRUE Scottsman would ever copy a piece note for note!

No true Scottsman actually can...! . Har!

OMG! No sooner did I post and respond to this thread...a day later I get s phone call and one of my Blues buddies invites me to form up with him and two other blues buddies...He got us booked for the Timberon Blues Festival...PAID GIG! Then he wants me to MC the entire weekend MORE PAID!

I am to to prepare for an hour and a half show. Roughly 10 songs. Mind you these guys are pros and veterans. Its all Original material. They want my blues songs in there, Another guy there has written his own, and they wanna write some more with me in the mix.... So there ya go... ! Dayum! This illustrates precisely what I had posted...

Get Out, offer musical promise, network, make friends, cultivate the friendships, roll out the wagons and gig together... Bam! That's what I'm talking about!


The festival is in July. We'll start rehearsing in January... (We also intend to use some of the open mics and other local venues to try out the material)

It's especially hard if one band member writes all the tunes, dictates all the parts AND the band isn't making any money...In that situation it's darn near impossible.

It's especially hard if one band member writes all the tunes, dictates all the parts AND the band isn't making any money...In that situation it's darn near impossible.

I've tried different models to operate a band on.
It isn't any easier if you try to get the rest of the band to help.
No one takes any initiative and everything kinda meanders until it falls apart.
Democracy in rock bands doesn't work very well...at all.
Benign dictatorship at least gets some things done.