General Music Chat

Sorry. No intent to hyjack.
I still contend if the chem is right the problems will be in a minor key.

If theres too much drama for your mama, find some new folks to play with.

Since before man was created, our ancestors found nice ways & not so nice ways to escape the "real." I have no real issue with it unless the only guy with the spear is too stoned to see the sabertooth coming at us.

Unfortunately, there are many many ppl that just can't handle the stuff, & they should lay off of it. Notice I said "they," which of course wouldn't include myself. I've heard a lot of junkies talk that way, too, but in all honesty I can aver that I haven't any prob's with my "alternate reality." I've never missed work because of it, or let a band down. I've always tried to keep myself in line, cuz I have a tendency to be a bit like Robin Wllms on crack when I get "too happy," & I know it gets irritating after awhile.
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As far as jam-induced creative efforts, I like them, but you must remember that they are "band property." Everyone has input, everyone has a say in how they go.

But, if I bring one of my songs to the table, I, & I alone, have final say in how it goes. If I need you to do something on it, & we're working in a band together, I expect you to do it, as I would for you. I have played songs that I really didn't like doing this, but so did my bandmates. I have also written harmonies & bass lines, key parts, & mandolin lines that really helped the songs. If something I was doing didn't work for anyone but me, I was man enough to say okay, what do you think I should do? Then I would do it to the best of my ability. I expect nothing less.

That isn't to say that you have no input. Feel free to offer suggestions after listening to it carefully. Don't be offended if I'm not going to take any of your suggestions, though. It simply means that we have different tastes & opinions, & I' naturally, want to go with my own on my own song.

I see no need for argument working like this. I can say that your song doesn't work for me, but if the band votes it in, I play it as well as I can.

When things get sorta hot-headed, then it's time to table the issue for the night, & think it over, & try to come to an agreement later, after tempers have cooled. It happens to us all, but you can take control when things start to go wrong, if you're aware of the personalities involved & the rest of the parameters. At least one of you in the band has to keep a cool headbone at all times, or as much as possible, anyway.

This is how we create originals. I'm the one doing the bulk of the songwriting. I come up with the bass-line (I'm the bass player) and the words. I organize the complete structure of the song, learn MY parts (I'm also the lead vocalist). Then I introduce the song to the band. I do NOT play guitar, keyboards or drums. I DO NOT know any music theory. I have a rudimentary knowledge of the key the song is in and where I go on the bass. Therefore I tell the other players to contribute to the song any way THEY want to. EXPERIENCED CREATIVE MUSICIANS CAN ALWAYS ADD SOMETHING REDEEMING TO ANY SONG. Sometimes it takes us a long time to get the song sounding good to everybody's ears. Sometimes the song gets restructured. If some parts don't seem to work they get changed. Sometimes the key the song is in gets changed. This is a FLUID SITUATION. CREATIVITY FLOWS. IT HAS TO FLOW. IT ALL DEPENDS ON BEING OPEN-MINDED AND HAVING PATIENT CREATIVE PEOPLE IN THE BAND. Sometimes I'll think my new song should have a country feel and it ends up sounding like Texas style blues. Sometimes I have an idea a song should have a slow blues feel and we end up with a fast walking bass-line and more of a rockabilly feel. When you write a song you should let the experienced creativity mold the song into its eventual optimal sound. There's almost no rhyme or reason to some of the outcomes. Once the band agrees that the song sounds good, lay it on some outsiders. Do total strangers like the song? If so you've got a winner. If not then you need to do one of two things with the tune: either improve it or dump it. Some tunes no matter how hard you try just never work out. Some tunes come together instantly and sound good right away. DON'T GET FRUSTRATED. IF YOUR BAND MEMBERS KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DOING THE SONGS USUALLY COME TOGETHER. LET THE TALENT OF YOUR BAND HAVE FREE REIGN TO FLOW. Oh, by the way I don't smoke pot but it's INSANE THAT IT'S ILLEGAL. Later...

Easiest way to deal with the 'hard-headed, struggle to write a song' issue?
Let it go.
The more pressure you put on yourselves to getting everything just right, and the more you keep poking at things, looking for that 'blow their heads off' awesomeness', the more youre going to strangle the sh*t out of any creative juices that might be flowing.
Pressure is good for performance, but it will strangle the creative spirit till it's eyes pop out.
It's about 5x easier for me to lay some tracks to someone elses song, because I don't put as much pressure on myself.
If you 'are' putting alot of pressure on yourselves, it shows that you really care, which is good... but their has to be a spirit of play or things can get no fun in a hurry.

I think its pretty comon to get in these kind of situations.
It all comes down to what you expect to do with your band.

Either your band members are hard heads but have incredible musical talent, or they are just hard heads.

I would suggest changing band members if they aren't indispensable.

If you're just doing it for fun, dont take the fun out of it.

If you're doing it to build a career on the side or full time, find other peeps. I would tend to think that every band that made a name for itself started out with healthy relationships

mruff.

Damn why does everbody use George when they need a generic name

One day I caught my George in my zipper...Man, that hurt!


Just kiddin'.

Damn why does everbody use George when they need a generic name

I use Gus.

Joseph, I actually knew a guy whom I worked with a short time. Before he knew my name made a simular remark about his wife called "IT"
George. His name was John. We had a lot of laughs at each others expense.

Well, hey, she probably had a lot of respect for "George." I guess she could have called it "little Joey".

Isn't that what the producer does?

He allows you to make music and yet you still don't want to see the other few die horribly?

He keeps the piece by being half-punching bag and half inspiration.

(When something goes wrong, you can blame him as well) lol