Members grilldoo Posted January 10, 2007 Members Share Posted January 10, 2007 i help keep track of the myspace page for my band, and today i got a friend request from a band in our region...i dont know why i even give these bands a chance anymore and listen. i know that everything has been done before, many times over. and music these days, for me, is experiencing the creative expressions of the musicians playing it, which will all be unique in their own way, giving their collaboration its own sound. that said, i really cant listen to 30 seconds of these rock bands that sound like the same identical suck. however, there are so many of them that i feel like there must be a reason they do it.. what is the virtue of being unoriginal?? and money cannot be a virtue here (or anywhere), because the amount of competition these bands have with each other renders it very difficult to make any bank playing the same music as everyone else. and im not talking about cover bands, which i have no problem with at all (even though i probably wouldnt play in one ful time). but i feel some of these bands could at least TRY to sound different. not to mention i will give anythign a shot.i always try to find something i like in a band's sound, but at some point i just can't listen to these myspace wannabes. right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PaulyWally Posted January 10, 2007 Members Share Posted January 10, 2007 IME, the majority of them are not educated musicians. So they don't even know what's original and what's not. They just think that they can slap 2 or 3 chords into a progression... scream into a mic... and they'll be famous. meh... whatever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grilldoo Posted January 10, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 10, 2007 Originally posted by PaulyWally IME, the majority of them are not educated musicians. So they don't even know what's original and what's not. They just think that they can slap 2 or 3 chords into a progression... scream into a mic... and they'll be famous.meh... whatever. i agree, although a lot of my favorite musicians kind of pride themselves on the fact that they were musically uneducated. they are very musically intuitive, though. I think you got the right approach though.......'whatever' i dont have to listen to it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators isaac42 Posted January 11, 2007 Moderators Share Posted January 11, 2007 I've always thought that was a ridiculous thing to be proud of. "Hey, everybody, I'm really ignorant!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ryanstanley Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 I've always thought that was a ridiculous thing to be proud of."Hey, everybody, I'm really ignorant!" it's the fact that they AREN'T ignorant, even dispite that, which makes it an accomplishment they were able to figure it out on their own sure, they'll have a few very specific limitations because of it, but remember- sometimes, limitations can define a style Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Adrenochrome Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 In general I'd agree that being unoriginal is not a virtue [unless you play in a covers band to help pay the bills - which I do]. However, if some/most of these guys are striving to be original and do the best they can then I think that's okay. If they're just following fashion then feck 'em. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PaulyWally Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 I don't think being educated has anything to do with being original. And being "educated" could mean a lot of different things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ConsensusTrance Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 Yeah ...I can seriously relate to the thread starter I always think of that song "come original" by 311 I've been original my whole life...and laughed at my whole life too:wave: Anyhow, there is validity to having lots of bands that sound exactly the same if you think about them in terms of "THE TRIBE" THE TRIBE has it's own values and songs and styles that make it unique. All of the tribal members know these ideas behind the songs and understand how to play the instruments in the style of the tribe. All of these "unoriginal" bands are boring as individual units....but if you look at all of these bands as the sum total of a generation they become the voice of the tribe. I'm making a poor explanation cuz I'm lazy today...but ya'll get the point Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mofopotomus Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 Yeah I think it's mostly a function of what they have heard over their lives and what they think will get them accepted. I mean think of the most original music you can think of, at least for me it's normally in the "man that's wierd but I dig it anyways" category. So I don't know for sure, but I guess whatever makes you happy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fiery Furnace Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 It's so hard to be ignorant of good music, now, too, thanks to the internet. I don't know what their excuse is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Crescent Seven Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 It's so hard to be ignorant of good music, now, too, thanks to the internet. I don't know what their excuse is. "Good music" is wildly subjective, so there's little chance they're being ignorant of it. As far as I'm concerned, if 4 guys are playing music that they really feel good about and are proud of, it doesn't matter how "original" they are (go to a blues jam sometime, those guys are having a great time). People are either going to like it or they aren't, and it's not our job as musicians to go listen to these MySpace pages and find fault with the music. That said, some bands really do suck ass, and are contrived. C7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grilldoo Posted January 11, 2007 Author Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 hmm, maybe being original has nothing to do with it. example: i went to a record store the other day and saw the new cd from Army of Anyone (collaboration of deleo brothers, richard patrick from filter, and ray luzier on drums)..there is really nothing at all original on the disc--a few nifty guitar riffs and bass lines--but nonetheless i really like the album. you couldnt write a more pop friendly 'alt' rock, stock album, but i think it totally kills and have listened to it a bunch. i think i like it because they are all good at what they do, at least that can overcome unoriginality. so i guess if youre gonna be unoriginal, and join the 'tribe' , at least be reallll talented and ill like it. and that s probably what i really dislike about the multitude of bands that post their music....they are not talented enough to win me over, oh well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ConsensusTrance Posted January 11, 2007 Members Share Posted January 11, 2007 so i guess if youre gonna be unoriginal, and join the 'tribe' , at least be reallll talented and ill like it. and that s probably what i really dislike about the multitude of bands that post their music....they are not talented enough to win me over, oh well you just nailed it:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Zebra Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 If we're talking about some bands and stuff that are all over MTV, then they all sound the same because that's what's marketed and it does bring in the cash. For them at least. For bands that try to sound like them, it's probably because that's what they know and that's what they're trying to replicate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 They're playing the music they like. Last time I checked that's what we're all doing. I doubt these kids all get together and say "How can we make our music as generic and unoriginal as possible", they're just playing what comes out of them and it just so happens to be what they're hearing on the radio. In my opinion, doing something for the sole purpose of being different is retarded. Buying a guitar that looks and plays like {censored} because it isn't a strat or a les paul is a stupid reason to buy a guitar, you should buy a guitar because you like the guitar. Do what you love because it's what you love to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassdudeguy Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 i find bands these days just dont have the same talent that old bands hadim not saying have to be complex or hard, take for example china grove by the doobie bros, easy song but atleast it sounds like thier is ispiration when my guitarist comes up with a riff or somthing it is more oriented towards the band sounding tight when i come up with somthing its more about accents at different parts on different instruments if any of that makes sense to you guys:p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members been_effected Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 i find bands these days just dont have the same talent that old bands had im not saying have to be complex or hard, take for example china grove by the doobie bros, easy song but atleast it sounds like thier is ispiration when my guitarist comes up with a riff or somthing it is more oriented towards the band sounding tight when i come up with somthing its more about accents at different parts on different instruments if any of that makes sense to you guys:p makes perfect sense. my 2c? a mate of mine n I came up with the theory that now with the advent of myspace, bands that normally would have been too {censored}ty to get off the ground can now find an audience/have an excuse to add everyone and anyone to spread their crap music. therefore its harder to find original, interesting music because of the sheer amount of crap you have to wade through to find any, and probably 7/10 of people in the general public can't be bothered doing that, so they listen to the radio. Most of us musicians on here are probably part of that 3/10, we like looking for new music, interesting music. For example I just picked up some old jamiroquai and was really digging some of the bass lines. from personal experience I like to think that my band, although we play in that massively cramped rock/heavier rock genre, still has its own sound. Someone else listening to my band though might be able to immediately compare us to some other band that I've never heard, or never really paid much attention to before. Or they could of course lump us into the same category as everyone else "that heavy rock sh*t"... at the end of the day though I agree with some of the other posts on here, we don't play to sound like anyone, when we write we just jam, and basically have fun and the music comes from there, and im pretty sure most of you other guys in bands do it for the same reason... I also wonder if the creative stagnation is for a reason...you start trying to think outside the box with how you play your music and you start to realise there's just so much that has already been done, what is there left to do? Other than continuing the fusion of music genres. phew long rant, better make that my 5c... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members lug Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 Some of my stuff is very original but certainly without any virtue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members T. Alan Smith Posted January 12, 2007 Members Share Posted January 12, 2007 ...but i feel some of these bands could at least TRY to sound different...right? Wrong, IMHO. Where's the integrity in that? Sounding different should come out from within. It should just be natural expression of yourself as a performing artist. Unless your not a performing artist, ala American Idol, and simply a great performer. Or maybe your a great artist, but lack in performance skills. However, the public doesn't care about how well musicians might have their performance craft balanced with how they express themselves imaginitively. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassdudeguy Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 makes perfect sense. that is the first time somone has said that.........usually its wtf are you saying bassdudeguy:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members psychepsilo Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 I don't think being educated has anything to do with being original. "Classes will dull your mind; destroy the capacity for authentic creativity." -John Nash, Nobel Prize winning mathematician Think about it... None of knowledge's greatest growths or achievements were "taught" to the person who pioneered them. No one told Edison how to make a light bulb. No one told Newton about gravity. Columbus was "taught" that he would sail off the edge of the Earth and perish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpaceGhost Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 "Classes will dull your mind; destroy the capacity for authentic creativity." -John Nash, Nobel Prize winning mathematician Think about it... None of knowledge's greatest growths or achievements were "taught" to the person who pioneered them. No one told Edison how to make a light bulb. No one told Newton about gravity. Columbus was "taught" that he would sail off the edge of the Earth and perish. But all of them used concepts that were taught to them. Edison didn't just slap together a shoe lace, grass, and some mud and call it a light bulb. He used his training in w/e it was to figure out how to begin the process of creating the light bulb. However. Subjectivity makes defining what a good formula to create "good" music is, is utterly impossible. Some of my favorite artists have no {censored}ing clue why those three chords sound good together but it's good and people enjoy that. By the same token I listen to bands/groups/musicians/whatever who know tons of musical theory. Both people make great music but from two very different ways. Priding oneself on stupidity is the most moronic thing one can do. Bands that try to be different by recognizing one has been done before them and taking what they like and combining it to make a totally new sound, for better or worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dragon9666 Posted January 13, 2007 Members Share Posted January 13, 2007 You got that right!IQ has alot(most, if not all) to do with it. It goes hand in hand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators isaac42 Posted January 13, 2007 Moderators Share Posted January 13, 2007 it's the fact that they AREN'T ignorant, even dispite that, which makes it an accomplishmentthey were able to figure it out on their ownsure, they'll have a few very specific limitations because of it, but remember- sometimes, limitations can define a style I can't agree. For instance, McCartney may be a great musician, and mostly self-taught, but he can't read music notation. My understanding is that he can't write it, either. Same with Pavarotti, I've read. To me, that makes them ignorant. Not being able to read or write is nothing to be proud of. And while limitations can define a style, limitations can be chosen. One can learn more about ones craft, yet still work within the limitations of a style. It's not necessary to be ignorant to work within limitations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators isaac42 Posted January 13, 2007 Moderators Share Posted January 13, 2007 I don't think being educated has anything to do with being original. And being "educated" could mean a lot of different things. Not directly, no. In fact, there are some people who claim that education killed their originality. My guess is that, in most cases, it simply made them aware that they were not original. However, if you haven't got any originality in you, education isnt' going to help much, if at all. OTOH, it is possible to train people to be more creative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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