AngryGoldfish wrote:
That's kinda like how I used to write. It put a lot of pressure on the other two lads: the bassist because he always felt he had to do something unique and different, and the drummer because he generally preferred playing simpler parts. In the end I started hating myself and everything I wrote because of a weird variation of guilt. I began asking them to bring something fresh to the table, and they did; some excellent stuff. But sadly they moved back to the UK before we had a chance to fully move direction.
Handheld recorder and jam. When a good riff pops up, even if it's random or sloppy just record it. Even better if you don't try to rehearse it and just record your first or second try. Do this a lot and don't be afraid to edit. Throw out 9 for every keeper. If I get inspired sometimes I'll try to improvise a whole song just to see what happens.
This is good advice. Don't be afraid to throw away a lot of riffs. I used to try and work with everything and anything. It was stressful because I couldn't face the thought of dropping something. It wasn't out of arrogance. I was just determined to make shit work, and sometimes it just doesn't. The quicker you accept this the more accommodating you will be as a musician and more at peace with yourself.
Yeah, I don't do it anymore, hard lesson learnt. Also, I'm so off chops these days I'm more than happy to let others take the lead. I'm also one to just want to make things work, I love a challenge. The way I write though is basically a riff, think about where you can take it, then when you have a few parts, think about how to order them and how the transitions will go, and then I think about variations within. Usually at about that point the structure gets rewired as well. I love song writing and arranging the most about being in a band and making music to me that's where the real artistry is. But I have learnt to be democratic about it, as hard as that is, just because if I can't reconcile what's in my head with what I'm hearing I feel, I dunno, disappointed. I know that sounds arrogant, but I can't shred, so being flashy lead guy is out for me, I'm a solid riffer and ok noise maker, and if I'm on vocal duties I'm alright, I think my lyric writing is ok, but tied closely to that is the actual structure and composition of the piece, and that's kinda where I feel most comfortable. Like I said though, you gotta be open minded.
Last thing I was in we used the camcorder method. Shit is helpful as fuck. You end up discarding a lot but it keeps QA up as well as general band contentedness.
conky wrote:
While on scene it doesn't bother me, it always hits me when I lay down to go to sleep. None of the faces ever leave you. The day I lay down to go to sleep after a bad call and I sleep peacefully is the day I'm going to get out of EMS.
That is a good idea.
ryan summit wrote:oooooh love notes
New avatar, dude. Seriously.
Yeah, I really dug Forestelevision up until about the 38 minute mark, then it got too King Diamond on me.
Fuck I love Windhand!