A question for musicians

[Blackmail]

Do you find it hard to get an objective opinion on your music? When I go out to see local bands, most of them suck. But do they know they suck? When they are writing songs do they actually think the songs are good? How do you know if your own songs are good? Seems when you make music at a grass roots level, people always tell you that you are good. I do it too, I have friends in bands and their music sucks - but when they ask me I tell them it is cool. No one wants to hurt anyones feelings, right?

When it comes to my music I would rather have an honest opinion even if it is harsh. I would rather someone tell me that my songs aren't very good if that is how they feel.

If you make music, would you want honest feedback even if it is negative?

[Homicidalheathen]

Your right, most of them suck....but mainstream tastes suck to me.

My music does not suck but we cannot find guitar players who will back off enough to play our songs right.

We live in this repressed area, I find 20 yr olds into old rock, not much new stuff really catches on. Bunch of metal heads.

I do go to shows with someone I thought had good taste. She gets a few beers in her and any band sounds good. That might be part of the problem.

Bars just want a band that will get people drinking.

The bands that I do like don't seem to make it and it pisses me off. I mean, people with real talent....charisma.

They are around for a few years then just sort of fall of the map. As far as origional bands go anyway.

They have kids. Move, change jobs.......it is hard to keep things going.

[Merlyn]

It is depending on who you ask about your music.

If you ask some friends/family I think they will say yes your music is good or something like that.

What we did, was to invite some other musicians and ask them what they thought. In that way we got some good advices on how to improve our songs.

[Blackmail]

Homicidal Heathen, Merlyn - do either of you have any mp3's online anywhere?

[Merlyn]

I just got one of them, but when they wrote the song and recorded it, I was gone :tear

Thats the only thing I'm really missing.

[phee]

I suck

[Rayne]

I suck

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You do not!!! Don't make me hunt you down and umm ... do something! ... I know where you work. *innocent smile*

[phee]

I have always found it difficult to see local bands myself

thanks Rayne!!!

[odims_sphere]

I suck

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Me too

[Ginevra]

I'm not a musician but with any creative endeavor, I would rather someone, with a little tact, tell me I suck and make *positive* suggestions about how to improve. "Your bass was too loud" . . . . "Your vocals were >much< louder than the music was", or whatever. That way, you're criticizing in a reasonable fashion while at the same time making positive suggestions on how to correct the issue rather than just saying, "Dude, you suck."

[Fierce Critter]

I have learned to ask input from people who KNOW what they're talking about. I don't ask my sister for critique 'cause she has taste in music that WILDLY varies from the type of music I make.

But I am not a harsh critic because I am of the opinion that ALL music is GOOD music - to someone. I wouldn't dare critique a Country song, because I don't like country. But I know there are people who DO, and they are the ones who should be reviewing that kidn of music.

Thus, I tend to review my own music. There was a time I was my own worst critic. Everything sounded like crap that I made. Then others started saying how much they loved it. So I had to start viewing myself more objectively.

What I do have problems with now that I"m composing more complex music - such as what I put on the DGN CD - is hearing levels correctly. I like a lot of bass & bottom, and thought I'd done well on "Ever Mary". But when I play that on my Car CD player, it sounds too damned muddy. That's where I welcome a fresh ear.

[detroitrequiem]

I dont look at it as some bands suck and some dont. I think of it in terms of musicians finding their niche. I believe everyone has the capability and talent to really express themselves and be entertaining to others. I'm proud of the new

d:konstruct album coming out soon. I've worked on it for over 3 years and it was meant for the Detroit scene. We've grown a lot as musicians and it's a change in our sound from our first album rebirth. Some people will like it some wont. I have met a lot of local musicians and I dont think any of them suck. I respect people who take the time to create something and express it to larger audiences. It's hard for people to do that. Songwriting isnt easy either. I've played with many really good musicians over the years that could play anything from Hendrix to classical and jazz music. However, they cant seem to write their own music. People are too critical of themsleves as musicians and feel they have to sound as good as this person or that. Who cares, as long as it's fun.

[Rayne]

Me too

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Oh lord. Quite the contrary Odims!!

[odims_sphere]

Oh lord. Quite the contrary Odims!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well As long as you like it that makes me happy :grin

[Rayne]

Well As long as you like it that makes me happy  :grin

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've had several people (friends mostly) ask me what it is in the car stereo. Everyone loves it.

[odims_sphere]

I've had several people (friends mostly) ask me what it is in the car stereo. Everyone loves it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We still have about a tousand we need to get rid of

[Rayne]

We still have about a tousand we need to get rid of 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am sooooo gonna want some, I could sooooo be your promoter. lol. :laughing

[odims_sphere]

I am sooooo gonna want some, I could sooooo be your promoter. lol. :laughing

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Excellent! I'll get you as many as you want

[odims_sphere]

and sorry for the thread jacking Blackmail

[Aralis]

I would want HONEST feedback but I know most people do not want to hurt anyone's feelings.

I see alot of local bands and there are very few that are actually good and different. At shows I will not pretend to like them or be into them. My husband has even fallen asleep at some sets. Lol..oops.

Anyways the ones I like and are good i tell them and let them know. I will even help promote them. I try to make it to many of their shows to show my support.

A few that come to mind I like are Celldweller(part of the streeteam), Morphic(I think these guys are outta Mt. Clemens) and Crotch who no longer exist and played often around here in Flint. Dixie Hustler and Broadzilla are pretty decent too.

[soothsayer]

Of course it's hard to tell if those bands know they suck but you can help them out by telling them they suck. They should know it and do us the favor of either working harder to suck less or stay home and let real talent prevail.

[Homicidalheathen]

My puter crashed last year and I lost everything.

Last night we tried to get the sequencer to interface with cakewalk but no dice.

Soon I am hoping. I guess I might just have to start over.

[SanctumNocturna]

Original and different are not qualities that are typically rewarded in any artists. I happen to be related to a great number of successful musicians across a wide variety of music...none of which being pop, of course...who all say the same thing. As a whole, a lot of people generally don't like different. People like things that are reminiscent of things they know, and cover bands which are direct translations of things they know. The path to being successful is to know your audience, their comfort level, and how far you can push them.

And I agree with Fierce's perspective in that all music is good music to someone.

I've had a great deal of argument with many people over the concept of "artistic integrity" as I've made the final steps into pulling our material together to do shows...with the last steps HOPEFULLY being completed in the early part of this year. When we begin doing shows, it's a matter of finding an audience. Personally, I wish that I could get out there and do shows of all original material and have people just love it indiscriminantly... But to get a little, I believe we're going to have to give a little...and for that we may do a few covers that might make us "suck" to some people...or make us "sell out on our artistic integrity."

I know people that have dwarfed me by far as musicians...wrote music I absolutely adored...have played for their entire lives...and have gone nowhere because they are not willing to make that sacrifice.

And you see hundreds of these ridiculously crappy...stupid...boring cover bands throughout the area getting well paying gigs and playing for years...

Of course there's exceptions to the rule...there's people who break through on their own steam...there's people who are just that good. But for every one of those there are a million that don't.

At the end of the day, I will always be my own worst critic...as I'm a rabid perfectionist and always demand more of myself...sometimes on a nearly insane basis. But I like to hear criticism...and I tend to find myself really annoyed by those people who just go and see a band and are instantly like "they suck" because they choose to make savvy business decisions that actually end up getting their music to more than the audiences that are available at just the Lab or on the subculture scene.

It is the eternal argument. And yes, I see a lot of terrible local bands.

/psychobabble