Have you ever wondered why are simple songs more popular than coplicated, full of ornatments, hard as hell to play songs?
Well it is very simple (yes you will see that word in this post as many times as possible to make you understand alright?) music isn't about who plays "x" instrument better, or how fast can he/she play it. music as an art is about how well can you express your feelings through that instrument, so when people listen to you, they will know exactly how you feel, even without lyrics.
People like to identify themselves with people who share their same feelings, that's all you need, play a song like that in a baby xylo and people will still sing your tune and everything.
OK complicated songs are cool too. but it is all about adrenaline, you can feel exactly the same in a rollercoaster, don't let chemical reactions in your body fool you.
Want some feedback? Just listen to The Beatles, they are still the best band with the best album in the world and they didn't need their frets in fire ;) i hope this will help you when composing or if you feel you are not good as Wooten or Dave Weckl.
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Now playing: The Beatles - Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band
Monday 26 November 2007
Sunday 25 November 2007
Monday 19 November 2007
Featured n' Must-Have #1
Manu Chao - Esperanza - 1997
You can't say you know about music without knowing Manu Chao, he is French but he plays so many Latin/World styles that you will feel like a newborn again, so Pure.
Highlights:
Eldorado 1997 - Time to dance, this Salsa-ish song will make you jump from your seat and start dancing(like you know to dance it, ha.) a hard to forget song.
Me Gustas Tu - Reggae + Latin Folk, Enough Said. You will sing this song for years.
Denia - You will feel like you are in peru in the top of a mountain dancing with your fellow native mates.
Le Rendez Vous - Yeah, that's french, this Latin Jazz song will open your mind and make you throw away some of your CD's since you won't want to hear them anymore.
Mr. Bobby - A very catchy Tribute to Bobby Marley. " Hey Bobby Marley, sing something good to me".
Homens - In Portuguese, a Love Hymn. You will want to learn Portuguese after hearing it I swear.
Please take a moment to enjoy this brilliant album, you just can't die without hearing it.
Sunday 18 November 2007
Quick Recommendation - Putumayo Records
Do you like World Music?...
Do you even know what World Music is?
sigh...
well as you can guess, it is music from around the world, music that don't appear in the billboard but i swear is better than most of the music you know, mostly in hidden countries for music. like Sweden, or Ireland. Some Latin Music like Brazil or Cuba.
Putumayo Records are devoted to make sure the world knows about this wonderful but hidden music. They will change the way you listen to Music forever.
Musicians Report In:
Listen and learn, this music can help you to be more creative, add originality to your style and help spread the word about this music.
Link!
Putumayo Records - Putumayo World Music is a record label presenting the best in Latin, African, Reggae, Celtic and other world music compilations.
Alternative Instruments
Ever tried playing a Quena?
Crotalos maybe?
Sticking to the same old instrument set (Electric guitar, electric bass, drumset, voice) seems to work for everyone but it is just the easy n' cheap way.
For real, there are so many instruments out there, i bet your music will get a lot better if you add some alternative instruments to your standard set, do some research, expand your mind and your art will do so as well.
Crotalos maybe?
Sticking to the same old instrument set (Electric guitar, electric bass, drumset, voice) seems to work for everyone but it is just the easy n' cheap way.
For real, there are so many instruments out there, i bet your music will get a lot better if you add some alternative instruments to your standard set, do some research, expand your mind and your art will do so as well.
Saturday 10 November 2007
Quick Tip #1
If you want your fingertips to be numb forever, play the bass for 12 hours straight and i know what i am talking about!
Monday 5 November 2007
Maybe Rock It Is NOT So Great
Everyone wants to rock! Rock! ROCK!
O.K. fine, I got it! That's what you(the public)get. Jesus.
But.. what about the musician and his/her needs?
At my school, about 90% of the new students, want to play rock. and most of them want to play electric guitar. Alright, maybe too many of them.
I have noticed that when some time have passed, those students become more "mature" about their musical tastes. I have seen heavy metal players turn to smooth jazz players in a year. Why?
Well, it is simple, as they get more and more experience, they are now capable of playing any idea that comes to their mind. This causes an urge for more freedom in their music, and some genres like rock, metal and other become repetitive for them, boring, same old beats, same old chord progressions, they want more, something else. Jazz, in example, lets them do whatever they want, and it sounds great and it is funnier for them.
This happens all the time as they begin to understand what art is: Freedom and Self Expression and not just impressing people with fancy, complicated or "deep" stuff.
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Now playing: Amy Winehouse - Just Friends
O.K. fine, I got it! That's what you(the public)get. Jesus.
But.. what about the musician and his/her needs?
At my school, about 90% of the new students, want to play rock. and most of them want to play electric guitar. Alright, maybe too many of them.
I have noticed that when some time have passed, those students become more "mature" about their musical tastes. I have seen heavy metal players turn to smooth jazz players in a year. Why?
Well, it is simple, as they get more and more experience, they are now capable of playing any idea that comes to their mind. This causes an urge for more freedom in their music, and some genres like rock, metal and other become repetitive for them, boring, same old beats, same old chord progressions, they want more, something else. Jazz, in example, lets them do whatever they want, and it sounds great and it is funnier for them.
This happens all the time as they begin to understand what art is: Freedom and Self Expression and not just impressing people with fancy, complicated or "deep" stuff.
----------------
Now playing: Amy Winehouse - Just Friends
Sunday 4 November 2007
Smart Musical Instruments Shopping
The $2500-$4000 Collectors' Edition/Top Brand instrument or the $150-$300 "X" Brand one?
First, an expensive instrument will sure look bad-ass and/or sound even better, but it won't make you play any better. if you are a beginner, you may eventually stop liking the instrument itself, because you can't just play it good, or maybe because you just like the way it is played, etc. only get these when you go pro on the instrument(or when you move to a safer neighborhood, unless you want to see it in the store where you bought it the day after it misteriously disappeared.
Second, a cheap instrument is great for beginners, you can just throw it away if you didn't like it, or you can learn on it before you get something better and it won't hurt that much if you break it. no, the other kind of pain. but it won't give you a better image and it may sound like if it was a toy, so any pro would think twice before buying these instruments, it would be a step backward.
Now it doesn't seem so black or white now as before you read this, does it?
O.M.G. Advice!
when shopping, go further than appareances and explore every angle of each offer. Just ask yourself this 8 questions before doing anything:
Am I experienced enough for a super-instrument?
Even if I am, do I really need it?
Do I need quality or quantity?
Do I really like the instrument?
Do I really like the WAY it is played?
Am I sure that this is expensive item what i am going to play for my entire life?
Am I going to break it in my first gig? (Har. Har. Har.)
Why do I want Paul McCartney's Bass?
Happy Shopping!
First, an expensive instrument will sure look bad-ass and/or sound even better, but it won't make you play any better. if you are a beginner, you may eventually stop liking the instrument itself, because you can't just play it good, or maybe because you just like the way it is played, etc. only get these when you go pro on the instrument(or when you move to a safer neighborhood, unless you want to see it in the store where you bought it the day after it misteriously disappeared.
Second, a cheap instrument is great for beginners, you can just throw it away if you didn't like it, or you can learn on it before you get something better and it won't hurt that much if you break it. no, the other kind of pain. but it won't give you a better image and it may sound like if it was a toy, so any pro would think twice before buying these instruments, it would be a step backward.
Now it doesn't seem so black or white now as before you read this, does it?
O.M.G. Advice!
when shopping, go further than appareances and explore every angle of each offer. Just ask yourself this 8 questions before doing anything:
Am I experienced enough for a super-instrument?
Even if I am, do I really need it?
Do I need quality or quantity?
Do I really like the instrument?
Do I really like the WAY it is played?
Am I sure that this is expensive item what i am going to play for my entire life?
Am I going to break it in my first gig? (Har. Har. Har.)
Why do I want Paul McCartney's Bass?
Happy Shopping!
Making a (Good)Band, Not So Easy
The first time our band reunited to actually start being a band, the first question was obvious, yet challenging:
What are we going to play? Talking about our original project
Immediately, the same old answers bloomed.
"Rawk! Metal! Nirvana! Metallica!"
I have seen enough to say that there are just too many bands like that, and all of them are technically the same.
For a band to stand out and by stand out, i mean to do something that changes the way we listen to music forever, something that will make us live forever, not just to have a load of fanboys/girls, so we started brainstorming some ideas.
-The awkward fusion of two genres. e.g.: Jazz Metal
-Hardcore playing of a genre.
-Playing all the genres we can
-"Refresh/Evolve" some specific genre
-Controversial Lyrics
and some more crazy ideas. Damn, we haven't even decided yet.
however, for a serious band, this is a serious topic, if your band want to last more than some 1-hit-band, or want to play something different, something unique. think about every possibility you can think of and listen to everything you can, there are so many other genres and styles out there. And you may then live forever.
Useful Links:
- Last Fm - The Social Music Revolution
- All Music - You Know Your Music, So Do We
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Now playing: Radiohead - 15 Step
What are we going to play? Talking about our original project
Immediately, the same old answers bloomed.
"Rawk! Metal! Nirvana! Metallica!"
I have seen enough to say that there are just too many bands like that, and all of them are technically the same.
For a band to stand out and by stand out, i mean to do something that changes the way we listen to music forever, something that will make us live forever, not just to have a load of fanboys/girls, so we started brainstorming some ideas.
-The awkward fusion of two genres. e.g.: Jazz Metal
-Hardcore playing of a genre.
-Playing all the genres we can
-"Refresh/Evolve" some specific genre
-Controversial Lyrics
and some more crazy ideas. Damn, we haven't even decided yet.
however, for a serious band, this is a serious topic, if your band want to last more than some 1-hit-band, or want to play something different, something unique. think about every possibility you can think of and listen to everything you can, there are so many other genres and styles out there. And you may then live forever.
Useful Links:
- Last Fm - The Social Music Revolution
- All Music - You Know Your Music, So Do We
----------------
Now playing: Radiohead - 15 Step
Two Sides Of The Same Coin
It has been said "Rock n Roll gave me everything"
Sure. but, after what?
Dropping out of school when you where 15, playing in your little garage band with your friends at some bar, getting so drunk and high that the day after, you found that somehow you wrote some awesome songs. A week later, you notice something wrong "you-know-where" and after a while you tell your girlfriend: "Sorry honey, i have a STD and... about what we did last night--SLAP" Oh Yeah! Another ex-girlfriend that hates you, rock on.
Finally, after years of struggle, a music headhunter stops by the bar asking for directions and listens to your band playing right before you fall from the stage. Here comes the cliche, he says "i have been looking for people like you! and i don't tell that to anyone -blink blink-"
Everything after that goes beatle-like, you are on the top, everyone loves you, you sell millions of copies of your albums. You are the happiest man on the world.
Or Are You?
You are on the top. You mean the label is on the top, you are still the same alcoholic and stoner guy. but you are still on the top. Right...?
Everyone loves you. True, so true...You can't get out of the apartment/house/van/whatever without being run over by your lovely fans, your girlfriend(uh-oh here we go again) is the most hated person in the world and your amazing fans let her know in many scary ways.
You sell millions of copies of your albums. Oh you are so rich, maybe you can now buy some true friends... wait, what? uh... maybe you should just keep on buying more alcohol and drugs.
Getting exhausted from tours, gigs, etc. not having time for anything else, blah blah blah.
Oh no! your band breaks up! no problem you still got the money, your love and your friends, right guys? ...guys? ...anyone?
But here you are, saying "Rock N Roll gave me everything", but of course! you are on tv and you were paid to say that to promote soda -rocks out-. Right.
Proof! (Spanish)
But still, for everyone, your life will always be perfect and every single person will want a life like yours, i mean, you are a Rockstar!
Obviously, like every occupation, it has it's ups and downs, remember nothing is black or white.
I hope this makes you think a little about the two sides of the coin of being a musician, maybe it is what you want, or maybe it just won't suit you. It's your choice.
----------------
Now playing: Radiohead - House Of Cards
Sure. but, after what?
Dropping out of school when you where 15, playing in your little garage band with your friends at some bar, getting so drunk and high that the day after, you found that somehow you wrote some awesome songs. A week later, you notice something wrong "you-know-where" and after a while you tell your girlfriend: "Sorry honey, i have a STD and... about what we did last night--SLAP" Oh Yeah! Another ex-girlfriend that hates you, rock on.
Finally, after years of struggle, a music headhunter stops by the bar asking for directions and listens to your band playing right before you fall from the stage. Here comes the cliche, he says "i have been looking for people like you! and i don't tell that to anyone -blink blink-"
Everything after that goes beatle-like, you are on the top, everyone loves you, you sell millions of copies of your albums. You are the happiest man on the world.
Or Are You?
You are on the top. You mean the label is on the top, you are still the same alcoholic and stoner guy. but you are still on the top. Right...?
Everyone loves you. True, so true...You can't get out of the apartment/house/van/whatever without being run over by your lovely fans, your girlfriend(uh-oh here we go again) is the most hated person in the world and your amazing fans let her know in many scary ways.
You sell millions of copies of your albums. Oh you are so rich, maybe you can now buy some true friends... wait, what? uh... maybe you should just keep on buying more alcohol and drugs.
Getting exhausted from tours, gigs, etc. not having time for anything else, blah blah blah.
Oh no! your band breaks up! no problem you still got the money, your love and your friends, right guys? ...guys? ...anyone?
But here you are, saying "Rock N Roll gave me everything", but of course! you are on tv and you were paid to say that to promote soda -rocks out-. Right.
Proof! (Spanish)
But still, for everyone, your life will always be perfect and every single person will want a life like yours, i mean, you are a Rockstar!
Obviously, like every occupation, it has it's ups and downs, remember nothing is black or white.
I hope this makes you think a little about the two sides of the coin of being a musician, maybe it is what you want, or maybe it just won't suit you. It's your choice.
----------------
Now playing: Radiohead - House Of Cards
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