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

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!

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

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.

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Now playing: Radiohead - House Of Cards