James LaBrie Solo

[ariich]

I still don't get the whole plays an instrument = writes music link. I've got plenty of friends who just play one or two orchestral instruments at an amateur standards, but still know more than than enough music theory to write a rock song. The only thing is guitar riffs, which are very hard to write for non-guitarists, so I imagine those are Guillory's main contribution.

Well, if he's not writing the guitar parts, then what's he writing?

Chord progressions? Melodies? There's quite a lot in music other than guitar riffs.

[Perpetual Change]

Which, as I've said, I can see James doing. I've never had a problem with imagining him writing his own vocal melodies, or suggesting the band play a certain way, like, "Hey, guys, why don't you play a heavy, minor chord kind of progression and I'll sing something like this."

[Jaimi]

wow, faggots itt

[ehra]

SCREW THE RULES, I HAVE 7 POSTS.

[ariich]

Which, as I've said, I can see James doing. I've never had a problem with imagining him writing his own vocal melodies, or suggesting the band play a certain way, like, "Hey, guys, why don't you play a heavy, minor chord kind of progression and I'll sing something like this."

Or maybe he actually writes the chord progressions himself, and gets guillory to orchestrate something for the guitar to fit in with it.

Or maybe it's something completely different again. None of us know the process that goes into these albums, so a bit of speculation is fine but claiming that this are "obvious" is ridiculous.

[sonatafanica]

I still don't get the whole plays an instrument = writes music link. I've got plenty of friends who just play one or two orchestral instruments at an amateur standards, but still know more than than enough music theory to write a rock song. The only thing is guitar riffs, which are very hard to write for non-guitarists, so I imagine those are Guillory's main contribution.

Music theory isn't used for writing songs, it's just knowledge of how music is organized. Claudio Sanchez doesn't have any knowledge of music theory, and he writes all of Coheed's songs. Steven Wilson knows very little music theory, and he writes loads of songs.

Technically, you could write a song using only a knowledge of music theory, but it takes creativity to make a good song. And I don't think JLB knows too much theory, what with the color-coded keyboard keys he plays.

[ariich]

Sonata, your post was going so well until the end part.

But you're wrong that music theory isn't used for writing songs. Sanchez and Wilson both use the knowledge of music theory that they have gained from playing instruments; whether they call it "theory" or not, it's knowledge of music. But you are right that they construct these songs using the knowledge of music through their instruments and their creativity, and the combination is what makes their music good.

But my point was that, if you have the creativity, and the knowledge of music (whether that's because you learned it from playing an instrument or by some other means), then you can write music. Playing an instrument is not a necessity, but for a lot of people it helps them learn the theory.

But this sentence:

And I don't think JLB knows too much theory, what with the color-coded keyboard keys he plays.

Makes no sense. Music theory =/= playing the keyboard.

[sonatafanica]

i jok'd

[ariich]

*suspicious glare*

[Perpetual Change]

I can't remove knowing theory from playing an instrument. It's just too far out there for me to wrap my head around, and I'd never know where to begin. Maybe James can do it. I don't know. Still, he's never mentioned doing anything like that.

[ariich]

Really? I know loads of people who have studied music without playing an instrument proficiently, some of them really excellent composers.

[Adami]

The only thing OBVIOUS about this new album is that Mike Portnoy and JR wrote the whole thing and forced Matt and James to learn and play it at gun point.

[ariich]

The only thing OBVIOUS about this new album is that Mike Portnoy and JR wrote the whole thing and forced Matt and James to learn and play it at gun point.

Well, obviously.

[ariich]

wow, faggots itt

Wtf, I didn't even notice this before, just saw the reports now. Dude, not cool, please read the forum rules. Consider this your warning.

[TL]

A career that's never required him to do any more than write his own vocal parts, if that. Again, not minimalizing what James does. Just sayin'.

Except that you are.
James not writing much within Dream Theater is one thing. This is a solo album released under his name though. You're basically accusing him of having other people write an album, and then just stamping his name on it.

[Perpetual Change]

No, I'm not.

[Dr. SeaWolf]

wow, faggots itt

who emerges after not posting for years just to post this?

[Ultimetalhead]

I've come to the conclusion that if all metalcore sounded like this I might actually enjoy the genre. The screaming wasn't awful, but I'd still prefer a full on death growl. The biggest thing that sealed the deal for me is JLB. Pretty much every metalcore band I've heard has whiny clean vocals. Not so with this song.

It gets my approval.

[SnakeEyes]

Awful.  I like the subject matter of the song and I find it interesting, but, in my opinion, the screaming just plain sucks.  I don't understand why all these bands have to suddenly start doing that "metalcore" or "screamgore-core-blahblah" crap.  When will it stop!

edit..

To elaborate further - the whole song sounds contrived and as if it's trying to sound like what is popular.  It's just that, in my opinion, it's trying way too hard and it misses the mark. 

[Adami]

I have 0 problem with Matt wanting some screaming on the new CD. I am even "ok" with what they have. But it would have been nice to get a better screamer, this guy just doesn't sound that great. I don't need Akerfeldt or anything, but a more harsh sounding guy would have been better, this guy just sounds like he's insane and yelling reallly oddly. But that may have been the point.

I am liking the song more as I listen to it. Despite his meh screaming, the drummer is freakin good and the bassist is VERY impressive. Sad to see Mangini gone though, he's one of my favorites.

[Perpetual Change]

Awful.  I like the subject matter of the song and I find it interesting, but, in my opinion, the screaming just plain sucks.  I don't understand why all these bands have to suddenly start doing that "metalcore" or "screamgore-core-blahblah" crap.  When will it stop!

It won't. Nearly every contemporary band that could have held out has given up trying. Growls and screams will be part of metal forever now. They are here to stay.

[DarkEternalNight]

Definitely miss Mangini. I thought our drumming styles were similar.

[Adami]

Definitely miss Mangini. I thought our drumming styles were similar.

lol. "Shame about that god character, we had a lot in common".

[DarkEternalNight]

That sounds familiar...

[MetalManiac666]

Listening now...and it sounds pretty good.

EDIT: Finished listening...and you know what, I thoroughly enjoyed it.  The screaming's not the greatest, but I don't think it really takes anything away from the awesomeness of the rest of the song.

[SnakeEyes]

It won't. Nearly every contemporary band that could have held out has given up trying. Growls and screams will be part of metal forever now. They are here to stay.

I don't know about that.  Have Queensryche and Fates Warning done the whole screaming thing?  I haven't heard every single song of either band from the past ten years, but I have heard a lot of their newer stuff and I haven't heard any screaming....

[sonatafanica]

Have Queensryche and Fates Warning done the whole screaming thing?

who?

[hefdaddy42]

Have Queensryche and Fates Warning done the whole screaming thing?

who?

Good point.

[wolfking]

It won't. Nearly every contemporary band that could have held out has given up trying. Growls and screams will be part of metal forever now. They are here to stay.

I don't know about that.  Have Queensryche and Fates Warning done the whole screaming thing?  I haven't heard every single song of either band from the past ten years, but I have heard a lot of their newer stuff and I haven't heard any screaming....

No screaming from either of those bands.  But both bands have neither really done anything challenging or overly exciting either in the last ten years.  Fates had X which was decent but nothing innovative, last good thing they did was Disconnected in 2000.

Queensryche haven't done anything really worthwhile to the prog scene since Promised Land.  I really enjoy Tribe, but it's nothing flash in the scheme of rock and prog.

[ariich]

PC did say "contemporary band", although I still disagree with him.

[Dr. SeaWolf]

Have Queensryche and Fates Warning done the whole screaming thing?

who?

Good point.

I hope I'm not the only one who actually thought the growls were well done.

[ariich]

I hope I'm not the only one who actually thought the growls were well done.

He's not a particularly great harsh vocalist, but I thought the way they were integrated is good.

[SnakeEyes]

No screaming from either of those bands.  But both bands have neither really done anything challenging or overly exciting either in the last ten years.  Fates had X which was decent but nothing innovative, last good thing they did was Disconnected in 2000.

Queensryche haven't done anything really worthwhile to the prog scene since Promised Land.  I really enjoy Tribe, but it's nothing flash in the scheme of rock and prog.

I actually prefer Tribe AND Mindcrime II over Systematic Chaos, Train of Thought and even parts of Octavarium (Never Enough, mainly - what a smelly song that is).  I believe the original comment was, "nearly all contemporary bands are screaming now," so I guess the 'nearly' in that sentence would reference Fates Warning, Queensryche and a few other holdouts.  But, in my opinion, thank goodness we have these holdouts.  I really can't stand screaming, it's so goofy in my opinion. 

[Perpetual Change]

Queensryche are irrelevant at this point. I'd love to find a reasonably popular metal band that was formed in the last decade that doesn't use any growls or screams at all.

[SnakeEyes]

Dragonforce, maybe?