Author Topic: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread  (Read 300630 times)

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Offline Nihil-Morari

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #245 on: June 04, 2013, 02:27:41 AM »
*rest of the story*

I'm not where I want to be and I probably never will be (is any musician ever as good as they want to be?), but when I look back to the frustrations and limitations and uphill climb I faced 23 years ago, and where I'm at now, it's hard not to be just a little proud of myself.

Ah, the wonders and joys of practicing! I can relate to pretty much all you said there, except I've been playing for considerably less than 23 years. I too am nowhere near where I want to be, but I have also found great joy and gratitude in teaching others to play. I used to coach bands of children aged 8-15 and teach them stuff on guitar. It was fun and teaching others always reminds you of the fact that you were once there too.

Teaching can be cool. I love to teach others the 'wonders of music', but not so much where the note C is. I think others are better in doing that. The most fun in practicing, for me, is the fact that you can actually surprise yourself. In times when I play a lot, and with a lot of musicians, and become so motivated that the instant I come home I play some more, I love to hear myself play stuff I didn't think I could.
Just like a solo in a live show, sometimes I'm just 'in it', and things come out that scare me, things I never could imagine. And that's one of the wonders of practicing, you can get better than you think you can.
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Offline Lynxo

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #246 on: June 05, 2013, 04:00:37 AM »
One of the things I used to notice back when I started was that I was practicing a song like crazy but never quite nailing it. Frustrated, I went to learn another song and when I got back to the original, I could nail it no problem. The ego boost from those experiences are awesome and makes it all worth it.
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Offline Orbert

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #247 on: June 05, 2013, 09:31:49 AM »
That happens to me a lot, and I'd imagine that it's pretty common.  I've always figured that there's a point of diminishing returns regarding practice.  For example, an hour is probably fine, two hours if you can handle it, but practicing four hours on the same song will not do twice as much good as practicing two hours, and practicing eight hours on the same song is insane.  You will not end up playing it eight times as well as you did after that first hour's practice.  Fatigue sets in, and frankly, so does boredom.

You need to take sometime away, let your brain and your fingers do something else for a while.  Then when you come back to the one song, your fingers will remember most of it, and just need a little extra guidance from your brain, which has also had some time to absorb it.  At least that's my theory.

Offline Elite

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #248 on: June 25, 2013, 04:36:19 AM »
I can't wait until my summer holidays truly start and I can finally play shitloads of music!
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline carl320

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #249 on: June 25, 2013, 05:48:21 PM »
I've always figured that there's a point of diminishing returns regarding practice.

I agree with that.  Practice is great but you also need to rest the muscles.  Otherwise the muscles won't heal and become stronger.
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Offline adastra

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #250 on: June 26, 2013, 05:45:37 AM »
My band is finally getting ready to record our first demo / self release!!!  :D
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I'm going to record all the guitar parts with Sterling By Music Man AX3 . One of the best guitars I've ever had  :laugh:
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Offline countess_drummer

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #251 on: June 30, 2013, 02:52:30 PM »
Hi fellow DT fans
I'm a drummer from Cape Town, South Africa.  Been a fan of DT since high school hehe.  Got involved in a little band a few years back, that was the coolest thing ever.  Always said I've wanted my own band, though.  Will definitely be prog  :metal
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Offline TheLordOfTheStrings

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #252 on: July 01, 2013, 02:02:31 AM »

Finally have a full lineup. (although thinking about adding keyboards, but still uncertain)

We're called "All Hail". We play (obviously) progressive music, but not EXACTLY the way DT does it. I'd say we're more like a progressive version of maybe Alter Bridge, with a little bit of AAL and Periphery influence, and then a little bit of Coheed influence, and DT's attitude. I had written ten songs for our first album, before there were even other members in the band. Those songs range from heavy, to bluesy, to kinda ballady all acoustic. And over the last three months I've been writing our second album's worth of songs for a concept album (lyrically and musically conceptual). This album as a whole is WAY lighter than the first one. And then to make up for the lack of heaviness of that album, we're planning on releasing an EP after those first two are finished and recorded, of all heavy songs that I've started writing here and there.

Overall this should be really cool, and when we get things demoed and recorded, I'd love to share it with you guys. Hopefully you all really dig it. I'm sure there's something here for all of you!
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Offline Sketchy

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #253 on: July 01, 2013, 03:27:03 PM »
I kind of found a traditional Finnish instrument called the Kantele during my travels and bought one. It's a type of baltic psaltery apparently.
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Offline Elite

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #254 on: July 06, 2013, 03:44:12 PM »
Just came home from a fantastic gig with my progressive rock/metal band Overhaul. We had beautiful weather, played for about an hour and got lots of great response from the audience afterwards. Best gig in my life? Insofar as gratitude from the audience goes, yes, probably.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline Orbert

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #255 on: July 06, 2013, 09:38:22 PM »
Awesome!  ♫♫ There is no better feeling.

I got to play tonight, too.  Just a "small" get-together at some friends' house on the lake.  Maybe 150-200  people, live music starting at Noon, food, boat rides, open bar, pretty serious shindig actually.  She sings, he plays bass, and they leave a spot at 6:00 pm for them and whoever is around and wants to play.  This guy named Scott sat in on piano; I'd brought my woodwinds with me, but didn't know if I could just go up there or what.  They throw this to-do every year, but this is the first time I've gone.  There was a guitar, drummer, and percussionist as well.  At some point, Mike (the host and bass player) told me that Scott was gonna grab his tenor sax and I could take the piano.  We did some songs, some of which I didn't even know (but took a solo anyway).

Then Mike said to grab my alto and we'd do "Sweet Home Chicago".  I thought that'd be sweet, with alto and tenor saxes, but Scott went back to the piano.  Okay.  I played sax anyway, even took a solo.  Pretty much everyone takes a solo in that song, but it was wacky because I'd never played it before.  That's how it goes sometimes.  Actually we all took solos during most of the songs.  It was that kind of gig.  Felt good.

Music is the best.  ♫♫

Offline Lucien

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #256 on: July 06, 2013, 09:45:54 PM »
Tomorrow, me and my family are going to a house fellowship (as we are organic christians). This was the same fellowship we went to a couple of weeks ago, and like 3 people were playing on instruments (there was an acoustic guitar, a few small percussion pieces), and most of them sang. We ate and talked afterwards (I was so happy there were like 5 peers I could actually talk to.. and THEY WERE GEEKS LIKE ME!  :hefdaddy).

Yesterday, my father suggested I bring my bass and amp.

So that's what I'll be doing tomorrow  ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D
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Offline Orbert

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #257 on: July 06, 2013, 09:53:45 PM »
:tup

Offline YngVai

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #258 on: July 07, 2013, 02:11:20 AM »
Just played probably the most fun gig I've ever played.  It's so much more fun when you can get a bunch of your friends to show up to a rock gig in their town when they can't be bothered to haul themselves to a jazz gig 30 miles away :lol.

Offline Kotowboy

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #259 on: July 07, 2013, 07:04:15 PM »
I haven't played a gig as a drummer since November 2006.

I played a gig as a frontman when I tried to give that a go and I hated it. I'm not a frontman AT ALL. I was so awkward.

I'd rather be *just* the guitarist or *just* the drummer. I have absolutely no charisma or confidence at all.

Offline Orbert

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #260 on: July 07, 2013, 07:56:57 PM »
I almost always prefer backing someone else than fronting or performing solo.  I guess there's times when I've specifically worked up a solo piece that I'd like for people to hear it, but in general, let someone else take the spotlight.  I'm just there to help make them sound good.

Offline Lucien

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #261 on: July 07, 2013, 08:12:08 PM »
MOST IMPORTANT THING WHEN IMPROVISING: FINDING THE KEY SIGNATURE.

Otherwise, you're playing a bunch of notes that don't sound correct.

And with Christian (simple) music, it's going to be in either A, G, D, or C keys.

I hate A. A is my least favorite key. C and D are the easiest, but B is probably my favorite.
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Offline SaterUM

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #262 on: July 09, 2013, 02:05:28 PM »
Hi guys!

Im a guitarrist from Ensenada Mexico :P , i love to compose and make new things :3.
I've created a song like a month ago, and it's sound good, i need opinons and tell me what you think,
it's Technical Deatm metal with some variations, hope you like it  :metal .

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4Hc8tethDM

Offline snapple

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #263 on: July 10, 2013, 03:00:09 PM »
I'm thinking about picking up the bass and writing some new songs. I've got the time and a weird desire to do it lately. I'll let you cats know if I come up with anything.

Offline Orbert

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #264 on: July 10, 2013, 03:23:51 PM »
That sounds kinda different.  Usually you hear about people writing songs on guitar or maybe piano, I guess because you have chords to work with, but I can't think of any reason why you couldn't write songs on bass as long as you can hear it in your head.

Do you play any other instruments?

Offline snapple

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #265 on: July 10, 2013, 04:41:27 PM »
That sounds kinda different.  Usually you hear about people writing songs on guitar or maybe piano, I guess because you have chords to work with, but I can't think of any reason why you couldn't write songs on bass as long as you can hear it in your head.

Do you play any other instruments?

Yeah, i play guitar. I only own bass guitars now, though. I usually can write on bass and transcribe pretty well to guitar.

Offline BlobVanDam

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #266 on: July 10, 2013, 11:06:55 PM »
That sounds kinda different.  Usually you hear about people writing songs on guitar or maybe piano, I guess because you have chords to work with, but I can't think of any reason why you couldn't write songs on bass as long as you can hear it in your head.

Do you play any other instruments?

It doesn't seem too odd to me, especially for riff based music.
When I compose music on my computer, I usually end up starting with a bass line, which sets the groove of the song, then I build upon that with the drum beat to complete the rhythm section, and then accompaniment, and the melody often comes last, or just develops at its own pace along with whatever it has to play over.
That may even seem entirely backwards, but everyone has a different approach. If you were writing a ballad, piano or guitar would probably be much better suited, but for rock/metal, bass can work quite well as a foundation for a song in my experience.
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Offline Sketchy

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #267 on: July 13, 2013, 03:24:01 AM »
A lot of the stuff I write starts on the bass, as that is the instrument I'm most comfortable with. You can also test out chords higher up the neck, and also using harmonics, although they won't be the same chord shapes you'd commonly use on guitar (strumming a barre chord on a bass has a habit of sounding like arse).

Granted, a lot of that stuff is co-written with a friend of mine, who plays an absolute shit-ton of instruments (even more than I currently have, I think), but bass is a pretty good one to start on, even if you might not necessarily end up with chord or melody driven stuff, there's little that beats a damn good riff for setting up a hypnotic groove.
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Offline Elite

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #268 on: July 16, 2013, 03:27:07 AM »
Hmm, when I write songs I'll start out with either a guitar riff, a chord progression or a melody, never with a bassline. I suppose I could try this sometime, as I do own a bass guitar. I should also play piano more often. And get my saxophone out permanently again. And get better at guitar. Once you start making music, it gets more difficult to get to do the stuff you want to, as you explore more and more about making music.
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Offline YngVai

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #269 on: July 16, 2013, 12:40:32 PM »
It's hard to get better at what you want, when what you want to do is always changing. 

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #270 on: July 16, 2013, 12:59:06 PM »
I just started practice after a bit of a summer break so I thought why not find some fun thing on YT on snaredrum to get some inspiration....

So I found this cool drumline remix of Can't Hold Us and hot damn it's crazy written...I may have to spend some time on this fucker!  :lol

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jt-Uq-rb8Q4

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Offline Elite

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #271 on: July 18, 2013, 03:54:27 PM »
Fucking hell, I hit a wall again in my guitar playing. Either that, or I'm just tired, but my right hand is screwing me up very badly at the moment at anything remotely fast. The frustration that comes with this is immense. Perhaps I should just stop for the day and resume tomorrow.
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline Elite

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #272 on: July 28, 2013, 06:25:29 PM »
So, anything happening here, my fellow musicians?
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline Lucien

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #273 on: July 28, 2013, 06:26:59 PM »
So, anything happening here, my fellow musicians?

Well, I'm starting to write lyrics for music I haven't come up with
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Offline YngVai

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #274 on: July 28, 2013, 10:26:26 PM »
So, anything happening here, my fellow musicians?
Been finally getting more and more paying gigs, but between that and my day job, I rarely have time to shed :-\

Offline Sketchy

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #275 on: July 29, 2013, 12:05:53 AM »
Uh, I got given a didgeridoo, so I now have instruments from all but two human inhabited continents.
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Offline TheLordOfTheStrings

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #276 on: July 29, 2013, 12:47:29 AM »
Just took the time to figure out Rose Of Sharyn and The Arms of Sorrow by Killswitch Engage.
Check out my various music projects - I’ve got concept albums, singer/songwriter, rock, metal, prog, and more coming soon:

https://linktr.ee/STARCOMMANDStudios

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #277 on: August 03, 2013, 09:54:16 AM »
New pick-ups on my RG1527 :metal
Hey dude slow the fuck down so we can finish together at the same time.  :biggrin:
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Offline aprilethereal

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #278 on: August 05, 2013, 05:59:33 AM »
I haven't even picked up my guitar for about two weeks, don't know why :-\

Offline adastra

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Re: All musicians unite! - The Musicians Chat Thread
« Reply #279 on: August 06, 2013, 03:13:21 AM »
I haven't even picked up my guitar for about two weeks, don't know why :-\

._.  I have a solution for you.... BUY A NEW GUITAR!!!  That's what I'm going to do.. I've always wanted a telecaster .
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