It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 5:17 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: The way we make music
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 9:26 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:55 am
Posts: 63
With the advent of Guitar Hero and the advancement of electronics, can we say that new, non-traditional intstruments are on their way?

I know Guitar Hero is extremely crude at this point, but is it a sign of things to come?

Guitar driven music has been the mainstay of popular music for decades and it now seems more than ever to be floundering amongst it's own droning chords.

The way people approach guitar these days is completely different to. It seems that great rhythm playing is a rapidly dying art as young players seem to gravitate towards soloing over pre-recorded backing tracks. And recording music requires less musical skill and mastery of the instrument everyday as recording technology advances. You can fix just about any shabby performance nowadays.

Is music heading into a more "push button" era where all the skill. technique and training are getting programmed out of the playing in the form of new instruments that are played in a yet to be manner?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:05 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:04 pm
Posts: 7056
Location: South Florida
Interesting question.

I share your concern to some extent, but popular music follows trends and those trends will continue to change. In the '80s, everyone (except SRV and a few others) dropped their guitars for synthesizers, especially since the technology became more readily available and relatively more affordable, but the guitar came back.

When I was young, the first thing I learned was chords, but I didn't want to comp, I wanted to play lead like my guitar heroes. I wish there were backing tracks for me to play to back then. Much of the technology we use today has existed for years, but like the synth, it has become more available and affordable so hackers like me can sound nearly as good as the pros (maybe that's a stretch). In recent years, we've seen many musicians reject digital technology in favor of tube amps, analog pedals and old Studer reel-to-reel recorders. ProTools, virtual guitars, and Band-In-A-Box haven't killed us off yet.

Keep the faith.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:13 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Tue Aug 21, 2007 7:16 am
Posts: 633
Location: Scotland
Over the past few years theres been something of a revival of roots music as a kind of reaction to a lot of digital music and mainstream indy pop, which in my books is certainly a good thing. I think that in terms of electronically created music that there are a lot of artists pushing the boundaries of that, artists such as Squarepusher.

I actually draw comparisons with the world of design, graphic design in particular. When computers and software like Adobe Illustrator came along a lot of people instantly threw out the old pantone pens and drawing desks, everything was now digital and clean and there was no need for any of that drafting malarky! But now you increasingly see the use of traditional techniques used in conjunction with digital media. There is a lot of skill in both digital and analogue work but I think that a happy balance between the two really is where the best music (and design) is made.

Personally I use a lot of software for recording my bass and such but that's only because I can't really afford doing things in an analogue fashion.

Hm, I hope that makes sense.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Before the Music Dies
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 10:32 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Sep 19, 2007 11:20 am
Posts: 805
Hear is a documentary movie about the present direction of the music business, which through media, directly influences and effects the masses.

http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/

Education is the key, not just from a school/college, by teaching through an example. Basically put your art into motion. Share and express its meaning and its influences from which you derived your creativity to help further the creation of soulful music.
:)


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Before the Music Dies
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:26 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:04 pm
Posts: 7056
Location: South Florida
contrabassist wrote:
Hear is a documentary movie about the present direction of the music business, which through media, directly influences and effects the masses.

http://www.beforethemusicdies.com/


Wow! I had heard about this, but I'd never seen it. Thanks for pointing me to that site. The film touches on all of the things I thought were wrong with the music business and, especially the record business. My favorite short was "How to create a sexy popstar". Brittany Spears has long been the poster child for what is wrong with popular music today, but the problem isn't really her or others like her, it's the machine, and record labels will back anyone that can feed the machine.

The biggest selling album alltime in the U.S. is "Eagles/Their Greatest Hits 1971-1975". The Eagles are a great band and they made a lot of wonderful music, but this went platinum 29 times. Twenty-nine times!! People bought the vinyl, and when they wanted to play it in their cars they bought the 8-track (like I did :oops: ) and/or the cassette. When the tapes wore out they bought the CD -- many of the same people buying the same music. This happened a lot in the '80s and the record labels grew because of it, but when replacement sales dropped, they needed something to keep the machine running. That's where we were a couple of years ago.

But today things are changing . . .


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 12:31 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Fri Oct 05, 2007 5:55 am
Posts: 63
I'm not really concerned about what's coming in the future. I'm not lamenting the death of the traditional electric guitar. It's just an observation that I've made from my little corner of the music world. I see my musician buddy's kids playing guitar hero and wonder, hmmmmm, is the future of music going to require that we develop new playing techniques for new instruments?

My classic rock band gigs 3 times a month in my region and I'm seeing a shift in bar gig audiences too. Alot of younger people are really into what us old guys, (we're all around 50), are playing. We play cover tunes from the 60's to the 90's and go to great lengths to capture the original sounds, signature riffs, and vibe of the original recordings. People in their mid 20's know the words to all of our songs, dance all night and seem to appreciate our efforts.

Just a couple years ago we were scoffed at as being too old. So things are changing, as they should.

What's next though? A plastic guitar with no strings and chord buttons up and down the neck? And those buttons change function to "riff pads" with the flick of a switch? These riff pads would each play an appropriate riff and would easily combine with the other riff pads/buttons on the neck because the onboard processor knows what key you're in. It's all possible right now.

Alot of people who think playing guitar is just too hard might find these plastic guitars to be the answer.

And what's with all the attention focused on guitar solos? 95% of guitar playing is rhythm. Why do so many people focus only on soloing, breeding a recent crop of guitar slingers who can't strum their way out of paper bag?


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 1:08 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:04 pm
Posts: 7056
Location: South Florida
Remember, the 'guitar' in "Guitar Hero" is just a game controller and not a real instrument. As someone put it, it gives "bedroom air guitarists a chance to live out their rock 'n' roll fantasies." I don't believe this is for anyone truly interested in music or in playing guitar, and I don't believe we are headed in that direction.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 1:43 pm
Offline
Roadie
Roadie
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 3:16 pm
Posts: 248
Location: Hilo, Hawai'i
I don't see music heading in too much of an 'automated' direction,
I see the music industry as needing a new way of selling music.
It's far too easy to download or "share" music over the internet for free.
Just my two copper-plated zinc coins. :wink:

-David

_________________
"#1"Highway 1 Strat - Sunburst
Classic Vibe Tele
Squier Strat -GFS 60s P'ups
Hot Rod Deluxe
Pearl Export Series Drum Kit
Rogue Ukuleles
-----------------------------------------
The only guy on FLF who plays reggae :(


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:24 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:04 pm
Posts: 7056
Location: South Florida
Suhr Thing wrote:
And what's with all the attention focused on guitar solos? 95% of guitar playing is rhythm. Why do so many people focus only on soloing, breeding a recent crop of guitar slingers who can't strum their way out of paper bag?


You raised several issues and I don't think this one was addressed. I understand what you're saying about rhythm guitar, but there has always been a focus on guitar solos. It's been that way pretty much since the Blues morphed into Rock 'n' Roll.

I too am "around 50" and I have a huge record collection and as a kid, I read all of the liner notes with the names of the band members. But if you ask me to name rhythm guitarists, off the top of my head I can come up with Keith Richards, John Lennon and I'd be hard pressed to name a third. Why? Because rhythm guitar is not glamorous. It's important, but it's not glamorous. That's why Guitar Hero is so popular. I don't think it's about music, I think it's about human nature.

Many of the alt rock bands today who have two guitarists don't even do solos. Many consider them relics of the '60s and early '70s. Certainly you still hear them in bands that play Blues, Metal and, of course, what we now call Classic Rock. I don't see rhythm guitar becoming a lost art. I guess I'm just not seeing what you're seeing.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:31 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jun 21, 2007 12:50 pm
Posts: 1114
Location: Bloomfield, NJ
Don't be surprised if sometime down the road there will be a band using The Guitar Hero as instruments. I am sure someone will learn to program that sofware so you can do your own music.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:37 pm
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Thu Jul 05, 2007 3:04 pm
Posts: 7056
Location: South Florida
That will be a dark day, indeed. Maybe Suhr is right.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 3:41 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Sep 09, 2007 1:22 am
Posts: 1132
Location: The Netherlands
Even Guitar Hero looks and sounds cooler when a real guitar player
is holding it.

Real and honest music will always survive.

Peter


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 4:47 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Thu Aug 02, 2007 1:02 pm
Posts: 718
It's just the synthsizer again. It's been around for a long time. My three year old has a toy guitar that does the buttons and the riffs etcetera. He'll probably want to play guitar hero when he gets older. My wife likes it too, even though she's a piano player. No big deal. It's the same old thing, a little more sophisticated in presentation if the synth looks like a guitar, but I remember one of Prince's female backers playing something like that in 1983.

A guitar is already easy to play. To play real music, not just canned stuff, you've got to be able to play. A guitar is about as easy as it gets - especially chords and rhythm. Everyone I see locally playing who's young and expressing themselves without being too adept with a guitar has an acoustic doing the open chords, rhythm, strumming and singing, sometimes with a capo. No problem with that either.

Then, there's like BB King in say track 10 on the CD Riding With The King. The guitar sings with an almost human voice. It's closely related to jazz and almost like Miles Davis. Clapton's in there too, with that fluid, beautiful tone.

Anyone can play music by popping in a CD, and if you're hitting a button on your fake guitar and getting some canned stuff, that's the same thing. If you want to express yourself, and meke a Strat talk, you can't fake it. You've got to play it.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 16, 2007 5:04 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Fri Jun 29, 2007 4:02 pm
Posts: 2353
Location: Pennsylvania
i think the rep guitar playing gets will keep it going in younger people over many generations, but the guitars themselves (robot LP) will eventually take some of the musician out of it.... i mean guitars now require you to tune and know scales, etc., but who knows how long it will be until a guitar tunes itself, has light up frets to show scales and chords, etc.... that scares me a bit, considering it won't take any commitment to learn the instrument and it'll be a lost art


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 19, 2007 10:21 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2007 11:31 am
Posts: 940
Suhr Thing wrote:
hmmmmm, is the future of music going to require that we develop new playing techniques for new instruments?


Gosh, you think?


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 16 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: