style, skill and challenge

[skipos]

this is a bit of a random thought, so pretty hard to formulate. here goes... do you think musicians (particularly songwriters) can transfer their talent from style to style, genre to genre etc etc?
take for example radiohead, who have gone from alternative to electro and plenty betwixt the two.
how much can be attributed to raw talent and how much to craft and hard work?

i only ask cos i'm at the point where i'm sick of writing gentle sweet acoustic songs and fancy trying something fresh...

[dragonworks]

If ya got it in ya you can get it out.
You will never know until you try.

[skipos]

there's no doubt i'll try something new, even though i don't know what.
its just that thing about progression being good but at the same time staying natural.

[joro]

Sure...why not.

I suppose you could be stronger in one genre than another....
but.....sure... why not.....

On my web-site you'll find....
Smooth Jazz.....
Blues....
Country.....
Americana....
Bluegrass...
Latin Jazz.....
Folk.....
Pop Rock....
and Alternative Rock....

I'm working on a hip-hop kind of thing now....there's a first time for everything I suppose..
Take it easy,
Joe

[Abyyss]

Switch your acoustic guitar for an electric one and try doing some "spannish-y" songs on electric guitar, they always sound fresh and IMO it sounds great!

[Abyyss]

Hey Joro!

What kind of hip-hop r u working on?

[joro]

Latin girl group kind of thing....no cussin' and upbeat...

should be done pretty soon...

[Abyyss]

Hit me up when u've finished.

And I'll peep it out. Sounds good.

[Cyrokk]

Whether song writers can successfully jump genres depends entirely on their appreciation for each style. Usually when you hear about artists doing something outside of their norm they will speak about a number of artists which they love in the different style.

A good example is Zeppelin. John Bonham was a big James Brown fan. Robert Plant has always had a love for folk and world music. Page explored African music, and John Paul Jones was classically trained and dug country music. These guys didnt just say they liked the music, they could site specific sources of inspiration. Other examples include Jeff Beck, who recorded an entire album dedicated to fifties be-bop (iirc), and Iron Maiden who would go into blues bars and jam under a different name.

If you want to search other styles, you will need to immerse yourself in the newer style with as much intense passion as the acoustic music you've been working on in the past.

One of these days I'd like to really get into James Brown, along with Wagner, and that electronica style you hear as soundtrack in some movies (i love the synth work in "24-hour Photo" and "Run Lola Run").

Cy

[skipos]

hmmm, some pretty wise and well informed words there. i agree that a thorough immersion in the style you're aiming for is the key to success, as well as bringing something of your own to the music.
one things for sure though, i haven't been this excited and nervous about music for about 10 years!!!
cheers chaps

[Abyyss]

Why don't you try something like they do.

They do lot's of passionate and intense stuff, especially more harmonic ones.

I'm not saying rip them, I'm saying that's a good example of something you might be interested in.

(Try something like "Breaking the Habbit" - do a google search)

[guitar ed]

Ahhhh, the joy of reaching the next plateau!! I haven't felt that since I left my last band (harder rock; not metal) and struck out on my own as a solo acoustic act! I know the fear and I feel your pain!! It's all good. It's still notes, chords and scales. The difference is going to be in how well you can adapt to a particular style. Personally, I can copy an Eric Johnson or Joe Satriani song with little difficulty (30 years on guitar and counting!), but if you ask me to play a contemporary country song, I'll need a little bit of time with that! It's not that I can't play it, but rather that I haven't played it, and it's a totally different style, feel, mood than what I'm used to. Put your mind to it, and it can happen. Half the fun is rediscovering your instrument by plunging into something unfamiliar. Plateaus are vital in the sense that they build and sustain confidence. So, if you're in a rut, learning a different style of playing can be the perfect solution, as you find yourself making new discoveries along the way. Go for it, dude; you'll land on your feet.

ed

[bdbdbuck]

The best example I can think of is Mark Knopfler. That dude is all over the place. Rock, blues, jazz, bluegrass, and currently doing an album with Emmy Lou Harris. I can say that I've never heard anything from him that didn't sound awesome as far as his ability goes.

bd

[skipos]

crikey, all this encouragement is making me dizzy

well the upshot is, what the hell, lets give it a go etc etc and i'm about ready to roll. i've managed to download a few nifty programmes for beats and synth sounds. now i apparently need a wave editor, whatever that is?!?

i know this isn't the correct place to ask, but you lot have been so lovely

[Peter D]

I think, generally, once you get the hang of writng one genre it's fairly easy to adapt to writing for another. The biggest challenge I've found, so far, is trying to write traditional sounding torch or big band swing songs. The lyrics aren't a problem, but trying to compose on a guitar is awkward for me. All those extended chords and flatted 13ths take some getting used to. I've been trying to learn as many standards in that genre on guitar as I can to try to get the feel of the progressions, but it's awkward. Some of the Billie Holiday stuff is amazing in that it sounds so simple, but playing it on guitar is like pulling teeth.

[Layla Nahar]

Originally posted by skipos

i only ask cos i'm at the point where i'm sick of writing gentle sweet acoustic songs and fancy trying something fresh...

Right there with ya, mate!

[quattro_xxph]

Whether song writers can successfully jump genres depends entirely on their appreciation for each style.

Lately I've been writing in unusual time signatures and harmonizations, and I guess that that comes from my sudden interest in Old Prog and Classical Music. Though I wont say Im actually crossing genres, I think that its a good idea to get musical ideas from as many diverse sources as you can. But you can only do that IF you have fun listening to that particular genre or source.

That I think is the bone of it: enjoying a sound enough that it becomes part of you.

[mikeh]

A musician or songwriter can most certainly move across musical styles - it does take an appreciation of the various types of music and hard work.

You first must have an appreciation of a musical genre to listen to, study and hopefully master enough of the basics to wirte/play in that style. If you don't have the appreciation you will not be able to commit the time and effort to study and learn.

I think we all have certain types of music we relate to more than others, but that should not prohibit us from pursueing other types of music. That acceptance and appreciation of other music (which can also lead to the appreciation of other walks of life and even other cultures) will lead to musical growth and ultimately will lead to intellectual and spiritual growth as well.

As a musican I know I will never master various styles as completely as the many extremely talented people I have listened to and learned from, but it is always my hope that my attempts at whatever style I am working on will be as true to that style as it can be.

My main "axe" is the drum kit (although I also play keys & guitar fairly well) and as a freelance drummer I get calls to play with many different people in many different styles - and I believe what gets me much of my work (beyond my professional attitude) is the fact that I will always play true to the style, no matter if it is rock, counry, jazz, blues, etc.

skipos, I don't know what your axe is - but cetainly changing from an accoustic to an electric would help change your approach to your instrument and accordingly will change the way you play and write.

[glynb]

Do you LIKE the genre you are about to try, surely that should be the first question? Or is it just an 'excercise' to see if you can hack it?

Personaly I wouldn't want to write in a style that I did not enjoy. So for example I'll never do a rap or hip hop tune (at least the way I feel at present) - I just wouldn't know where to start nor would I have any enthusiasm.

Some who try to write outside of their 'natural' genre can make fools of themselves!