S
Sabotage Mac 37
New member
I listen to so many different genres sometimes, that I can’t figure out what sound I want to go for when creating my own music.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
I don't think it's possible for me to sound like any artist, even if I wanted to. And I don't want to. I love the music of many artists from a plethora of different genres and eras but it is anathema to me to even contemplate being like, let alone sounding like, anyone else.
However, I pick up ideas from artists all the time. Whatever I might pick up comes out in the most idiosyncratic of ways though. For example, for the last 10 days or so, I've been listening to the Police's first four albums and I was doing a recording session last night for a song that I wrote in August but only started recording recently. It's got some odd time segments and because I recently bought a banjo, I thought I'd try the banjo out on it, which led to me adding some mandolin so this song is already sounding, well, bizarre. I got the idea to plop in a strange piano solo of irregular length and time but because I'm no piano player, the left hand chords by necessity were sort of clunky. But I did them in such a way that it was very reggae~like in that section. It made me laugh when I was doing it. I wasn't consciously trying to do a reggae or Police thing, but the reggae fusion bit was obviously in my head. The drum pattern in that part of the song isn't reggae at all, which is why I laughed. The piano becomes quite dominant for a few seconds but I'm not sure many would identify it as reggae. But that was what I could hear. It's funny to me.
However, I pick up ideas from artists all the time. Whatever I might pick up comes out in the most idiosyncratic of ways though. For example, for the last 10 days or so, I've been listening to the Police's first four albums and I was doing a recording session last night for a song that I wrote in August but only started recording recently. It's got some odd time segments and because I recently bought a banjo, I thought I'd try the banjo out on it, which led to me adding some mandolin so this song is already sounding, well, bizarre. I got the idea to plop in a strange piano solo of irregular length and time but because I'm no piano player, the left hand chords by necessity were sort of clunky. But I did them in such a way that it was very reggae~like in that section. It made me laugh when I was doing it. I wasn't consciously trying to do a reggae or Police thing, but the reggae fusion bit was obviously in my head. The drum pattern in that part of the song isn't reggae at all, which is why I laughed. The piano becomes quite dominant for a few seconds but I'm not sure many would identify it as reggae. But that was what I could hear. It's funny to me.
grimtraveller
If only for a moment.....
For me it comes out all ways. Sometimes, I'm very definite about the sound I'm going for but it might just as easily change as I get to record it. Other times, the song will have a melodic structure, a run of notes or a chord sequence or two and I'll spend time thinking about what instruments will make up the music and that tends to give it some direction when it comes to sound. I find that quite often these days, my songs actually will have more than one sound. Sometimes different sections carry different sounds. But I don't beat myself up about it. It's just how the song will be.
CrowsofFritz
Flamingo!
No, it wouldn’t sound good if I did that. I can never sound like McCartney no matter how much I tried. I’m me.
mjbphotos
Moderator
My songs come out as a blend of the bands and artists that have influenced me over the years. Some songs sound more like _______, others ______, and still others _______. Every once in a while, I will think something like 'oh, a Neil Young guitar sound would sound good here'.
TalismanRich
Well-known member
I listen to far too many artists for me to pick one out as a target. Instead, its a matter of hearing something in my head and trying to recreate that. Sometimes, there's not target at all, things just develop. If its something simple, like a guitar and vocal song, it usually comes together pretty quickly and simply.
VomitHatSteve
Hat STYLE. Not contents.
Almost never.
When I started recording, I set out to sound like a Smashing Pumpkins playing Weird Al songs.
Mostly it ends up sounding like They Might Be Giants covering Devo. Not worth the effort to try to bridge that difference!
When I started recording, I set out to sound like a Smashing Pumpkins playing Weird Al songs.
Mostly it ends up sounding like They Might Be Giants covering Devo. Not worth the effort to try to bridge that difference!
