"The average record comes in to us probably sounding worse than it ever has"

[SouthSIDE Glen]

One might even go so far as to say that almost *every* band starts out emulating their heroes ("influences"), or at least most every young band. Very, very few people start out with an original sound (heck, very very few ever come close to a truly "original sound").

And so, as home/hobby recordists, we very typically record bands' first few efforts, which almost by definition will be unoriginal, poor copies of one or two established bands' sounds, and because the band is likely in the stage of trying to emulate their heroes, they'll want the actual *sound* of their demo/ep to be as close as possible to the bands they're trying to emulate as well.

But for me that just further begs the question, why the hurry to *record* it, let alone to inflict it upon the public?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with starting out, and there's nothing wrong with starting out by emulating their influences. You're right, we pretty much all did that. But when we're in the stage where we are - as you put it - "unoriginal, poor copies", who needs that cluttering up the Internet? What's the point of listening to some guys who have not yet found their chops, let alone their own sound, who aspire to be Metallica, when one can just listen to Metallica?

I'd inspire those guys to keep plugging away, absolutely. But do music a favor and hold off on the recording part of until there's something to record.

G.

 

[grimtraveller]

But for me that just further begs the question, why the hurry to *record* it, let alone to inflict it upon the public?

There's absolutely nothing wrong with starting out, and there's nothing wrong with starting out by emulating their influences. You're right, we pretty much all did that. But when we're in the stage where we are - as you put it - "unoriginal, poor copies", who needs that cluttering up the Internet? What's the point of listening to some guys who have not yet found their chops, let alone their own sound, who aspire to be Metallica, when one can just listen to Metallica?

I'd inspire those guys to keep plugging away, absolutely. But do music a favor and hold off on the recording part of until there's something to record.

G.

I kind of agree with much of that but the reality is that few artists at whatever stage are a totally carbon copy. And coz there are variables there, like different songs, for one {unless it's a tribute band or spoof band}, even where bands sound similar, they're not the same. Mind you, in saying that, maybe some genres lend themselves a bit more to the copycat thing than others.
I think also that recording has developed into a vital document of where one was/is at, even if it's awful.

 

[chazba]

Why Record at all???

I'm picking up subtext in some posts...Why do these crappy kid bands bother recording their crappy hero emulations in the first place???
One possible answer is ...because thats how they find out that they are not as good as they thought they were,or better than they thought they were, and it motivates them to improve, to practice, to tweak and try something different. Now that I'm a bit older and more experienced I have realized that the only important thing is that they are DOING IT. They are pulling this music out of some deep place and struggling to give it form and substance where none existed before.
That is IMPORTANT. I'm watching a couple of my kids and Grandkids struggle with their creativity and I've been thrilled by their results. Not that they are big stars (yet) but that they are tapping in to inner resourcesnthat they didn't know they had. It's gotta lead somewhere, if only to a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.

Fight Organized Crime
Vote 'em out of office.

 

[flatfinger]

It's just a matter of knowing ( or , hopefully getting told AND listening) that at some point you have to break away from imitation and steer yourself headlong into attempted innovation !!!!!