Create Your Own Band

[Semjaza]

I couldn't think of a good title. We're stuck with this one.

We've had threads similiar to this in the past... where people named actual musicians they'd like to have in their band if they ever had one. What I'd like to do here, however, is have people talk about what sort of band they'd like to have in terms of style and sound. Not so much the actual people. Throwing a bunch of all-stars into a band is not really what I'm going for.

Any sort of genre is fine. If you want to make comparisons of what you'd like in your band to other existing bands or musicians, that's cool. Just try and explain what you're going for and the reasoning behind it. If you'd be a solo artist, then talk about that. This doesn't have to reflect your actual talent at all. If you can't play anything, who cares. As long as you've thought about what sort of group you'd be a part of if you were the band leader, you should be good to go.

Anyway.

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I mostly listen to variations of rock, so I'd stick with a rock-ish band. I think that there's a rather large void that's been left open thanks to the fact that there really aren't many big straight out hard rock bands around anymore. The problem here is that any harder rock band currently seems to fall into territory I'm not interested in... which would be nu-metal in most cases. I'm looking for more of a Queens of the Stone Age or Muse (Absolution era) or Toadies (Hell Below/Stars Above) era kind of sound.


[U][B]Vocals[/B][/U]

Something I've always been fond of in rock has been female vocals. Not so much as the lead, but definitely for the backup. If used properly, this can really accentuate a song. Many bands have made good use of it. However, I'm not looking for just a female singer... I'm looking for one that is capable of gospel. I don't think anything is better than a heavy, rocking song with a powerful gospel voice doing back up from time to time. This has made a lot of good songs really damn great, in my opinion.

In terms of the lead, I'd be sticking with a guy. I've gotten to the point in my life where I have almost no interest in bands that scream and growl on a constant basis. I need someone with smooth vocals that can pull off a decent amount of octaves. That doesn't mean I want someone like Justin Hawkins from The Darkness that overuses high octaves whenever he can. I just want someone who is capable of them.

However, sometimes screams are necessary in certain situations, so I would prefer that this guy was capable of those at well. Definitely nothing approaching hardcore bands where they do nothing but yell, but enough to accentuate the songs when need be.

[U][B]Guitars[/B][/U]

Obviously being in a hard rock band requires certain instruments. I'd prefer to have two guitar players and a bass player. For one guitar, I'd like that guy to mostly pull off the more aggressive riffs. This doesn't necessarily have to be anything complex. In fact, I'm mostly looking for a sound simiilar to the Misfits on Famous Monsters and American Psycho.

The other guitarist would be mostly responsible for the more melodic aspects of this. This is mostly because I'm hoping to go for a rather specific sound that I think appeals to many people on a basic level, even if they're not conscious of it. This is something the Pixies did and many other bands duplicated since them, such as Nirvana. Basically, the idea of softer verses and faster, explosive choruses. Someone who was capable of more technical, solo-ish playing would definitely be a large asset to this idea.

As for the bass, I just want someone who can get a nice groove going. My hope for this band is to be able to shift styles in the middle of songs seamlessly. Going from something heavy to something that sounds like sped up lounge music. Or from something soft into something brutal. The bass player would really be the backbone for all of this, because the bass carries a song more than people realize sometimes. I think for the most part, I'd have bass mostly going for a funk/blues type sound.

[U][B]Percussion[/B][/U]

This is incredibly important. In my mind, any drummer can go nuts on his kit and come out with something decent for a heavier band. That's not what I'm looking for. I'm looking for control. Drummers instinctively want to be hitting things all the time, based on my experience. I need someone who would be capable of playing the drums at very uncommon points in a bar. However, I also would want this person to be aggressive when need be, while still showing that same amount of control. I'd probably wind up using drums to start off quite a bit of songs, honestly.

In addition to that, I would like other types of drums and such worked into some songs. The drummer doesn't need to be capable of this, as you can always have guests help with certain songs. Some songs are just better accentuated with bongos or timpanis and other offbeat drums that normally wouldn't be used. I'd like to throw in some xylophone if I could, too.

[U][B]Synth[/B][/U]

A keyboardist is absolutely required. While they are not a member of the group I'd give crazy solos to, they are someone that is responsible for a good deal of the ambiance in a song. Keyboardists are often repsonsible for other work in the synth side of things such as programming drum loops and such. I defintely would like some sort of industrial/electronica tinge to the bands sound. However, it wouldn't overwhelm the rock side of things for the most part. Sometimes you just need the crunch that that sort of sound would provide.

[U][B]Miscellaneous Sounds[/B][/U]

Since the synth aspect is taken care of, I can't mention that here. There are a few other things to consider though. The first is actual grand piano. I'm sure the keyboardist can generally take care of this for the most part. I feel that grand piano really adds to the feeling of a lot of songs. I would not overuse it, but it would definitely play a part.

Another thing to consider would be a horn section. I'm not going for a ska band type idea... but something more like the band Rocket From the Crypt, if anyone knows them. Basically, using horns at key moments to help drive the song. They would almost never be a focal point.

[U][B]Image[/B][/U]

While I'm not concerned with what people think of the band in general, I do consider the image. What sort of on-stage presentations would be done. What sort of costume work would be done. At the same time, I don't want to get into the situation where the image becomes a large part of the band. In those cases, band members often find themselves hiding behind some persona that they have to live up to even in basic social situations.

I'll probably expand more on the image later, but I am not sure what to put there as of yet.

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Obviously what I wrote was really long. I'm not expecting anyone else to write this much. Do what you like. Hopefully this will go somewhere and be interesting, but who knows. I divided mine up into a couple categories. I don't care if people use them or not... or make up their own. Go nuts.

[Shinmaru]

Although I listen to a lot of different music, the bulk of my enjoyment comes from rock, so I'd go with a rock-oriented group. As for the style, I'd also prefer more of a Queens of the Stone Age style sound, with the band playing mostly hard, fast tunes with heavier, slower songs every once in a while.

[b][u]Vocals[/b][/u]

I wouldn't really look for anything too fancy with my vocals. I'd prefer someone with a smooth voice that can change and keep in tune with the speed of the particular song that's playing. Someone akin to Josh Homme from Queens of the Stone Age would fit in rather well with this, I think. Josh's is easily one of my favorite voices in rock, heh. The way he sings really adds some weight to the songs without being too annoying (like someone with a Kurt Cobain style voice) or too loud (like someone with a Chris Cornell style voice).

[b][u]Guitars[/b][/u]

With the guitars, I'd go for the Soundgarden type set-up. The lead singer would play the main riff of the song. Doesn't have to be anything really complex because he obviously has to concentrate on singing, as well lol. The other guitarist would handle the more complex tunes, like Kim Thayil did in Soundgarden. This person would obviously need a higher degree of mastery of the guitar and being able to create good sounding solos that fit in with the overall tune of the song is a huge plus. The bass player would be the person controlling the tempo of the song. I find it pretty enjoyable to hear the bass player speed up the song and have the other guitarists follow their cue. A good bass player is invaluable to a band.

[b][u]Percussion[/b][/u]

For the most part, I'd stick with using a regular drum set. I don't have anything against bongos, tambourines or any of those other instruments but I just prefer a regular drum set over anything else, heh. Along with the bass player, the drummer could also play a key in controlling the tempo of the song. When the song needs to be fast, the drummer starts playing faster and vice-versa. Also, like Tony, I'd probably start off a lot of songs with drums...not most of them, but quite a few. It just sounds cooler that way :p

[b][u]Other Sounds[/b][/u]

What I laid out above would pretty much be the main set-up for the band. Every once in a while, they'd bring in someone such as a keyboardist or an organist (the organ kicks mucho ***, in my opinion) to add a little more to certain songs. I wouldn't do this too often but it's definitely something to consider - certain songs have really used other instruments to fantastic effect and it really pushes them to the top in terms of sound.

[b][u]Everything Else[/u][/b]

Everything else is just sort of secondary. I'm not really the type of person who cares for huge shows and visuals out the ***...I just like hearing the music and getting caught up in the experience of watching a band live. So, any concerts my band do wouldn't be this huge stage show or anything...they'd just go out, play their ***** off and let their music give the audience a good time.

[wrist cutter]

Maybe we should call it "Build a Band Workshop". Yuck, I just shuddered.

Anyway, I'm not going to follow format as I don't have anything so specific in mind.

When I think of a band I'd like... it's hard to come up with something that isn't trying to be a band I listen to. You know? I draw too much influence from others when I think of these type of things.

So I'll be somewhat vague. The most important thing for me in a band is versatility... I don't think I listen to a single band who has sounded the same all throughout their career. They always end up sounding totally different than when they started. I love that. I don't want to pidgeonhole myself, even in a broad category like "rock". There's lots of other genres out there and I see no reason to not try what can be done with them, and, on top of that, see where I can go that no one else has.

Another aspect I love in a band is when they can create very solid albums. You know, when it becomes more than just a collection of songs. I love a unity in sounds, words, and feelings throughout an album. This is usually what sets good albums apart from great albums. Even though this somewhat goes against what I said above, about always trying new things, for an album release I like there to be a somewhat consistent sound. An album can really become like a small world when you keep this in mind.

There aren't a lot of specifics I have in mind. High singer, low singer... I have great examples of both who can really do a variety of things with their voice, so I don't think it matters as long as they're good at what they do. The same goes for the other instruments. But like I said earlier, it's not just guitars-bass-drums. If I wanted to try some electronica or something, I think it'd be great to have a band that could adjust to that sort of thing.

I think, at first, I'd like to have a sort of "dark rock" sound for the band. I'm thinking "kagerou" era Laputa, indies period LUNA SEA here. For Western comparisons... hmmm... the only band that comes to mind is The Cure, but a little heavier and more rockish in general. This style sounds maybe a little repetitive, but it sounds so good to me that I don't mind. The combinations of instruments in this style really works for me... but no more than an album or so of this.

[Godelsensei]

[COLOR=Gray][FONT=Courier New]The title of this post made me laugh. I'm not laughing at you, however, but at the fact that I'm actually in a "band".

"Band." *rolls eyes at self*

We're called Bubba Norton Approves, and we have two songs: Paradiddles and Shinobi no Uta (The Ninja Song). They're only missing two things: lyrics and tunes.~_^ (They have *gists*, though. The Ninja Song is sort of like Stuart by the Dead Milkmen, if you've ever heard it. Not really a song, but still...cool.)

Sorry for not following the organized fashion of your post, but I'm not very music savvy.

I think our "band" 's mix of piano, violin, drums and bass guitar is a neat concept. I always loved the sound of the violin, and I think it actually works very well with more "modern" instruments.

I probably sounded like a clueless idiot there, but I am when it comes to music, so don't hold me in too much contempt..._ _U

Cool topic, by the way.[/FONT]


[/COLOR]

[Sir Kyle]

[SIZE=1]Hmmmm, very interesting topic indeed Mr. Azazel. I've never really thought of what I'd like to do in this sort of category, but now that you bring it up, I think I've got something in mind.

[U][B]Vocals
[/B][/U]
Though I cannot sing myself (God only blessed me with some instrument playing ability, none whatsoever in the singing category), this is one of the most important parts of the band in my opinion. I would require AT LEAST 2 of the members be able to carry a tune and be able to both harmonize and have a wide range of sound. A couple good tenors of a good tenor and bass would suffice just fine. I'm not looking for a rapping type sound (though that could come up in a few of the songs) but more of a "singy" type of sound if that makes any sense. Think a combo between Maroon 5/311/Sublime thing and you'd have a great idea of how I'd like it to work. And hey, if the rest of the band members could carry a tune, the more merrier.
[U][B]
Guitars[/B][/U]

I don't really know how many people would actually be in the band, but I'd shoot for 4-5 probably. You really don't need any more, but less is tough to operate effectively. I'm pretty sure, though, that the magic number in my band would be 5 members. With that amount, I'd definitely have 2 guitarists. One for the lead and one for the rhythm. This wouldn't be the permanent setup though, as I'd like my two guitarists to be able to interchange roles and do both when necessary. At some points, like a bass heavy song for example, both of them could go rhythm and occasional lead to give the bassist the spotlight while in others they could both go crazy and solo the hell out of the song. Whatever the setup, though, I'd love them to have good fundamental skills and intense knowledge of music and of their acoustic counterpart so they could do just about anything I asked of them.

[U][B]Bass[/B]
[/U]
One of the coolest yet under appreciated parts of the band, there should never be more than one bassist in a band. As such, I would only have 1. The bassist would have to be VERY skilled at the instrument since my music would feature tougher bass lines and would let the player take the spotlight more often than the average bassist. Think Flea from the RHCP with a dash of Bob Marley to make my perfect bass player.

[U][B]Percussion and Others
[/B][/U]
I would have one permanent set drummer that would keep the beat of the band alive and ticking. He doesn't have to have any sort of fancy drum set as he won't be nearly as featured as some others are. There is no need for extra toms, cymbals, or a double bass so this drummer wouldn't have to be the greatest thing to ever walk the earth. He would still have to have a great internal rhythm and be very adaptable since my song style would fluctuate highly, but wouldn't have to work nearly as hard as the bassist would relatively. The other member of the band, the 5th member so far (We've got 2 guitars, a bass, and a drummer) would play keyboard/synth/piano or any backup percussion instruments that might be needed in the sing (bongo, maraccas, cowbell, whatever) and would be the last little bit of glue holding the band together. He would need an intense knowledge of music and be able to add that little extra flavor to the band that would set it apart from any other out there.

[U][B]Image and Sound[/B][/U]

I'd let the guys in the band decide what they want to look like, but if I HAVE to pick something, they wouldn't be anything out of the ordinary. I'm a huge fan of bands that look like regular everyday people and don't try too hard to make a statement with their image. Jeans and T-Shirts with a variety of other cool yet casual items would make their image up as well as anything from scruffy hair to being clean cut, as long as they wouldn't really stand out in a crowd when not playing. Their sound would also be a lot like the image they are associated with. Once again, think of 311, Pomeroy, Maroon 5, Third Eye Blind, or Sublime and you'd have an idea of what kind of songs you'd be hearing. They'd be that new punkish/ska/reggae/cool tunes that would make your foot tap and head nod but would hardly EVER be very hard music. Very easy to listen to and very catchy would be the name of the game here.

Very nice topic here, I really enjoyed thinking of all this stuff.[/SIZE]

[wrist cutter]

[quote name='Sir Kyle']I'm a huge fan of bands that look like regular everyday people and don't try too hard to make a statement with their image. Jeans and T-Shirts with a variety of other cool yet casual items would make their image up as well as anything from scruffy hair to being clean cut, as long as they wouldn't really stand out in a crowd when not playing.[/quote]

Heh, I'm the EXACT opposite. I don't know if I'd actual do it if I were in a band myself, but I love it when bands are really flamboyant in their dress. It makes them more interesting, or something.

[Sir Kyle]

[SIZE=1]Heh, in all reality it makes little difference to me wheter or not they want to dress really out there or like they would going to class one day, personally. I really think the sound of the music and the art speak for themselves.

I just wouldn't want them to be MEGA falmboyant. I have nothing against a little flare here and there, it just seems that some bands try TOO hard (in my opinion) to make a statement with their appearance. Take, for example, the band SlipKnot. They have all those masks and all those jumpsuits and stuff, not your regular everyday dress. Take also Wes the ex-guitarist of Limp Bizkit. Radical looks every single time he took stage. These are just examples but the point I'm getting at is even though these images make me remember them even more (I'll never forget those SlipKnot guys) the problem is that that's ALL I can remember them for. I can't remember any SlipKnot songs ever standing out a ton nor can I remember any of Wes' guitar lines because the image was almost too overpowering.

Ah well, to each his own I suppose.[/SIZE]

[wrist cutter]

Hm, well, I guess you need to understand where I'm coming from. Because to me, this band looks awesome:

[img]http://www.slownerveaction.org/lovestation/crap/visualxxx.jpg[/img]

I don't think everyone would agree heh. But they kick *** as far as I'm concerned.

But you're absolutely right - even if they looked like crap, their music is why I buy all their stuff at unreasonable prices.

Eh, I'm dragging this topic off course... sorry about that.

[Heaven's Cloud]

[color=indigo] I tend to enjoy different variations of rock music but I definatly lean more towards the blues side of the genre. Anyway, I am a pretty experimental person and I would definatly want my band to reflect that, so I guess I wouldn't really intend to mimc anything but initially it would probably sound a little like the Doors (with a bluesy harmony and powerful vocals and lyrics) mixed with P-Funk (with that bass and rythm that makes you want to move).

[b]Vocals[/b]

Whiskey is the only way I can really describe the sound that I would want from a vocalist. It is like a clear grit that some singers can add to their voice at will. Jim Morrison and Paul McCarteny both used this type of singing style, one moment their voice is clear and lucid as water, the next moment it sounds like cold sand feels. That kind of vocal prowess has always intrigued me and I try to mimc it often (never successfuly).

[b]Lead Guitar[/b]

A solid lead guitar player is essential in the type of band I would create. The guitar player doesn't have to be the next Van Halen or Steve Vai, they don't have to be able to rip the guitar to shreds. I just would like someone that is experimental with all types of string instruments and someone that knows that lead guitar players don't always need to play.

[b]Rythm Guitar[/b]

The back bone of the band. The person would have to be a "guitar George" and know all "the chords" cause he is "strictly rythm"

[b]Piano/Harpsichord[/b]

I thought it would always be cool to have a friend that could play anything on the piano, because the piano can really do anything, it can fill bass, play harmony, and stand alone as an entity to itself. The harpsichord has also always interested me because of the different moods it can portray with incredible fluidity.

[b]Percussion[/b]

A classically trained percussionist is a must. They know when to cut loose and they know when not to play. "When not to play" is a really important factor in a band, especially in a multi layered band. A good percussionist should also be able to play a host of instruments including the timpani...one of my absolute favorite instruments.

[b]Bass[/b]

The bass player doesn't have to be phenomenal, just someone that can get the job done and flow with the band, although it would be cool if they could play double bass as well.

[b]Other[/b]

I'd love to have a little jazz section with a horn and a sax, something that could mimic the old Dizzy Golespi sound, kind of muted and dull. I was talking to Semjaza awhile back about how I thought it would be cool to incorporate brass into the modern rock setting.[/color]

[Sir Kyle]

[SIZE=1]Indeed, that was what I thought you were talking about when you said you liked a little bit of the ole' falmboyancy in your bands. Personally, once again, I would find those guys to have a very outrageous image and would be less apt to remember any songs they ever wrote. But hey, if they're good and the music is great, then be as out there as you want!

And yes, I'm pretty sure this will be my last post on the off-topic dragging of the feet here. ::zips mouth shut and waits for more informative and creative replies::[/SIZE]

[Semjaza]

In terms of image, I'd definitely go for the extreme. I'm not interested in a band that just looks like a bunch of everyday guys playing a song out of their garage. I love the showmanship side and that can really be explored. Being in a band is one of the few professions where you can be absolutely bizarre and no one would think twice of it. Why would you not take advantage of that?

I love bands with images. Marilyn Manson, for example. The problem with them, however, is that image has become such a big part of them that it often overshadows the music.Many people won't even attempt to listen to what they have to offer simply because they can't get past the image of the band or Marilyn Manson himself. I want to avoid that. Bowie managed to successfully make his image a focal point, but he never let it overshadow the music. It seems very hard to do.

However, I don't really have any set plan in mind for the look.

In terms of what wrist cutter said about genre, I agree. I think even if I describe a band I'd like to be in as hard rock, there's absolutely no reason why other genres wouldn't be mixed in and explored. I had said in my post that I'd like to seamlessly shift styles in the middle of a song and I'm sticking by it. There's a few bands like Mr. Bungle that pull that off really well at times... and while I don't want a band like that, it's one of the easier comparisons I can think of.

I'm also very into synth in songs, something many straight out rock bands make almost no use of. I'm not talking just NIN style stuff or even just goofy new-age stuff. I think it could really accent the band. I think a good comparison of the idea I'm going for would be Curve or Massive Attack... in terms of synth, not the overall sound. Even the new Outkast CD has some good examples of what I'd be interested.

I always thought it would be cool to work a church organ and choir into a rock song as well. I'm a big fan of the whole sound, but I just think the actual songs that utilize that are incredibly boring. I think this could be taken advantage of to good effect.

I didn't really post about what sort of lyrical style the band would go for either. I want a dark sound. Angry... perhaps even some angst. However, not teenage angst. There's a huge difference heh. Mostly angry thoug, kind of like the Toadies. They're very dark minded and pissed off, but they don't really voice that in their songs by complaining about it constantly like so many other bands nowadays.

I also love dark/morbid love songs. I'd like some straight forward ones, but I am much more into the deceptive ones. Meaning, something that seems like a normal love song on the surface, but if you pay attention to the lyrics you see how twisted it is. Again, The Toadies pull this off really well on songs like Possum Kingdom, Tyler and Jigsaw Girl. I have almost no interest in standard love songs.

[Sir Kyle]

[SIZE=1]Well Semjaza, have you ever heard of the band Cursive? This band, but mostly on their newest album, manages to incorporate both the cello AND the organ into most of their tracks to make a VERY excellent album.

I figure you might have heard of them since you are in the Chicago area (I assume, I think I read that somewhere) and they are a big Midwestern band based out of Omaha, Nebraska, Good sounds, if you need the hookup and you haven't heard it already, contact me, I'm all over it.

And going back to image again, I understand your point about being a rock star and not caring about what you look like since it doesn't matter much. I just kind of like that "garage" look in a band because most of my favorite bands follow that trend and pull it off wonderfully. I suppose it just shrugs off most bad generalizations and predispositions and allows people to hear their music first and foremost rather than seeing their image and setting.

I don't know, it can work both ways. It's been proven afterall.[/SIZE]

[Semjaza]

I know Cursive. I assume you're talking about The Ugly Organ? heh

When I think of organ I think of very specific bands. The first one that always comes to mind is The Doors. They don't have like a massive church organ obviously, but the organ sound is very prominant in a lot of their songs.

Cello is nice too. I like strings in general, mostly to accentuate choruses. There's a rock-ish band called Rasputina that is just really a three girls playing cellos and singing about weird things. They're pretty cool and worth checking out if you want something offbeat.