any musicians?

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JayBarker
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

I say open it up and have a little fun. Garage band has enough for you to at least learn some song structure and enough sounds to make an okay electro song on its own. Possibly hip hop if you're into that.

On that note the modern garageband is like, sound cloud hip-hop. that's pretty simple and somewhat amateurish in a way that its very easy entry. if you like that genre, I say its a good place to start.
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Amazee Dayzee
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

Modern GarageBand being like SoundCloud hip-hop is probably why so many hip-hop songs ended up taking off before and during quarantine. :P
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

You're probably not wrong, and last time I saw that popular hip-hop was entering its grunge/depressive stage with the slow beats and droning instrumentals. That I liked, but I guess I'm a sad boi.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I kind of like it a little myself and last I checked I wasn't THAT depressed. :P
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

Nothing wrong with enjoying sad music. there was a reason the blues was so popular at one time and why so many genres came out of it.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Vertigo Fox »

Aaaah so much to respond to (and also had to reset my password first so that's fun... XD )

Yeah I tend to dislike a good deal of happy music, funnily enough, when I'm feeling happy. I think the thing is "happy" for me often goes along with a strong feeling of excitement, so the music can still clash with it if it fails to capture that part just right. Or if it tries to feel happy and excited like a "party"... well, I'm an introvert and my own excitement is usually just for me. :D

So... first off, Amazee, the idea of "talent" is mostly a lie. Anyone can become good at something like music if they put the time in to keep trying, and nobody will ever be good at it if they don't. There are some people who might have a little more natural inclination towards it, but even that doesn't really make any difference once they're in it for the long run. And you don't need to be good at it to have fun doing it -- if that was a requirement, humans would have never evolved music in the first place. If it interests you, give it a try and see if you like it.

And, second, DDeer: as a lifelong keyboardist who started playing guitar a few years ago after spending a long time thinking that I didn't have the dexterity to make the switch, I can tell you there was a lot more carry-over of skillsets between the two instruments than I was expecting. In particular, paying attention to your fingering seems to be the most important aspect of both. If you play guitar you already know how to do that part and the rest of that "dexterity" is really just practice. So if you want it, go for it.

And thirdly, yes, I did indeedly put out a lockdown album at the end of 2020. And I am pretty happy with how it all went. Called it "Wings That Shouldn't Be", and it should be up on Spotify and iTunes and all the other places by now, but if you go to bandcamp here https://vertigofox.bandcamp.com/album/w ... houldnt-be, you can listen to it and also read way too much information about it!
Still don't expect anything near mainstream, though, Jay, 'cause I'm not that kinda beast :)
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

I bought the album to help and support. I sense that you're going for a darker, heavier tone. At the very least I like the instrumentation a lot. Thought its not a genre I listen to for fun, its well done. It feels like you're playing with dark techno or industrial as well as like, Metal-core? Maybe? Its interesting a lot of the time at the very least from when I was skipping around.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Vertigo Fox »

Yeah that's a pretty good description of the style, and I appreciate the support. :)

One thing I always feel the need to tell people when I link to bandcamp, is that they can still listen for free. I don't want to come across like I'm demanding money just 'cause there happens to be a price tag somewhere on the page.
Though I suppose I did already mention it's on sites like Spotify. ;)
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

That's what I got out of it yeah, but I didn't want to assume too much.

Oh, no problem. I chose to support, I didn't feel obligated. And yeah, saying its on the other sites is a way to show people you're not just shilling yourself. Not that there's anything wrong with shilling yourself.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Sleet »

I always assume that if someone is linking me to something I can enjoy for free, I don't have any obligation to pay. Heck, I'd consider it rude if they got mad at me for not paying.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by DDeer »

Vertigo Fox wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 2:42 pm Aaaah so much to respond to (and also had to reset my password first so that's fun... XD )

Yeah I tend to dislike a good deal of happy music, funnily enough, when I'm feeling happy. I think the thing is "happy" for me often goes along with a strong feeling of excitement, so the music can still clash with it if it fails to capture that part just right. Or if it tries to feel happy and excited like a "party"... well, I'm an introvert and my own excitement is usually just for me. :D

So... first off, Amazee, the idea of "talent" is mostly a lie. Anyone can become good at something like music if they put the time in to keep trying, and nobody will ever be good at it if they don't. There are some people who might have a little more natural inclination towards it, but even that doesn't really make any difference once they're in it for the long run. And you don't need to be good at it to have fun doing it -- if that was a requirement, humans would have never evolved music in the first place. If it interests you, give it a try and see if you like it.

And, second, DDeer: as a lifelong keyboardist who started playing guitar a few years ago after spending a long time thinking that I didn't have the dexterity to make the switch, I can tell you there was a lot more carry-over of skillsets between the two instruments than I was expecting. In particular, paying attention to your fingering seems to be the most important aspect of both. If you play guitar you already know how to do that part and the rest of that "dexterity" is really just practice. So if you want it, go for it.

And thirdly, yes, I did indeedly put out a lockdown album at the end of 2020. And I am pretty happy with how it all went. Called it "Wings That Shouldn't Be", and it should be up on Spotify and iTunes and all the other places by now, but if you go to bandcamp here https://vertigofox.bandcamp.com/album/w ... houldnt-be, you can listen to it and also read way too much information about it!
Still don't expect anything near mainstream, though, Jay, 'cause I'm not that kinda beast :)
Some interesting ponts, Vertigo Fox I've got a keyboard knocking about so may have another go at it. Some slick guitar work on your songs by the way.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Vertigo Fox »

Thanks! I still feel I'm just playing at it but I try to do the best I can... not least 'cause that's the most fun ;)
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

I really like the music that you posted Vertigo! It really does sound nice!
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

So since the release of the Scott Pilgrim game, I've been interested in anamanaguchi. Ever since the second release, I've been even more interested in their older work, so I think I'm gonna make a whole chiptune+punk/other genres and make a sound track for a game that's never coming out. that sounds like a fun little project.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by 96N64player »

I would like to see how that would turn out.

My brother once made an entire soundtrack for a game that was never finished. I think it was a total of 15 tracks or something.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

If you are able to then you should post it here. I am sure it would be interesting to listen to!
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Re: any musicians?

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If you want I can keep you posted or send you some demos I'm playing around with. I think I have 4 songs close to ready.

Oh? Shame. Sorry his project never came out.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Vertigo Fox »

96N64player wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 11:12 am I would like to see how that would turn out.

My brother once made an entire soundtrack for a game that was never finished. I think it was a total of 15 tracks or something.
Yeah I've done that a couple times as well. A lot of indie game projects don't make it out of development, but it's still a neat experience to get to work on them.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

I once soundtracked some project called "Sararros". No idea if it ever came out but it was some kind of graphic novel expanded universe thing. I hope it does well if it ever gets the green light.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by jonas »

I'm juuuust getting started in music, haha. (I'm middle-aged, but better late than never, right?) I have no huge ambitions in this area, but several of my relatives play instruments, so I figured I had some latent talent in that field. I've been practicing piano and teaching myself basic music theory (circle of fifths, that kind of thing), and it's fun. Provides a nice diversion when I'm stuck on an art piece, or just needing to meditate in general.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

welcome to making music! Its as easy/hard as you want it to be, but also very rewarding when you have fun with it.

Also I don't think you're ever too old to get into something unless you just physically cannot do whatever it is anymore. and even then, trying might not hurt!
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Re: any musicians?

Post by NHWestoN »

Sheltering-in-place is a good time to try.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by DDeer »

jonas wrote: Fri Feb 12, 2021 4:12 pm I'm juuuust getting started in music, haha. (I'm middle-aged, but better late than never, right?) I have no huge ambitions in this area, but several of my relatives play instruments, so I figured I had some latent talent in that field. I've been practicing piano and teaching myself basic music theory (circle of fifths, that kind of thing), and it's fun. Provides a nice diversion when I'm stuck on an art piece, or just needing to meditate in general.
I think the trick is finding the instrument that suits you. Learning some of the theory never hurts especially how chords are constructed for example suspended and augmented chords and 9th and 11th if you want to do a little jazz :) I guess I'm very middle aged and found that I have more patience nowadays to stick at it an make more progress than in my younger days.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by JayBarker »

and if you wanna be a hobbiest and don't feel like learning the structure of music and such. Tabs are also very helpful. You can learn to emulate your favorite songs with no real tough on the comprehension front. Just technical skill.
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Re: any musicians?

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Started on tabs, wish I'd taken the time to learn to read music notation when younger, trying ti do io now for some fiddle tunes I'm learning.
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Re: any musicians?

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if you get a good DAW or even just something like Tuxguitar or GuitarPro, I think it can turn tabs in to sheet music. that might help.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by DDeer »

JayBarker wrote: Sat Feb 13, 2021 5:10 pm if you get a good DAW or even just something like Tuxguitar or GuitarPro, I think it can turn tabs in to sheet music. that might help.
True, not thought of doing that.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Amazee Dayzee »

So that is something you can keep in mind then.
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Re: any musicians?

Post by GreatKitsune »

I need to learn more theory, I want to write better more complex music
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Re: any musicians?

Post by Vertigo Fox »

My own experience with music theory is that it's a great starting point for finding the things you didn't even realize you wanted in your own songs, it also tends to give you a long list of general "don't"s that won't actually apply a lot of the time.
The way it's been historically set up is kind of like if someone was trying to figure out why mammals are such a successful group of animals but they'd only ever seen bats. They'll get a lot of things right -- mammals breathe air, they produce milk for their offspring, some of them eat plants while others eat animals, they come in a variety of sizes, they're covered in hair, etc... but they're also gonna think that any mammal who can survive has to be able to fly.

So follow music theory thoughtfully -- don't throw away ideas that seem good just because music theory tells you they shouldn't work -- and keep in mind it's not a replacement for practice. It won't instantly or automatically make you better. At it's best, it should give you a bunch of new ideas to practice with, and help you to understand some of the reasons why the stuff you've already tried to write works the way it does. :) It is very much worthwhile because that why is always a useful question.

As a starting point I'd highly recommend a youtube channel called 12tone -- he's a professional theorist himself, with a very good understanding of theory's strengths, as well as an understanding of its limitations. It's a very balanced perspective, and it's explained very well -- and in a world where most people are likely to tell you that music theory is either the holy grail or completely useless, getting a clear picture of what theory is as well as what it isn't, is extremely valuable.
Adam Neely has also got a very good youtube channel for music theory.
After that you figure out what areas you're most interested in and start looking for some books!
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