Musical Demo Submission thread

[BonsaiK]

Are we allowed to post covers, or does it all have to be original music?

You can post covers, but make sure they are very significantly different to the originals, or I'm just going to say "why would I buy that when I can buy the original?".

 

[BonsaiK]

I wouldn't laugh at anyone. It's just that people can sometimes have over-inflated ideas of how good they are and can react to criticism badly, so the OP is basically saying "I might be critical" so those people are prepared.

TBH I'm surprised with the quality of everything I've heard so far. Nothing in this thread yet genuinely sucks.

Yeh I've...definitely met people like that. Care to go another round? All the stuff I have is still without vocals, I realise this is probably annoying to you, but I can assure you I have vocals mapped out for all my tunes...just not yet finalised. Anyway, I intend to make a go of being a musician(even if it is small time)and release some records(even if it is independently)and whilst you might not be hearing the finished product(no vocals, me drumming...I can't drum)you can at least tell me if I am working from a sturdy enough foundation, right? I have performed in public(with singing)and it has gone very well each time, I've even(embarassingly)been asked to sign autographs at open mic...which the guy who runs it tells me is very unusual. I guess what I'm trying to say is...I'm not just dillusional about my ability to sing and perform...I can do it.

Anyway. I'll post this one because it is already uploaded. My drumming is poor and the solo is iffy(probably shouldn't have improvised it).
And this one because I actually had a decent drummer at my house whilst I did it, and it hopefully shows that I can do more than just ham fisted, dirty rock.
Thanks for your time, mate.

You're right. No vocals pisses me off. Your tracks are unfinished, so it's like you're asking me to taste the mixture and comment on the cake. I can't tell you what the cake is like because it's not done yet - you might add something to the mixture to screw it up, or you might add the perfect ingredient.

I can say this though:

First song - yeah drumming is ropey, out of time. So is the solo. Your transitions are a bit woeful. However once again, the main riff is good, and the raw sounds are excellent. The building blocks of a great song are here.

Second song - well, that's just a guitar solo. Meh. Competent playing all around but not interesting to listen to at all. Not technical enough for me to go "wow", not weird enough for me to go "oooh", not melodic enough for me to go "aaah", nothing really to distract me from the fact that it's really only a guitar solo.

I prefer the dirty rock stuff, stick to that. Dirty rock is hot in the marketplace right now, finish these tracks and shop them before the trend dies. Don't be one of these people who uses incredibly high standards as an excuse to procrastinate forever and never finish anything, I know many people like this, people who've been musicians for 25 years and never released an album because nothing meets their own personal standards. Don't do an Axl Rose. Get those vocals done.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

"Don't do an Axl Rose."

I don't want to be like Axl Rose...that's some powerful language.

 

[BonsaiK]

"Don't do an Axl Rose."

I don't want to be like Axl Rose...that's some powerful language.

Just trying to motivate you to finish those vocals, that's all.

 

[Sexual Harassment Panda]

"Don't do an Axl Rose."

I don't want to be like Axl Rose...that's some powerful language.

Just trying to motivate you to finish those vocals, that's all.

...It's working. I have a heavy work weekend but I'll crack on with it during the week, cheers. Expect to hear more from me.

 

[BonsaiK]

"Don't do an Axl Rose."

I don't want to be like Axl Rose...that's some powerful language.

Just trying to motivate you to finish those vocals, that's all.

...It's working. I have a heavy work weekend but I'll crack on with it during the week, cheers. Expect to hear more from me.

Good. The next video you post I'm not clicking on unless it has vocals.

 

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Alrighty then. First one's a cover, and it's pretty different to the original.

Spoiler

And one of mine (kinda an old video)

Spoiler

 

[Karlaxx]

Well, I was going to post something, but then I remembered:
-We did covers that were like the original
-Our one original song the vocals didn't come through due to a sound problem
-And I'm n ot with that group anymore

So it would be kind of pointless. Wish I had something, though. Hopefully Furb will get our piece done while this is still around.(I sent him some lyrics to try and put to music.)

HOWEVER! I'm interested in a music industry career, or at least finding out if it's right for me. Do you mind answering questions if I have some?

 

[BonsaiK]

Well, I was going to post something, but then I remembered:
-We did covers that were like the original
-Our one original song the vocals didn't come through due to a sound problem
-And I'm n ot with that group anymore

So it would be kind of pointless. Wish I had something, though. Hopefully Furb will get our piece done while this is still around.(I sent him some lyrics to try and put to music.)

HOWEVER! I'm interested in a music industry career, or at least finding out if it's right for me. Do you mind answering questions if I have some?

Yeah fire away. Be prepared for some weird answers, the music industry is... different. I have to sleep now so I'll answer them when I wake up, feel free to take time preparing a list of questions.

 

[Horticulture]

This is a great thread- you're definitely right about the difficulty in getting honest criticism about music.

If you're willing to deal with a Soundclick link [http://www.soundclick.com/orchidnc], I'd love some feedback on a couple songs. The balance is pretty atrocious and there are a few mistakes, but I'm curious to see what you think about the melody, structure and overall vibe.

A little off-topic, but SHP, I'm really liking the Gilmour vibe in your last recording. Maybe I should save unqualified flattery for the Jam Session thread, though

Edit: Youtube links

Spoiler

 

[Karlaxx]

So it would be kind of pointless. Wish I had something, though. Hopefully Furb will get our piece done while this is still around.(I sent him some lyrics to try and put to music.)

I'll get it done soon, I'm just trying to get it perfect.

Not trying to be pushy; do what you gotta.

 

[BonsaiK]

So it would be kind of pointless. Wish I had something, though. Hopefully Furb will get our piece done while this is still around.(I sent him some lyrics to try and put to music.)

I'll get it done soon, I'm just trying to get it perfect.

Not trying to be pushy; do what you gotta.

No hurry on my account, I'll still be around and you can still send me stuff or ask me anything whether this thread lives or dies.

 

[A Weary Exile]

Snip

How does a 2 piece rock act, playing an instrumental(I was feeling far too lazy to write lyrics that day)tickle your fancy? I know...it's obviously a recipe for success...

Hey the main riff is gold! Combined with the slow drumming it kind of has a White Stripes-ish feel, I like it. However, when your drummer goes double-time over the same riff, you've lost me there. Don't do that. MAYBE go double time about 2/3rds of the way through the track, if you must. Not apart from that - you're wrecking the feel that you've built up. Personally I wouldn't do it at all, keep the beat slow and groovy, and add other elements to make it more interesting. Like vocals. A song like this MUST have vocals, even if they're just samples or whatever. Unless you're Joe Satriani, or you're making some new age "voices of the forest" shit, nobody wants to hear pure instrumentals - you're going to have to plop a human voice in there somewhere, somehow, or it is simply not marketable.

I thought the exact same thing, the White Stripes came immediatley to mind when I heard his band. I really enjoyed his band's sound and I consider myself a musical elitist, it's really tough for me to find something I like.

I shall leave now as I have no business in this thread.

"Don't do an Axl Rose."

I don't want to be like Axl Rose...that's some powerful language.

Just trying to motivate you to finish those vocals, that's all.

...It's working. I have a heavy work weekend but I'll crack on with it during the week, cheers. Expect to hear more from me.

Just wanted to say I really enjoyed that, keep up the good work.

 

[BonsaiK]

Alrighty then. First one's a cover, and it's pretty different to the original.

Spoiler

And one of mine (kinda an old video)

Spoiler

The cover isn't that different, it sounds pretty much just like the original, just acoustic. Unless you mean about how your guitar is out of time. You're trying to be too fancy with the little licks that come after the G chord, that the main thing that's throwing you out. Better to play it simple and correct than fancy and wrong. Also that harmonica playing is dreadful. Bob Dylan should be punished severely for the crimes he has inflicted on music with regard to harmonica playing, there's no reason to go impersonating the guy's weakest link. If you must add harmonica learn how to play it first, seriously - harmonica doesn't have to sound like that, it can sound as good as lead guitar in skilled hands. It's all a moot point anyway because I can't sell "Sweet Home Alabama" and even if this version was good I would just go "oh, that song. Next!".

When selecting a cover - if you're going to pick a really popular song, one that is considered a "classic", remember that you are competing against the original of that song. The more well-known and popular the song is, the harder your job is to impress someone with it. You have to approach it with a completely different angle if you're going to make an impact. (Or, you have to be an already-established artist who can get away with anything.) The problem is that you love the original too much. Next time you do a cover, why not pick a song you hate and try to improve it?

Your original song isn't bad at all though. Guitar playing is better because you're not overstretching yourself, hell, you sound like a whole new player, relaxed and confident. Vocals are good. Annoying that the video is such poor framerate and isn't in sync - presentation does matter. Because the song doesn't really change or vary at all, I'd say add some dynamics, have a part where you go really whispery quiet or something... it's okay but just a bit repetitive, kind of does the same thing over and over. They lyrics seem to tell a story, so try and involve the listener in that story, with the way you present the song musically. Dynamics could really make this song come alive.

 

[BonsaiK]

This is a great thread- you're definitely right about the difficulty in getting honest criticism about music.

If you're willing to deal with a Soundclick link [http://www.soundclick.com/orchidnc], I'd love some feedback on a couple songs. The balance is pretty atrocious and there are a few mistakes, but I'm curious to see what you think about the melody, structure and overall vibe.

A little off-topic, but SHP, I'm really liking the Gilmour vibe in your last recording. Maybe I should save unqualified flattery for the Jam Session thread, though

Edit: Youtube links

Spoiler

I'm so sorry. You seem like a nice person. I apologise in advance.

I have no problem with the fact that this has obviously been recorded in the corner of a jam room, that's fine. Wish I could make out the lyrics but no big deal really, I can still hear the vocal melody. Yeah the balance is terrible but once again no big deal. A few mistakes too but that's okay, I can handle that.

Okay, so I'm trying to be positive here. You're all good musicians, basically. That's good. Your vocalist overstretches annoyingly and he really should not do that really high shit - but in the lower register he's really good. In fact, everyone overplays a bit, especially the drummer. Damn he's a good player, but his job is to keep the beat, not wow me with his ability to hit all of his toms at once with only two sticks. The songs, well the first one is just the same thing over and over, you could mix it up a little. Maybe add another section. The second one is more varied, but... oh who am I kidding. I'll stop beating around the bush and get to your one real overarching obstacle. Please forgive me.

You are the first person to submit something here that hits on a forbidden genre, which is early post-grunge style rock. This style of music is not acceptable to labels right now. Why? Because it just went out of fashion very recently. Yes, there are still established bands making this kind of music - what that means is that there is no room for new bands to make this kind of music. No band that makes this type of music has been signed in the last few years to a major label in a western country. Feel free to check, you will find that this is true. All the bands who will ever make this type of music on a global scale in the next 20 years have already got record deals. Your chances of success are absolutely 0%. You need to change the style and sound of your band completely, or just get a new band that wants to make different music. Maybe keep the songs or at least the song ideas, or just write new songs, but nothing will ever happen for you with this band, with this sound. You could get some gigs in your local town, maybe go on a small tour at the very most, or sign a distributor deal where you pay for all the manufacture and they don't care about your music style and just add it to the catalog to be forgotten about unless someone orders it, however any actual proper label you send this to will reject it within about 30 seconds of listening, regardless of playing or songwriting quality, simply because of the style. What you are doing is like trying to start a glam metal band in 1993 just after the big grunge explosion. You're all talented folks but you're wearing bell-bottoms in the mid-1980s. You are out of fashion. The music industry is fickle like this. I'm so sorry.

 

[Horticulture]

snip

No need to apologise, thanks for the honest feedback. Now we can work on trading the bellbottoms for skinny jeans.

I'd actually considered asking about what you considered to be forbidden genres, but I managed to find out anyway. Out of curiosity, what are the others?

 

[BonsaiK]

snip

No need to apologise, thanks for the honest feedback. Now we can work on trading the bellbottoms for skinny jeans.

I'd actually considered asking about what you considered to be forbidden genres, but I managed to find out anyway. Out of curiosity, what are the others?

It changes all the time, as music fashion changes. It's usually something that was very popular for a while and then suddenly vanished off the radar.

Nu-metal is another. No nu-metal bands are being signed now - unless they are made up of already-established artists in the genre. Breakbeats that are derived from James Brown's "Funky Drummer" (or a song that samples that song) are also absolutely forbidden. There are others but they don't readily spring to mind. If someone posts one, that will jog my memory.

You'll be pleased to know that in about 15 years obviously auto-tuned pop will be on this list.

 

[ribonuge]

Snip

How does a 2 piece rock act, playing an instrumental(I was feeling far too lazy to write lyrics that day)tickle your fancy? I know...it's obviously a recipe for success...

Wow I am really impressed by that riff and just the overall sound of the music. It's right up my street. I'd love to hear you get some interesting and unique vocals over it and keep it out of double time, so it maintains the slow, crunchy theme of the tune. It is actually very similar to The White Stripes Icky Thump riff, but it sounds fuller or something. Please do more in the vein of this song.

OT: I don't really have anything to submit but I feel this thread deserves to stay alive. I also really wanted to comment on how awesome SHP's song was.

 

[Guestowel]

I pretty much only made these songs because I was tired of not having any say in the crappy band I was in, and wanted to play some music that I would enjoy listening to. (I have a pretty eccentric taste in music) If I had to describe the idea I was shooting for, I would say a mix between Depeche Mode and The Dead Milkmen. I am very much aware of the sound issue on Ronald Reagan's Zombie Corpse, and I apologize. I lost the original file, and I do not care enough to re-record it. I have no intentions on being a professional musician, I am just curious what a pro would think of it. I have gotten invited to open for Gwar and KMFDM, but I don't have it in me to play live. So here is my link, with no stupid flashy background to load, I hope if you don't like the music, you at least get a smile from the humor http://www.myspace.com/brokenspork42