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You know, I have tried to record a few songs these last months, at home, because I have, like probably a lot of you, guys, some recorded ideas saved somewhere on my computers.
When a new idea comes to my mind, I usually take the guitar, record it with the digital camera on movie mode and then save it on my computer until I will find a better use for it. I have a few ideas saved somewhere on my computer and I really think they are nice. Says me. (my boss said once in a familiar environment, in a pub, after a few beers, after a girl looked at us “I know, I am pretty” “Who told you this?”, one asked? “My mother” “Right!”)
OK, the idea is that I tried to record some of these songs for real, on my small recording setup, but I can say I was happy with the result. Something was missing but I couldn’t put my finger on the problem. Until one day, when I realized what was missing on those songs: my colleagues, my band mates! Really, no bullshit!
I realized each guy in the band puts his own stamp on a song even if he doesn’t realize it. Recording a song by yourself will never sound like when you record the song with the band, no matter how much you try, especially when you keep the same lineup for a long time.
The value of a band is bigger than the sum of the individual values and I strongly believe that no matter what you do, you can not just match the value of the whole band just by yourself. However, I don’t speak here about instrumental records, because in such a case the record is the exact value of the work and talent of that artist. But I do speak about rock bands, with a lead singer, bass player, piano player, etc.
Imagine how it would be for Aerosmith to get together at one moment and Steven Tyler to tell them that, guys, I’ve recorded a song for us, let’s play it the way it is. I bet that despite Steven’s talent, the result would be less better than if those guys would get together in one room to play the song together, as a band.
See where I’m headin’?
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9 Responses to “When One Can’t Do It By Himself”
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Ovidiu OprescuRomania, 31 years
Playing the guitar since 17 and enjoying every moment of it!
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MJK (Mike)
December 5th, 2008 at 12:09 am
“play the song together, as a band.”
Like I tell my son, sometimes you need to ask for help. It only took took me too many years to find that out.
Ovidiu
December 5th, 2008 at 12:17 am
And that’s one of the hardest things to do, Mike, isn’t it?
MJK (Mike)
December 5th, 2008 at 12:19 am
Ovidiu,
Sadly it is.
Mike
December 5th, 2008 at 5:15 am
You hit the nail on the head, man. That’s one of the hardest things to deal with when writing music by yourself. Having that band vibe makes all the difference.
The worst is when you can’t just call your buddies to come play in the studio at any given time because they’re spread around the country.
Ovidiu
December 5th, 2008 at 9:32 am
Yeah, that is why I said I will put the software on the laptop and take it to the rehearsal studio because I see we can’t meet otherwise, we’re all busy. I want to have it this way cause otherwise the result it is not the same.
alice hive
December 5th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I don’t understand why you can’t split it up:
- music you do
- music your band does
The music you write is of course different than the music other people would write, but is that a bad thing?
Ovidiu
December 5th, 2008 at 2:58 pm
It is not a bad thing, of course, just that I consider that when you put together the creativity of 4-5 people, if correctly done, you get a far better product. If you work a song with the band, it works better than working it myself only.
MJK (Mike)
December 5th, 2008 at 3:46 pm
I read the Guitar World article with slipknot and they took this approach on their last album: Splitting music
- music you do
- music your band does
While they said it worked, Jim and the rest of the guys said it was harder creating and producing this album than the others.
On the other side, Metallica and Jason Newsted had a falling out because Jason was working on HIS music and not focusing on Metallica’s music.
I know that these are two different perspectives on the topic but you can see where sometimes working alone is not for the good of the whole….band.
Glenn @ FretFeed
December 5th, 2008 at 5:26 pm
It’s true, especially when it comes to writing the parts of the other instruments. It’s near impossible to be a good drummer, bassist, guitarist, and vocalist.
The only time I think that you can really work solo is if your an acoustic singer/songwriter.