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One Man Band?

ShredAstaire

By ShredAstaire
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ShredAstaire

ShredAstaire

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Is anyone else doing the "One Man Band" thing out there? By that I mean writing and recording music yourself, playing all the instruments and not doing shows?

 

I've been writing a lot lately....i like it but I miss writing with other musicians....as most of you probably know by now, i'm not the greatest soloist and I can't always translate what I want into my fingers....i think my songs could definitely sound amazing with a more talented solo player. (I'm definitely a rhythm player - loves me those riffs!)

 

Anyone else making music this way? Original tunes?

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ChanMan

ChanMan

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Me, for now. But, then, I've always been more focused on original tunes... [biggrin] I just got a nice recording interface and Cubase software. Looks like I'll be learning to record and mix my stuff. I worked some with Audacity recently, but the last time I recorded for real we used a Fostex 8 track.... if that says anything about how long ago.[biggrin]

 

 

You gonna post up some of your stuff?

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Duende

Duende

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Hi Shred

 

I am doing exactly what you describe except I am doing shows. I perform on occasions as a part of a guitar duo and also accompany my wife when singing but I am largely solo- and love it that way.

 

I have always loved composing alone and when I do play in other 'outfits'; for example I played nine shows this year as a part of a theatre production of Little Shop Of Horrors, I like that it is a temporary arrangment[biggrin]

 

The downside being solo is there is a lot of time and work spent on advertising and publicity but it is extremely rewarding!

 

Matt

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ShredAstaire

ShredAstaire

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Yeah i'd be happy to post up some stuff....though like I said, i often struggle with the solos....and NOBODY...i repeat, NOBODY wants to hear me sing so everything I write at the moment is instrumental.

 

I was in a band with a lead guitarist and a vocalist and that really helped my writing....I miss that band. *sniff* I'm hesitant to join a new band because I am.....uncomfortable with my own skill....as in I don't think I am good enough to write and play with people who are not my best friends.

 

I'm kind of diverse too....i make instrumental beats....hip hop style beats with no vocals to ruin them hehehe....

 

Let me know if you'd like to hear.....I'd love to hear some of your stuff...and anyone who is recording originals if you are willing to share!

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Hector Arcadius

Hector Arcadius

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Hey John,

 

That rhythm track that you posted the other day, looking for a soloist, was really, really great! But the reason I'm posting, is to ask this question: What makes you think that ''you don't have it'' to play good solos? IMHO, great soloists were also great rhythm players. From what I heard, you do know your music. Perhaps all you need to do is change this perception you have of yourself...

 

And then you're a few steps away from changing your name to ''Satch'...[biggrin]

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ShredAstaire

ShredAstaire

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Hey John' date='

 

That rhythm track that you posted the other day, looking for a soloist, was really, really great! But the reason I'm posting, is to ask this question: What makes you think that ''you don't have it'' to play good solos? IMHO, great soloists were also great rhythm players. From what I heard, you do know your music. Perhaps all you need to do is change this perception you have of yourself...

 

And then you're a few steps away from changing your name to ''Satch'...[biggrin

 

Ha! well thank you sir...I guess i am just not confident in my own abilities....the song you heard has been worked on for about a year now and I keep improving it....I have NO knowledge of music theory...I just go by what sounds good (I think this has caused my skill to plateau though). I end up doing the same things a lot, or playing in the same key because its comfy etc.

 

I definitely have a VERY hard time jamming with other talented musicians....i just feel kind of lost and I don't know where to start often.

 

Thanks for the pep talk though hehehe....I will definitely attempt to do more of my own soloing....I guess I always compare my solos to my old lead guitarists solos (and I thought he was the bee's knees!) so if its not as good to my ears, I scrap it. High expectations maybe? I dunno...

 

You can hear his work in my old band's music also on Myspace if you want to hear what I mean:

 

http://www.myspace.com/knuckle

 

So yeah...i'm sure if i can change my perception, maybe I could do better....I'm also looking at taking some beginners lessons at the Royal Conservatory of Music in the new year to get a good base of music knowledge and increase my skills.

 

So yeah...thats about it! Thanks everyone....please enjoy!

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RichCI

RichCI

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Hey, Shred, I'm not the greatest soloer either (not bad, but good) and I find that 95% of it is confidence. The other guitar player in my band is a MUCH better technical player than I am but he's lacking a bit in confidence so I end up playing the lion's share of the solos. My solos, while not very technical (I know the blues scale and play with a FREAKING GO FOR IT! attitude), tend to have a lot more energy to them than his. But, if he ever gets his confidence up, he'll smoke me as a player.

 

My soloing ability improved dramatically during one year in college when I would spend Sunday afternoons drinking some beers and and casually jamming with these guys I went to school with. We weren't a band, we were just four guys who got together once a week for the fun of it, caught a buzz and played whatever we felt like and however we wanted to play it. That experience taught me to stretch out while soloing and to pay closer attention to what the other guys were doing so I could improvise the whole time, find a good spot to end my solos and end them in a good way.

 

So, you can get a hired gun to play the solos for you or just keep plugging away at it. It's particularly helpful to solo in front of people to get your confidence up, especially if they're friends who are going to support your playing; do that enough and confidence is no longer an issue and your playing WILL improve. However, I think the best way to improve your playing in any capacity is to play with other musicians, especially if they're better than you are; keep going with your solo project but maybe find some cats who want to jam together a few times a month just for the heck of it.

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ShredAstaire

ShredAstaire

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So' date=' you can get a hired gun to play the solos for you or just keep plugging away at it. It's particularly helpful to solo in front of people to get your confidence up, especially if they're friends who are going to support your playing; do that enough and confidence is no longer an issue and your playing WILL improve. However, I think the best way to improve your playing in any capacity is to play with other musicians, especially if they're better than you are; keep going with your solo project but maybe find some cats who want to jam together a few times a month just for the heck of it.[/quote']

 

Thanks for the advice....I will try it out for sure....our old lead guitarist used to make me do the solos in rehearsals and while I was comfortable with my band...they still didn't sound as awesome as his...lol!! So yeah, i'll keep on truckin...

 

Thanks to everyone here for the advice and support! You guys rock!

 

Edit: By the way surfpup, I don't program my drums so much....i use a plugin for pro-tools called Digidesign Strike. It has ready made loops (which you can edit to whatever detail you want - how each drum is mic'd, EQ on each drum etc etc) and its super easy to use.

 

Not sure what DAW you are using but if you use Pro-Tools M-Powered or any other version, that might be a great starting point. Has TONS of loops that you can use different kits on with different mixes. The variations are unlimited.

 

Here's a link to a YOUTUBE demo:

 

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Silverbursted

Silverbursted

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It's not that difficult Surf... Program 4 bars with sight variations and the cut and past.... Later adding fills and stuff is fun...

I'm doing the one man band thing too, but like Surf said, programing drums sux. I have Garage Band with all the patches and a ton of drum tracks, but how monotonous. What do you use?

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Look! Im guitarest!

Look! Im guitarest!

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I play lead, rhythm guitar, and bass (octave down guitar with my digitech RP355) myself. For drums, I use my RP355 and I've made some loops in FL Studio. I'm not in a band and I plan to record my album this way (unless I get an actual bass).

 

Anyone know of a free program that I can use to program realistic sounding drum loops?

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The Mick

The Mick

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Recording my own stuff is what I'm working toward. I've got a pretty big learning curve I never did any of the mixing ect... at the studios I just played my parts and left it to those who new what they were doing.

I have Superior Drummer on my computer and Cubase for my DAW so a bass is next on my list of needs.

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Look! Im guitarest!

Look! Im guitarest!

Posted
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I play lead, rhythm guitar, and bass (octave down guitar with my digitech RP355) myself. For drums, I use my RP355 and I've made some loops in FL Studio. I'm not in a band and I plan to record my album this way (unless I get an actual bass).

 

Anyone know of a free program that I can use to program realistic sounding drum loops?

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duane v

duane v

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Is anyone else doing the "One Man Band" thing out there? ?

 

Not a one man thing' date=' but I've been working with one of my old singers I worked with back in high school.... And I'm working on other songs I'm singing on.

 

Here's a song I play base, keyboards and all guitars.... I wrote the lyrics and most of the vocal lines..... Some day I'll get around to remixing and laying a different solo down..... The other 12 songs that are almost done, I need to send the copy right papers out before I put them out there..... ya I know that sounds corny, but you can never be too careful.

 

I guess I'm not too bad for a poser guitar collector[blush']

 

[YOUTUBE]

[/YOUTUBE]
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Andre S

Andre S

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Is anyone else doing the "One Man Band" thing out there? By that I mean writing and recording music yourself' date=' playing all the instruments and not doing shows?

 

I've been writing a lot lately....i like it but I miss writing with other musicians....as most of you probably know by now, i'm not the greatest soloist and I can't always translate what I want into my fingers....i think my songs could definitely sound amazing with a more talented solo player. (I'm definitely a rhythm player - loves me those riffs!)

 

Anyone else making music this way? Original tunes?[/quote']

 

If by all the instruments you mean guitar...then yes.

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milod

milod

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Duane...

 

Good show...

 

Not my schtick stylewise probably because I'm at least one musical generation older. Heck, I'm still big-time into swing. But I've said for ages that talent isn't necessarily reflected in incredible displays of technique, but rather in smooth, held-together material regardless of style. This is a good example of something that meets the criterion.

 

I've considered messing with the "toss it all together" thing, but... I dunno.

 

I've put a few things up but basically my self-recording is a matter mostly of a practice tool. I've got the bass and fake drums, etc., but... what I've personally been working on has been more just solo concept even if in ways I should have a metronome blinking when I'm pickin' guitar. <grin>

 

As for playing with others - heck, I always figured that sort of performance was a relaxing thing 'cuz it's not all on one person, and if you mess anything up, it's not there in the sense that it is on a solo perf.

 

m

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