Tell me why I have to be a Powerslave
I have been accused in my Metal band of having an ego. Usually it involves bringing a song to the band fully fleshed out, with all the band's parts worked out in my home studio, with vocals and lyrics already written. Often when I have finsihed a song in that way I don't like it being touched. If you so much bend a note I didn't intend so me help me you may feel my wrath.
However that's not the only way the Metal band operates. Very often songs are partially finished and we all finish it out together. One such way this happens is the other guitarist and my singer work together in some demonic Jagger/Richards fashion, then I step in to clean up the arrangement and make sure the tension is in the right place and the hooks are solid.
Tonight we did things a little differently. Today I came over while the song that Jagger/Richards were working on was not only unformed, there was very little written and very little direction. The idea is that this song should be "dark moody and atmospheric." I listened for a while at what was already done. There was lots of work needed. There are only two riffs, no transition, no lyrics, and the Em-C-D progression is not really lending itself to EVIL. I made a few suggestions about trying for relative minors of the C and D in key places and was explained that it was too dissonant and not evil. OK. I backed off. I then heard a cool vocal melody rhythm that would have worked over the Em-C-D that would have had a cool syncopation with the riff. Our guitar player told me that I always try to write on the beat while our singer doesn't like this. Not only does our singer not enjoy singing off beat, he enjoys singing legatto, he wasn't even saying anything.
At this point I go to the couch, pop open a fresh beer, and start watching Law and Order SVU on mute. I listen, I contemplate, and after about 45 minutes of being in the same place I ask if I can step in again and show some ideas. The singer and I come up with a wonderful chorus with a cool rhythmic hook that modulates between Em and Bm. This is when I realize that although I was invited to come over, my artistic input was not actually welcomed. Reagardless of the quality of the music being made, our new chorus was definitely "darker" than the original. Even in pure music terms. Our guitar hero put his head in his hands and started complaining that he has a vision and that we are killing the vision. Although he has no lyrics for the song yet he has an idea of what the words will be about, and our chorus which is instrumental only at this point does not fit his lyrical themes. Every time I strum the guitar I'm told I'm killing our guitar hero's concentration and that this is going nowhere.
Is there a moral to the story besides me venting my frustration with the evening? Collaboration can take you down a mixed road. It may not be the most social that I often come in with complete songs with other people's parts already planned out. I could potentially be missing out on some amazing ideas that collaboration would have produced. However it is done, and finished for better or worse. A tangible product ready to be learned.
If you are asking for collaboration, you need to understand there is a risk that the group dynamic will drastically alter the piece from your original intention. Especially if there is very little to work with but an abstract idea of what the piece "should be." Don't take your writer's block out on your fellow musicians. Personally I prefer a good ego to the alternative any day.
However that's not the only way the Metal band operates. Very often songs are partially finished and we all finish it out together. One such way this happens is the other guitarist and my singer work together in some demonic Jagger/Richards fashion, then I step in to clean up the arrangement and make sure the tension is in the right place and the hooks are solid.
Tonight we did things a little differently. Today I came over while the song that Jagger/Richards were working on was not only unformed, there was very little written and very little direction. The idea is that this song should be "dark moody and atmospheric." I listened for a while at what was already done. There was lots of work needed. There are only two riffs, no transition, no lyrics, and the Em-C-D progression is not really lending itself to EVIL. I made a few suggestions about trying for relative minors of the C and D in key places and was explained that it was too dissonant and not evil. OK. I backed off. I then heard a cool vocal melody rhythm that would have worked over the Em-C-D that would have had a cool syncopation with the riff. Our guitar player told me that I always try to write on the beat while our singer doesn't like this. Not only does our singer not enjoy singing off beat, he enjoys singing legatto, he wasn't even saying anything.
At this point I go to the couch, pop open a fresh beer, and start watching Law and Order SVU on mute. I listen, I contemplate, and after about 45 minutes of being in the same place I ask if I can step in again and show some ideas. The singer and I come up with a wonderful chorus with a cool rhythmic hook that modulates between Em and Bm. This is when I realize that although I was invited to come over, my artistic input was not actually welcomed. Reagardless of the quality of the music being made, our new chorus was definitely "darker" than the original. Even in pure music terms. Our guitar hero put his head in his hands and started complaining that he has a vision and that we are killing the vision. Although he has no lyrics for the song yet he has an idea of what the words will be about, and our chorus which is instrumental only at this point does not fit his lyrical themes. Every time I strum the guitar I'm told I'm killing our guitar hero's concentration and that this is going nowhere.
Is there a moral to the story besides me venting my frustration with the evening? Collaboration can take you down a mixed road. It may not be the most social that I often come in with complete songs with other people's parts already planned out. I could potentially be missing out on some amazing ideas that collaboration would have produced. However it is done, and finished for better or worse. A tangible product ready to be learned.
If you are asking for collaboration, you need to understand there is a risk that the group dynamic will drastically alter the piece from your original intention. Especially if there is very little to work with but an abstract idea of what the piece "should be." Don't take your writer's block out on your fellow musicians. Personally I prefer a good ego to the alternative any day.
posted by Seth at 12:56 AM
<< Home