Songwriting Theory Debate

[brandondrury]

Recently, I was critiqued on a few of my articles. I've invited my critiquer over to debate the issue.


Critique of A Few Problems With Guitar Riffs

http://www.recordingreview.com/articles/articles/27/1


He is right about the girl thing. Chicks dig the lead singer. I just sometimes can't belive the stupidity of some people sometimes. They say that "Pieces" by Sum 41 is a great song. But one of the most famous riffs is "Fat Lip" by Sum 41. Or an even better riff: "Dammit" by Blink 182. They are some of the most talented musicians of all time but ignorant people just listen to the vocals. That can explain why American Idol exists. You don't hear Garage Band Idol. Or Drummer, guitar, and bass Idol. If you can sit down with an instrament your favorite rock band plays and try to play it, you will find out how incredibly hard it is and how talented they are. In the end vocals are not the most important thing. But if you want to catch the crowd and make money, then he is right; you need to have good vocals.


Critique of Songwriting 101: Make a Song Useless Without Vocals
http://www.recordingreview.com/articles/articles/37/1


Whatever happen to "It's all about the music!" Don't get me wrong vocals are important. But it kid of defats the whole purpose of MUSIC! You have to remember that most tunes are played on an instrament first then sung. At least people who can play instraments have talent!!!!

[brandondrury]

In response:

I just sometimes can't belive the stupidity of some people sometimes.

You may be careful who you are calling "stupid". To suggest that something so subjective and personal as music has any ties at all with cognitive ability is probably the clearest case of "you-don't-get-it" syndrome I've ever seen.

Music is about feeling something...anything. Just because a person can get that from music that is a little bit more MTV friendly does not mean that the person is any less intelligent. While MTV forsaken me years ago, there was a day when I relied on it. If you insinuating that I am somehow less intelligent because I happen to enjoy a few Madonna songs from the mid 80s, then you are in for a rude awakening.

If you can sit down with an instrament your favorite rock band plays and try to play it, you will find out how incredibly hard it is and how talented they are. In the end vocals are not the most important thing.

You are right. Just about any pro musicians is much better than you think. The enormous amount of timing that comes into play into todays modern rock is obsurd. I have a good friend going through it right now. It's unreal how hard hard of time he is having even though he's the 2nd best guitar player I know.

Actually, to play most rock songs is relatively very very easy. Compared to the musicians that play in orchestras such on movie scores, rock guitar players are little more than dead shit. I've always wondered how a guy like Steve Vai would compare in musicianship to the first call violin guy in Hollywood.

Whatever happen to "It's all about the music!"

In the context you are implying, I've never heard that expression in my life.

I don't make a clear distinction between vocals and music. To me, sound is music. When I pop in a cd, it's music (assuming it actually has audio on it, of course). There isn't music and then vocals. There is simply music.

You have to remember that most tunes are played on an instrament first then sung.

You are right. Most songs suck, too. What is your point? Are you saying that you should go with the tired, popular method even though there are other options out there that MAY improve your writing.

At least people who can play instraments have talent!!!!

Well, I'm very tempted to call you a total idiot, but I'll hold back. I'd love for you to get up in front of my Soundelux U99 condenser and just pour your heart out. I've worked with hundreds and hundreds of musicians. About 4 of them could really sing. Most are simply inadequate for the job.

Then again, I know 40 guitar players that can play just about anything you'd ever need played.

Brandon

[dach]

Blink 182. They are some of the most talented musicians of all time...

Brandon, Don't bother dude... spend your time doing something worthwhile... showering, recording, mowing the yard, romancing the girl, masturbating....

I've always wondered how a guy like Steve Vai would compare in musicianship to the first call violin guy in Hollywood.

I don't know the answer. Learning to play the violin well is much harder than guitar... also most concert violinists have an extremely high level of musicianship and remarkable technique where most guitar players we hear, although good, do not.... not to mention we only hear their recordings and we all know how that is achieved where as concert musicians and soloists have to nail it on the spot. Vai is so unconventional but his technical chops for the guitar are at least comparable overall if at times exceed.... but I don't have any albums by any current top drawer session violinists.

There are loads of guitar players better than SV but he's certainly a monster... and of course a "specialist". To me, what really sets him apart although some of his stuff is not normal at all is he's just plain brilliant... whether writing (if you even like his stuff), playing, getting incredible sounds, techniques that really turn a 5 note riff into genius, recording, engineering, marketing, stage presence, etc, he's really an extra-ordinary talented individual.

A conversation about high level of musicianship and Blink 182 should not even exist.

[brandondrury]

Good points as usual, Dach.

I was hoping to start a fight just for the hell of it. Maybe some 16 year old idiot will read this post in a month and start swinging. That would be a fun one.



In the end, "better" means nothing. Who gives a shit if some guy that played on the Gladiator score is better or worse or different than Vai. While I'm not a Blink fan, but they had one or two songs that were overplayed in a fun time in my life for whatever that is worth.


Brandon