Your own original sound?

[Jarlesworth]

Alright, I was just thinking it might be interesting to know how everybody found their own original sound in their instrument.. Whether it be in guitar, vocals, or whatever the case. How much experimenting and everything did you have to do to find it, or did you just not put any thought into it at all and just wing it?

[great_kthulu]

basically writing metal with people who aren't into metal.

[Stealthdjentstic]

I find I'm best at writing generic suffocation/cryptopsy/aborted/origin style death. I haven't really found an original sound because I find everything I write anyways ends up sounding kinda like X band

[Jarlesworth]

I haven't really found my own style yet, either. I'm actually not even in a metal band right now, I'm in an acoustic rock band, but once I find my own style of metal guitar and vocals then I'm going to be all over it!

[Stealthdjentstic]

Yeah I'm not too worried about it, I'm not getting into music professionally anyways, I just kind of like screwing around and playing whatever I find fun.

[SchecterWhore]

Try being locked in the attic for fourteen years, eating turtle poop.



For me, it didn't have much to do with music or the guitar. My creative ideas originate from relationships, traveling, books and film, and anything else that stimulates me into considering things that aren't so black-or-white. I'm pretty immersed in music, since I go to school for large chunks of time every day of the week, have a band outside of that, come to this forum, do music homework, and have a small chunk of time to write. Because of that, I really know the sound I'm looking for when I'm looking for it. The challenge for me comes with finding an idea that's worth writing about. Naturally, I'm still developing my voice, as we all are. Although, if there's a pattern in my writing, it's freedom of meter and phrase, and I have no idea where that comes from.

[Blind Theory]

The way I found my style is very simple.

For vocals, I basically just ....ed around until I found what doesn't hurt. It just so happens that what doesn't hurt me is very low gutterals and I sound like Whitechapel/SS.

For my guitar playing, my biggest influences are bands like All Shall Perish, The Black Dahlia Murder and Heaven Shall Burn. So I am obviously into really note-y stuff as opposed to chord-y stuff. The way I managed to turn it into my own style is the fact that I am no where near as talented as those guys Some how, through my lack of skill I have crafted a style that fits me, whether it is original sounding or not, I don't care. It is how I play/write and it works for me.

The other guitarist in my band is really into Trivium and Iron Maiden so he is pretty much the opposite of me in that he likes a lot of chord-y chorus type stuff so trying to incorporate those two together is...fun. Especially since we both do vocals in the band as well. I'm the metalcore-ish/whitechapel vocal guy and he is the iron maiden-y/clean vocal guy. Now if we could just find the death metal drummer guy we would be set!

[Rational Gaze]

I found it through first making music that I liked to listen to, doing things that moved me, and gave me satisfaction. I was classically trained on a classical guitar when I was younger but then I was in an accident, and severed some nerves in my right wrist. Further down the line, after using guitar as a rehab method, I moved countries, didn't play for awhile, and basically retaught myself how to play, after forgetting how to read sheet music and all that.

I have no feeling in my index and middle finger on my picking hand, so I had to hold the pick weird, often being told I'm playing "wrong", which forced my to find a way to play that was comfortable for me. I completely began ignoring anything and everything I learned in theory, and didn't think about it at all. My music was usually inspired by videogames, stories and films of certain apocalypse, and a profound love for music that sounds larger than life. As it stands, I'm currently finishing an extremely convoluted and overproduced progressive metal record that's about a month away from completion. I'll spam the shit out of it when it's finished

[Jarlesworth]

Very interesting stories, guys! I'm not so sure that I want to try eating turtle poop, though :/
Rational, that sounds entirely too intense. I can't imagine how bummed out I would be if something happened to one of my hands, but that's awesome that you worked your way around it.

I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to the style I'm looking for personally. I have a really big feeling I'll have it within this year, and the fact that I just got my first 7-string will hopefully help out a bit. Woohoo!

[Blind Theory]

You mentioning 7's reminds me, I have a much more "me" sounding sound on my 7 than I do with my 6. All my bands material is pretty much 6 and the other guitarist writes a lot of it. I tend to come up with transitions and solos and some lead stuff here and there. My 7 stuff is a lot more out there.

[broj15]

I've never really thought about it before... I guess you could say i draw alot of my influences from non metal bands and apply thier priciples in metal songs. I love post rock, especially Godspeed You! Black Emperor and explosions in the sky, and i also like alot of old school melodic hardcore, skramz, emo (the real deal. not that post 2005 "emo"), 80's new wave, stoner/ doom metal, and 80's prog and thrash especially when it has "dungeons and dragons" style lyrics). apply alot of different aspects and priciples from these genres to a deathcore songs and I think it usually turns out to be pretty unique.

[cronux]

that's a good question...

and demands a long ass reply (when i get home )

[Daemoniac]

Do what I want because I want to, not because I want it to sound like "x" band/song/style...

[Andromalia]

Sea turtles, mate.

[mr_rainmaker]

well I went to see a man about a deal on an old crossroads...

[goldsteinat0r]

Originally Posted by mr_rainmaker

well I went to see a man about a deal on an old crossroads...

And he was like "you in the wrong place, son. This is 'sposed ta be for da blues, not "Deegent" or whatever."

Someone said "writing metal with people who aren't into metal." Kinda the story of my musical life as well.

[Lagtastic]

For me it came from two places:

1- When I was young, I was obsessed with the Blizzard of Ozz album and Master of Puppets. I spent months learning every little nuance of every note played on both those albums. Puppets is a textbook on heavy metal rhythm playing, and Blizzard is a special piece of art.

2- I've owned a large amount of vastly different guitars over the years. Trying to get the sound I was specifically looking for on different sounding guitars helped me take control and form my own sound. For many players, it's all about your picking hand.

[mr_rainmaker]

Originally Posted by goldsteinat0r

And he was like "you in the wrong place, son. This is 'sposed ta be for da blues, not "Deegent" or whatever."

Someone said "writing metal with people who aren't into metal." Kinda the story of my musical life as well.

oops ya went to the wrong crossroads,its the one with YNGWIE standing there in white shorts.

[troyguitar]

I've tried to avoid learning other people's stuff note for note with every little nuance and I think that has helped me to always sound like me. That being said, I still could use another several thousand hours of practice to really be happy with my playing

[Rational Gaze]

Originally Posted by Jarlesworth

Rational, that sounds entirely too intense. I can't imagine how bummed out I would be if something happened to one of my hands, but that's awesome that you worked your way around it.

I feel like I'm getting closer and closer to the style I'm looking for personally. I have a really big feeling I'll have it within this year, and the fact that I just got my first 7-string will hopefully help out a bit. Woohoo!

Well, the injury happened when I was about 9 years old. I moved to the US with my mom when I was 10 and then the whole culture shock thing basically took precedent over playing an instrument. I didn't pick up a guitar again until I was in 10th grade. I was in full blown nu-metal obsession mania back then, and picked up a 7 because I was obsessed with Korn.

It just led to interesting things. I cannot just use my wrist to play, I have to use a bit of my forearm, which used to be tiring but I got used to it. And I also cannot play very fast. It's also why I'm attracted to the slower songs that Meshuggah has done, because I can also actually play along I'll never be a virtuoso, like ever. But I think my handicap has given what I do an interesting feel. Hope other people feel the same

And what 7-string did you get dude?

[goldsteinat0r]

Originally Posted by mr_rainmaker

oops ya went to the wrong crossroads,its the one with YNGWIE standing there in white shorts.

UNLEASH

THE FURYYYY!

[JosephAOI]

Like everyone here, I'm still in the process of developing my original sound and always will be but right now, it just seems to be a mix of everything I listen to and play. Since the only times I've ever played with any other musicians are a couple times jamming with a good friend, I always play and write by myself so I'm pretty confined to only what I think or hear. My style seems to be a combination of Born Of Osiris (Song structure, some leads), CHON (Leads), Veil Of Maya (Riffs), The Contortionist (Clean Parts), Periphery/Haunted Shores (Chords, tapping stuff) all incorporated on a 7.

[Murmel]

I often find myself writing pop-rock or indie in weird time signatues in Guitar Pro.. Kinda Biffy Clyro-esque I guess. A lot of picking and chords with really weird basslines (bass is my main instrument). Very little lead stuff going on.

[Jarlesworth]

Originally Posted by Rational Gaze

And what 7-string did you get dude?

I got the Ibanez RGA7QM. I'm loving it, too! It's the best guitar I've had so far. It sounds out the mid-pitched notes so well, unlike every other guitar I've had.


On another note.. You know, I would have thought that Children of Bodom would play an influence in my guitar playing because when I first started playing guitar I practiced their music so much.. but now I just hate their music (old and new)
I don't even know what my influence comes from now, but it's nothing that I've practiced or any of the main bands that I listen to. I'm still not satisfied with my metal writing style yet, though. I don't know exactly what I'm looking for but I haven't found it yet. I enjoy playing the stuff I write on the acoustic, though :P

[Diggy]

I play what I want to hear