# Theory of "styles"



## ImBCRichBitch (Aug 19, 2011)

So everyone knows of the styles of music and playing that coincides with it. Punk has fast barre chords, metal has its swift scales and such, and most country and mainstream rock has strumming of chords. But how does one pioneer these styles of music? Well i took this challenge on myself and created a style known as "Hybrid-Metal". It was created the way the upcoming style of Djent was, by fusing types of your favorite types that already exist. I fused Grunge, Punk, types of Metal, and the Blues. What i got was a fast mix of power chords, standard chords, bends, palm muting, and off beat rythyms that creates a world in your head. The theory i have tried here was to break the music down to a science, to create a riff that prevents your mind from wraping around it and has many twists and turns, much like a suspense story. Soon i will upload a video of this type of metal, but for now its still in its developmental states. But back to the point of this thread (which happens to be a mad scientist rant, apparently) styles of music are created with imagination. But with your imagination, the first time it may seem cool, but then it repeats itself and becomes dull. So how do bands like SOAD, Rush, Messhugah, and Periphery keep their styles alive?  Well its simple when you think from a players stand point. Musicians always try out new things to keep the thirst of the fans alive. And may i remind you, feel free to argue this. So all the guitarists out there (whom im about to masterly piss off) that has the attitude of "stick with what works", You'll never get anywhere like that. Same goes to teachers with that attitude. So the point here, is you may never know if you dont try. Thats my theory of playing and im sticking to it.


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## Konfyouzd (Aug 19, 2011)

I'd aruge that it's not so much the artists trying new things to keep their fans' thirsts alive but that fans just either happen to really like what the artist or artists are doing OR that the fans like to ride dick. The reason being... They were doing what they do before they were known the world over. For some the focus may shift, but I feel like every artist does what he/she does because he/she finds personal fulfillment in the music he/she chooses to make.

I've always thought of a style as something that the artist is "aware" of, but left up to the audience to define, if that makes any sense. Let them bicker over semantics and definitions while you just keep on keepin' on, doing what you love to do.


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## SirMyghin (Aug 19, 2011)

You obviously haven't listened to much country if you think it is strummed chords 

I think you might be looking too hard into what defines a style, it is not what theory you apply it is the attitude behind it. The motivation makes a lot more of the style than what you are applying. Take a metal gallop, not alternate between the bass note of the power chord and the other 2 with double stops. It will become a very country feel if you do it right. You need to look less at what people are playing, and more how they are playing it. 

How does Rush keep their style? Have you listened to their discography? What is 'Rush's Style'? The other bands have much more uniformity between albums by far, Rush is a very oddball in your list. 

How do you keep you 'style'? You be yourself when you play. I am a conglomerate of interests, and I just let them all out. I don't constrain myself to writing ANY type of music except my own (and that is no covert and pretentious "I write original metal songs like you have never heard!", I write pretentious instrumental songs no one wants to here ). Style is something you teach yourself.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Aug 19, 2011)

Konfyouzd said:


> I'd aruge that it's not so much the artists trying new things to keep their fans' thirsts alive but that fans just either happen to really like what the artist or artists are doing OR that the fans like to ride dick. The reason being... They were doing what they do before they were known the world over. For some the focus may shift, but I feel like every artist does what he/she does because he/she finds personal fulfillment in the music he/she chooses to make.
> 
> I've always thought of a style as something that the artist is "aware" of, but left up to the audience to define, if that makes any sense. Let them bicker over semantics and definitions while you just keep on keepin' on, doing what you love to do.


 I partly agree. And i agree on doing what they love. But i believe that most artists, like myself, love to keep their fans on the edge of their seat. And thats why i choose to state "keeping their thirst alive". And yes, before we had fans, we played what we thought sounded good.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Aug 19, 2011)

SirMyghin said:


> How do you keep you 'style'? You be yourself when you play. I am a conglomerate of interests, and I just let them all out. I don't constrain myself to writing ANY type of music except my own (and that is no covert and pretentious "I write original metal songs like you have never heard!", I write pretentious instrumental songs no one wants to here ). Style is something you teach yourself.


I dont contain myself either. My biggest influences are HIM, Slipknot, Seether, Korn, and Van Halen. So i write what i think sounds good, like they do. So essentually, i write what i got on my mind.


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## Konfyouzd (Aug 19, 2011)

Fair enough good sir. The gift that keeps giving.


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## Mr. Big Noodles (Aug 19, 2011)

ImBCRichBitch said:


> And yes, before we had fans, we played what we thought sounded good.



Those damned fans, when will they ever learn?


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## ImBCRichBitch (Aug 19, 2011)

SchecterWhore said:


> Those damned fans, when will they ever learn?


 Actually the fans liked it. Weve been broke up for a while and were still getting fans.


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## Konfyouzd (Aug 19, 2011)

Twas a joke, broski


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## drgamble (Aug 19, 2011)

Most artists don't reinvent themselves with every album. There are certain elements that make someone's sound their sound. There are always a lot of elements to consider because music can have very different elements in the same genre.

The truth of the matter is, there is nothing new under the sun. Most musicians write music based on their tastes and things they have heard from the past. I know every band I have ever been in may have started with a somewhat concrete idea of what we wanted to do, but it always morphed into something else because of the individual's different tastes and influences. This is the same reason that a metal song can be turned into a country song or vice versa, a lot of the "sound" of the band has to do with attitude and frankly what the band thinks sounds good.

I don't really think that there are any "new" genres of music out there. Periphery is just a conglomeration of different influences with the main influence being Meshuggah. They don't sound like Meshuggah because there are other influences in there.

In the end you have to find your own voice. Sometimes, it all comes down to what you and your fellow bandmates are capable of playing. I can sit here and say I want to make a record like Dream Theatre, but if you don't have the guitar player, drummer, bassist, keyboard player, and vocalist to pull it off, you have to do something different. The end result may very well be something that sounds similar to Dream Theatre, but different.


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## skeels (Aug 19, 2011)

Thanks doctor - I love to talk music but I cringe when someone says they "invented " a new style of music. I'd much rather hear "I wrote a new song - hope you like it"! 
ImBCRB- post some tunage- I 'd like to hear what you're doing, rather than read about it. 
Hello Mr. Krinkle have you heard the brand new sound?


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 7, 2012)

skeels said:


> Thanks doctor -
> ImBCRB- post some tunage- I 'd like to hear what you're doing, rather than read about it.


 Bump! Fair enough, here some of our stuff from an acoustic thing we did
    and just for a taste of Nirvana


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## Explorer (Jan 7, 2012)

ImBCRichBitch said:


> But how does one pioneer these styles of music?



You listed a lot of factors which make a "style" recognizable (and created some weird stereotyping which is inaccurate, incidentally), but I get the feeling that you're missing a big factor: making it appealing.

Basically, if you're just writing something novel for the sake of writing something novel, but the appeal isn't there, you've just become part of the genre "some weird experimental thing that made me turn it off."

My own feeling about the best "style" is that it generates musical surprise. If it stays the same, it's too boring, and if the surprise goes too far without building on what came before, it's not musical. 

There's nothing wrong with doing a mash up. "I took this element from this, and this element from that, and now it's a new style!" There's a lot of people and manufacturing companies who claim to have invented a new style, either something genuinely novel, or just an evolution. 

So what? 

The only ones who can decide if something is an appealing style are those who will adopt or reject that product/music/car/whatever. One can proclaim oneself a genius (Madonna did!), but if one can't get one's ideas and genius across to others, then one has failed in the most basic act of an artist: communicating with an audience. 

(And yes, even Madonna's fans laughed at her for proclaiming herself to be a genius.)


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## Tobi (Jan 7, 2012)

to be honest I dont think this is new in any way... Sounds a lot like pearl jam to me, but not new... 
Since this is the acoustic version I assume some of your stuff might be a bit heavier, which I could imagine to sound like monster magnet or something... 

Either way, I dont think this is a new invention of a style, and also you dont really invent a style do you? I believe the press does that, so they can categorize bands, but I dont think black sabbath jammed with ozzy for the first time and said 'hell yeah, we just invented heavy metal!' - the press invents styles, or categorizes bands into styles. 

Dont get me wrong though, I didnt mind your music..


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 7, 2012)

Tobi said:


> to be honest I dont think this is new in any way... Sounds a lot like pearl jam to me, but not new...
> Since this is the acoustic version I assume some of your stuff might be a bit heavier, which I could imagine to sound like monster magnet or something...
> 
> Either way, I dont think this is a new invention of a style, and also you dont really invent a style do you? I believe the press does that, so they can categorize bands, but I dont think black sabbath jammed with ozzy for the first time and said 'hell yeah, we just invented heavy metal!' - the press invents styles, or categorizes bands into styles.
> ...


 Yeah this is a whole hell of a lot softer than its supposed to be. i say it like an invented style more because i took the elements of the music that gets shunned most, the music that is extremely underrated, and the ones i loved the most and this is what i came up with. im taking what im reading here as criticizm (from the whole thread) to improve upon it. And when we record our demo, ill post up what it sounds like.


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## SirMyghin (Jan 7, 2012)

You should work on conveying 'heaviness' with more than distortion if you can't pull it off on an acoustic, chances are it wasn't too heavy to begin with. Something to think about, really, otherwise how heavy is it actually? By my gauge, not very.


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## Stealthdjentstic (Jan 7, 2012)

ImBCRichBitch said:


> I dont contain myself either. My biggest influences are *HIM, Slipknot, Seether, Korn,* and Van Halen. So i write what i think sounds good, like they do. So essentually, i write what i got on my mind.



Ah that explains everything.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 7, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> You should work on conveying 'heaviness' with more than distortion if you can't pull it off on an acoustic, chances are it wasn't too heavy to begin with. Something to think about, really, otherwise how heavy is it actually? By my gauge, not very.


 Well one of the songs is originally in b standard but for it to fit here we tuned up to e. and we didnt have drums or anything. our drummer is like animal, double bass constantly.


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## Trespass (Jan 9, 2012)

So, uh... "DLH Studios" is your bedroom, right?


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 9, 2012)

Trespass said:


> So, uh... "DLH Studios" is your bedroom, right?


 Technicly, part my room, part our rehersal space. my room is just where the acoustic stuff is done so you can hear it better.


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## niffnoff (Jan 9, 2012)

Trespass said:


> So, uh... "DLH Studios" is your bedroom, right?



I too found this a tad on the funny side.

Nothing is original in music I find, the style of the composer maybe, depending on the mind. My guitar teacher when I was growing up as a musician taught me this. I used to think he had a unique sound until he explained and shown me how it works. He was a massive Steel Panther and Avenged Sevenfold fan (reminded me ALOT of Synyster gates in both looks and guitar skills) So in his original works he would use alot of ideas/snippets that they would do. I think that's how it works now a days. Your inspirations influence you into what you write. As to make a style of music is also using this idea. (HIM, Creed and Slipknot come to mind for your acoustic/heavy)

On the subject of writing something acoustic and then saying it has a heavier version is not original, all I'm gonna say is, Vermillion by Slipknot. I like both, but it's not an original style. It's just a concept from the same song to be perceived as something different. Pt1 - Stalker Side Pt2 - A lover maybe? It's been a while.



> Well one of the songs is originally in b standard but for it to fit here we tuned up to e. and we didnt have drums or anything. our drummer is like animal, double bass constantly.



Double bass only sounds good constantly if it's death metal I find. Wonder how it sounds in a demo sense...


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 9, 2012)

niffnoff said:


> I think that's how it works now a days. Your inspirations influence you into what you write. As to make a style of music is also using this idea. (HIM, Creed and Slipknot come to mind for your acoustic/heavy)
> 
> On the subject of writing something acoustic and then saying it has a heavier version is not original, all I'm gonna say is, Vermillion by Slipknot. I like both, but it's not an original style. It's just a concept from the same song to be perceived as something different. Pt1 - Stalker Side Pt2 - A lover maybe? It's been a while.


 You know whats weird, those are my inspirations 
and we know about vermillion, were covering part 2. but for our songs its like acoustic is played in 6 string drop d, and electric is 7 string drop a. same for some songs are "acoustic" are played on my b standard warlock but are actually played in F#


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## Fiction (Jan 9, 2012)

ImBCRichBitch said:


>




This song is literally, 3 power chords. and 90% of the song is the same thing, i'm not saying its bad.. but, as you described you say you've created 'hybrid metal' by fusing different genres and playing styles, and saying



> the first time it may seem cool, but then it repeats itself and becomes dull





> The theory i have tried here was to break the music down to a science, to create a riff that prevents your mind from wraping around it and has many twists and turns, much like a suspense story


I was only caught off guard by the fact you described it like that, and I was expecting something a lot different then the complete opposite you described 

And I think you missed SirMyghins point about the heaviness, its not always low tunings and double kick that make a song sound heavy, its how its conveyed. The song I quoted above sounds heavy, even in the acoustic setting, although the first one was very 'Pearl Jam'-ish I'd say and didn't contain anything heavy. Try adding double kick to Katy Perry, its not heavy.. its just cluttered with unneccesary bass drum.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 9, 2012)

Fiction said:


> This song is literally, 3 power chords. and 90% of the song is the same thing, i'm not saying its bad.. but, as you described you say you've created 'hybrid metal' by fusing different genres and playing styles, and saying
> 
> I was only caught off guard by the fact you described it like that, and I was expecting something a lot different then the complete opposite you described
> 
> And I think you missed SirMyghins point about the heaviness, its not always low tunings and double kick that make a song sound heavy, its how its conveyed. The song I quoted above sounds heavy, even in the acoustic setting, although the first one was very 'Pearl Jam'-ish I'd say and didn't contain anything heavy. Try adding double kick to Katy Perry, its not heavy.. its just cluttered with unneccesary bass drum.


 Actually i didnt write shut the hell up. most those songs i didnt. the ones i wrote were not able to do acoustically


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## Fiction (Jan 9, 2012)

Have you got any clips from that show what you're doing in the first post?


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 9, 2012)

Fiction said:


> Have you got any clips from that show what you're doing in the first post?


 not yet. those songs dont have vids yet. but were doing a demo vid soon of it.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 22, 2012)

To Fiction: this is what i was sorta talking about. 



only probs were no bass or drums, and i had to raise the tuning from drop a to drop c.


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## SirMyghin (Jan 22, 2012)

I'm sorry but I don't exactly hear anything original there, sounds like something Creed would have done in the early 2000s. Nothing using terribly diverse influences or the fusion you are claiming to achieve. Could be good with some practice and decent recording though.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 22, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> I'm sorry but I don't exactly hear anything original there, sounds like something Creed would have done in the early 2000s. Nothing using terribly diverse influences or the fusion you are claiming to achieve. Could be good with some practice and decent recording though.


 Really? Creed? :/ anyway it would sound different in the actual version. theres parts we had to leave out due to it being "acoustic". theres actually like another verse and a second bridge and a solo


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## Osorio (Jan 24, 2012)

I've been lurking this for a while now, and I just wanted to give you, the OP, sort of a heads up and a little bit of advise. I'm not trying to attack you, I'm trying to help you here, but this will sound harsh. I believe you can take it:

This place is full of professional, extremely high level players. You should not be intimidated, and you should also not try to defend yourself so hard, because, first of all, you are not being attacked. Stop trying to justify your present work and work harder to make it better. If you have something better, why are you posting the lesser versions? 
Take people advices to heart. Be better. Listen to these guys, they know what they are talking about. You can grow a lot here, just stop making excuses for yourself.


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## Fiction (Jan 25, 2012)

venneer said:


> This place is full of professional, extremely high level players. You should not be intimidated, and you should also not try to defend yourself so hard, because, first of all, you are not being attacked. *Stop trying to justify your present work and work harder to make it better*. If you have something better, why are you posting the lesser versions?
> Take people advices to heart. Be better. Listen to these guys, they know what they are talking about. You can grow a lot here, just stop making excuses for yourself.



This, very much. You're not the only one, without doubt almost every single member that posts a clip here will try to justify something. They could of made the perfect mix, with some insanely amazing composition, but you'll always find at the bottom of the post. "It was a bit rushed" or "I had to use my cheaper guitar" Or anything like that, I do it.. I'm the fucking King _of_ Justify Mountain. Your music so far, is by no means an amazing blend of genres and non-stop gut-wrenching suspenseful moments, but for what it is, its still good music. The music has potential, it is very reminiscent of the grunge period, as well as some seattle-rock styled thrown in to balance it.

If you do record some stuff properly, make sure to post it as I'm actually digging it.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Jan 25, 2012)

wow dude you actually enjoy my music? i tend to think im the worst player on earth, and that my writitng sucks. as for the lesser versions, idk why i do that. i messed up so many times on that, tempo was wrong, it didnt sound right in drop c, and i started the chorus after the second verse too early. also i for got the "solo" i wanted in it.


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## stryker1800 (Feb 1, 2012)

most people tend to be their own worst critic, I am very guilty of it.


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## Konfyouzd (Feb 1, 2012)

Don't think so much homie. Do what you like and like what you do. Who cares what everyone else thinks? Look at how many people get famous as fuck giving absolutely ZERO fucks... They lead by example, sir.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Feb 1, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> Don't think so much homie. Do what you like and like what you do. Who cares what everyone else thinks? Look at how many people get famous as fuck giving absolutely ZERO fucks... They lead by example, sir.


 Man that just give me my daily boost to write new shit


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## SirMyghin (Feb 1, 2012)

ImBCRichBitch said:


> Really? Creed? :/ anyway it would sound different in the actual version. theres parts we had to leave out due to it being "acoustic". theres actually like another verse and a second bridge and a solo



Yep Creed, you are missing that I enjoyed Creed, about the only band of that era whose albums I own, the rest were from the 70s and 80s. I would like to hear it when you get it done, and well recorded. Tuning makes a shits difference to me, they are all one in the same really (lower drop tuning =/= heavier, etc, to my ear).


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## ImBCRichBitch (Feb 1, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> Yep Creed, you are missing that I enjoyed Creed, about the only band of that era whose albums I own, the rest were from the 70s and 80s. I would like to hear it when you get it done, and well recorded. Tuning makes a shits difference to me, they are all one in the same really (lower drop tuning =/= heavier, etc, to my ear).


 Actually i like creed but my writing isnt even allowed near tremonti's. weve been put back even longer on the recording -_- so it may be a while


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## SirMyghin (Feb 1, 2012)

ImBCRichBitch said:


> Actually i like creed but my writing isnt even allowed near tremonti's. weve been put back even longer on the recording -_- so it may be a while



Recording takes time, and even when you get the time there is a fuck load to learn. I try to add a little more in technique each time I record to not kill myself under the massive amount of learning. I don't have the focus on production the metal heads around here though, I like the simpler times, permitting it is not utter shit . It is also very important not to rush into recording, rushed recording = rushed results.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Feb 1, 2012)

SirMyghin said:


> rushed recording = rushed results.


 exactly why im thinking about not putting so much pressure on getting it out. if i take my time i wont mess up as much and i could get it all right.


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## drgamble (Feb 2, 2012)

You really should find some kind of way to record demos of the full band, even if it is a boom box, for your personal use. Preferably, if you are going to pay for a recording, you should do a couple non release recordings so that you can listen back and make changes before you spend your money. It is what some would call pre-production and can save you in the long run.


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## Varcolac (Feb 2, 2012)

Personally I wouldn't pay someone else for a recording at all, especially starting out. These days it's incredible what you can do with a half-decent laptop and a cheap interface. You'll have to put up with the slightly mediocre world of MIDI drums unless you've got enough inputs to mic up a kit, but even with a cheap second-hand POD you can get very listenable guitar and bass sounds.

As for drums, I'm a firm believer that with enough EQing you can get a half-decent sound out of anything. A full mix, even with lower-quality drums, can portray your song quite a bit better than an acoustic guitar and a webcam mic.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Feb 2, 2012)

Well, we were gonna use audacity to record, but not sure how well itll record everything. the drums may not come out as well as they sound when matt hits em.


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## drgamble (Feb 2, 2012)

Varcolac said:


> Personally I wouldn't pay someone else for a recording at all, especially starting out. These days it's incredible what you can do with a half-decent laptop and a cheap interface. You'll have to put up with the slightly mediocre world of MIDI drums unless you've got enough inputs to mic up a kit, but even with a cheap second-hand POD you can get very listenable guitar and bass sounds.
> 
> As for drums, I'm a firm believer that with enough EQing you can get a half-decent sound out of anything. A full mix, even with lower-quality drums, can portray your song quite a bit better than an acoustic guitar and a webcam mic.



That's good to do especially for pre-production, but if you ever plan on releasing something and try to get it licensed or on the radio, they really want top notch quality. We did our last ep at a commercial studio for $1500, and honestly, we couldn't have gotten the same quality with $10,000 worth of equipment. There is something to be said for the right equipment, in a good room, with a pro engineer. The band has to be tight though and have a very good idea of what they want.


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## ImBCRichBitch (Feb 2, 2012)

Well we were gonna try to get the local metal/rock station to play one of our songs that weve been trying to work on. 1500 is not a bad price for doing a professional sounding ep in a studio. still alot of money but a good deal.


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