Stratovarius Community

icecab21 wrote:I think baselines bring up a question and well as drumming. Bands can get by by being rather straightforward with them it seems. Its’ like at least sometimes that bands will have these songs with complex baselines and then their songs that get most popular will be ones where the bass player just plays the root of the chord. What are your thoughts of the complexity of baselines and from a record deal perspective what difference does it make?

I think that's a moot question. A bassline is as effective as the song itself. You get some amazing songs with simple ones, and ditto with complex ones. It's like saying a song is 'better' or 'worse' due to how technical it is. U2 have some incredible songs that have the simplest basslines imaginable. The Who, on the other hand, have equally awsome, catchy songs with basslines that I still haven't fully figured out.

One doesn't write songs with landing a contract in mind. You write the songs that come from your heart naturally. If it's good stuff that sounds fresh and energetic then that's what companies look for.

I mean, there are a lot of ethical issues that are rasied once writing music for the object of selling it arises. In the eyes of the company, you are an asset, a resource. To them, you are not an 'artist' despite them calling you one. You are, to all intents and purposes, like a model of a car sitting on the lot or a brand of breakfast cereal on the shelf, and the more you sell the better. Sure, one brand of coco pops might taste nicer and be better for you than another, but will it necessarily sell more than another? If quality is the only thing that matters, then how does one explain McDonald's selling as much as they do?

Is the instrumentalisation of art in this manner right or wrong? As a musician, your music is your art, it's your expression, your communication of the soul to the outside world. Is wrapping it up in cellophane and putting it on a shelf and charging people 13 euros for it the right thing to do? Is modifying your art and your music in order to make it more pleasing to the ears of the company or the potential buyers the right thing to do?

Philosophers will debate to the end of time over that one.

And when it comes to this genre of music, the importance of the vocalist cannot be underestimated. People who run record labels want a good, strong and recognisable voice that can be linked with the band (perhaps less so with extreme metal but it's still important), so if you have a bad singer you can forget any chances of landing a contract. In fact, any weak members of the band have to be gotten rid of, simple as that. Image helps, sure, but that's stuff that can be fixed. The base material has to be strong first.

And again, landing a contract is the easy part.

Your words are so full of wisdom,but they make me depressed. I don't want to be a cocopop to those ninnyhammers.

AAAAAAAAA wrote: Your words are so full of wisdom,but they make me depressed. I don't want to be a cocopop to those ninnyhammers.

We are all but coco pops. Stratovarius are Kellogg's, Winter's Verge are the local brand you get in the Special Value section of the supermarket here Which tastes better is entirely subjective, but Kellogg's are the famous, established and well-known brand which will sell more.

That's how labels/promoters/agents see things.

I have eaten Kellogs all my life. So I am a cocopop??I would like to taste those special ones,Winters Verge, but where can I buy them? Not in my bunco shop.

AAAAAAAAA wrote: I have eaten Kellogs all my life. So I am a cocopop??I would like to taste those special ones,Winters Verge, but where can I buy them? Not in my bunco shop.

And therein lies the heart of the issue

Neonvomit:In the end it's what I want to do, I don't wanna give up on it, there have also been many times I've just thought I'd be better off if I'd drop the whole thing but then I think to myself that all my effort would have been in vain and what was the point of dreaming about it in the first place.

I refuse to accept that reality, as I said I would be happier knowing that I did my best trying to accomplish getting my dream off the ground then to just throw in the towel and work in a job that I'm going to hate for the rest of my life.

I have confidence that with the right musicians and if I keep practicing my vocals that I will get my music out there.

If you was the only guy in the world with those dreams it had been easier for you. You have a tough time in front of you and I wish you luck against my knowledge.Remember you are nothing but a cocopop...

If you was man, if you was...

Are coco pops self aware?

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 206AAVCQ0h

I did find this for coco puffs.

One plan can be to get music that enough people will like and that will piss off enough people that they will never shut up about it and thus spread fame and fortune. I sort of can’t decide what would be cooler, a legion of fans or a bunch of people so obsessed that they flame a band in every chance they can.

Well if I happen to get famous that will be cool however I'm just hoping to at least get known enough that it's the only job I'll have to have.
As I said this is the career I want, I'm not in it to be the next big thing.

In it to win it. I don't think a band can make enough to live on without getting famous. Unless you get one patron or something that wanted to keep you all to him, I’m guessing the way for a band to profit 20 grand or more per member is through being rather known or at least getting on tour with someone who is or something. Play for play but it does pay to play for pay as well.

hiro23 wrote:Well if I happen to get famous that will be cool however I'm just hoping to at least get known enough that it's the only job I'll have to have.

Evergrey have day jobs. The guitarist from Darkane is a maths teacher at a high school. I know one of the guys in Entombed is a postal worker. Until recently Symphony X for the most part had regular jobs (I think Michael Pinella still works at Guitar Center and Michael Lepond is still an accounts clerk). The guys in Mystic Prophecy all have regular jobs as well. I know a couple of the guys in Firewind do as well (Bob Katsionis teaches guitar and piano, and Petros manages a cafe in Thessaloniki). These guys are proof that it is possible to have a normal job and play in a band.

Just sayin'.

DON'T DO IT!!!

IT'S A TRAP!!!!

Don't sound so patronizing. Let him make his own misstakes and then come crawling to you for help. I understand that you talk about our buddy Icecab and I can understand your worry though. He talkes a lot of bunco.

I have a day job, I'm just waiting for the day when music can be my only job.

night jobs are also a option.

icecab21 wrote:night jobs are also a option.

what are you implying? Hiro21 should work in a strip club?

Since all night occupations include stripping and all non-stripping establishments close at dusk, yes I am.

HIRO23 PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE COME VENEZUELA!! WHEN WILL YOU COME TO VENEZUELA TO PLAY TO ME AND MY DONKEY!!! WE LOVE YOU HERE IN VENEZUELA AND SUPPORT YOUR BAND FOREVER I AM BIG FAN!! JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJA!!!!

I would like to get to the point where I can tour the world, that way a lot of people can hear the ideas that I have in my head, really what it boils down to is that I want to make music to entertain people and if I can share it with a wider audience I'm willing to take the chance, hell I've already worked hard up to this point, no use in stopping now.

I think NeverendingAbyss wants you to work at a strip club in the meantime. That seemed to be the first place his head went when I said night shift.

Nah, I'd just do that stuff for free

We could set up a poll in the forum for you.

hiro23 wrote:I would like to get to the point where I can tour the world, that way a lot of people can hear the ideas that I have in my head, really what it boils down to is that I want to make music to entertain people and if I can share it with a wider audience I'm willing to take the chance, hell I've already worked hard up to this point, no use in stopping now.

I recommend you to read Jens post about Kiev before you are going on with your dreams. To be a worldmusician is not always an easy promenade on roses.

Nothing will be easy or breezy for the cover girl but that's part of what makes it interesting. I’m sure he can take the good the bad and the ugly since it is a really fun movie to watch.

There's a hiro23 if you look inside your heart
You don't have to be afraid of what you are.
There's an answer if you reach into your soul
and the sorrow that you know will melt away

And then a hiro23 comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive.

So, when you feel like hope is gone
look inside you and be strong
and you'll finally see the truth
that a hiro23 lies in you.

It's a long road when you face the world alone,
No one reaches out a hand for you to hold.
You can find love if you search within yourself
and the emptiness you felt will disappear.

And then a hiro23 comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive.

So, when you feel like hope is gone
look inside you and be strong
and you'll finally see the truth
that a hiro23 lies in you.

oh....Lord knows dreams are hard to follow,
But don't let anyone tear them away.
Hold on, there will be tomorrow,
In time you'll find the way

And then a hiro23 comes along
with the strength to carry on
and you cast your fears aside
and you know you can survive.

So, when you feel like hope is gone
look inside you and be strong
and you'll finally see the truth
that a hiro23 lies in you
that a hiro23 lies in ... you
mmmm that a hiro23 lies in.....you.

icecab21 wrote:We could set up a poll in the forum for you.

WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAA,AAAAAAAAA,and AAAAAAAAAA 2.0 would all like to formally petition to join this band as backup dancers.

How many times have you had to replace your A key?

A10 and A2 can also play the concertina. I can be drum-major.