How does my band sound?

MistaMarko · #1 06-17-2006, 01:47 AM

www.myspace.com/AlteredStateTheBand

My band is more like Tool/Dream Theater, mainly progressive metal.

I'm the bassist.

If you listen to the First Song (we dont have a singer yet, due to the name of the songs), the harmonic thing at the beginning is my little bass melody Very Happy...

The quality of the recordings might be under par, it was recorded in a room in my house. We're going to a studio soon though. We're a fairly new band.

How does it sound?

Lunardecay · #2 06-17-2006, 01:59 AM

Very nice actually.
I only gave the first song a good listen,
the recordings are at least "Demo" quality, so no realy worries there.
I like your likes, especially the ones during the solo, really stood out.

MistaMarko · #3 06-17-2006, 02:33 AM

Did you mean you liked my licks? or likes? I don't get it if it's likes lol, but thank you on how we sound! Anyone else?

StarMountainKid · #4 06-17-2006, 10:17 AM

Overall, I'd say your band has potential, keep going. Your little bass melody is nice, only i think your bass is a little generic sounding. May be just the quality of the recording, tho. I like hearing a bass sound with some character to it, a little growl or just something a bit unusual to make it more interesting to listen to. Looking foreward to hearing your studio recordings.

bassbengoa · #5 06-17-2006, 10:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StarMountainKid

Overall, I'd say your band has potential, keep going. Your little bass melody is nice, only i think your bass is a little generic sounding. May be just the quality of the recording, tho. I like hearing a bass sound with some character to it, a little growl or just something a bit unusual to make it more interesting to listen to. Looking foreward to hearing your studio recordings.

+1

Just one more thing. I think you coulkd get a better sound if your guitarrist didn't use that much of gain, maybe a little less so what he plays comes out clearer. Keep on going though. I'm just where you are now, with new songs and today we audition a vocalist so my lyrics finally will be sung

LOL

My 2 cents

DarthDooku · #6 06-17-2006, 11:17 AM

I think you guys have a lot of potential. In "The First Song", I could definitely hear the next generation of hard rock evolving. Hope you guys find a good singer.

CRICKETBREATH · #7 06-17-2006, 06:56 PM

i think you guys sounded pretty good. i would love to hear how you guys will sound/progress in a few years from now! you all seem to have some excellent bands as influences, that's for sure. as far as constructive criticism goes, the drums would be an issue if i was in this project. i think the drummer has talent, its just the tone and the timing-some of the time. i think playing with a click track would be very helpful- for all of you actually. i know how demos go, so i know the sound of the drums might be a TON better on your next recording, but this particular one, the drums sound too much like coffee cans IMO (they sound thin and tinny to me, especially the snare). i think if those drums were all beefed-up, that would really increase the fullness and heaviness of your band! anyway, i hope you guys keep throwin' down, i'm sure you'll only get better and better.

SOA_bassist · #8 06-17-2006, 07:09 PM

very good, you guys are close to the sound that i want for my band ( which will never happen lol ). keep it up man, and if the name of a song is what is between your band having or not having a singer, just change it.

lol

=-p =-)

Shakey · #9 06-17-2006, 07:38 PM

Ok, before I begin...just let me say that this is in no way an attack on your music. It is meant to be as constructive as possible. So, please, take it as a critique--as something that will help you guys get better.

I just listened to "The First Song"...

I must agree with the others above, you guys have potential...just keep on practicing.

With that said...here goes...

The timing was all over the place. It just seemed as if you guys were playing three different songs (at some points, but not all). The best thing I could tell you to work on is your timing. Think of a military marching drill...everyone is hitting all the points at exactly the same time. Think.....lock-in-step. That doesn't automatically mean that you guys are doing the same thing, but just letting us (the listeners) know that you are on the same page.

Second...

The guitarist really needs to role back the crunch a bit. A little goes long way.

Lastly...

This may be an abstract point, but you may (after you guys get the timing issues resolved) think about putting some "space" in there. Now, I know that you're thinking......What??? But, please, just listen to Led Zeppelin. They were a truly revolutionary band, and they used "space". So now just listen to all that "space" that they used to make the songs seem so "full".

Well, anyway, I wouldn't have written all this if I didn't want to help. (I usually never post.) Like I said above, I think you guys have potential, because your stuff is unique. Overall, I did like it. However, I think that I would be not doing you justice if I wasn't honest.

Good luck....and keep on making music...

MistaMarko · #10 06-17-2006, 10:40 PM

Very good points, and I take it all to heart and consideration. I agree with most of it, but I was curious on how some of you said the timing was off. This may sound dumb and rhetorical, but there are some odd meter time sig changes throughout The First Song. Few 7/8 bars, one 12/8 bar, there is a hemiola part and stuff, but if you guys were talking about tempo, then, yeah, I understand. We had crappy recording equipement. Drummer didn't have his own set, had to use my stepdads spare practice one, we had 3 mics for the whole set. 1 in bass drum, 1 on snare, one on cymbals near hi-hat and splash, so it's really unbalanced. They are demo recordings indeed; we're still in search of a singer. Keep sending the advice, we need all we can get, and so far I've gotten many ideas from just these past few people! Thanks a lot guys!

Munjibunga · #11 06-17-2006, 11:23 PM

It sounds good, but the drums are lost, except for the snare. It sounds like he's got the snares off so it sounds like somebody thwacking a bongo or something. I can barely hear the kick and cymbals. Otherwise good. I can't stand that type of music, though.

I-Love-Ratm · #12 06-18-2006, 06:52 AM

I listended to "First Song" and it is quite good I must say.Needs to be tighter though but I imagine you guys normally are tighter but the drummer seems all over the place.And yes quality of recording is poor but not to worry about that for now!Good job though man