My band - The Cell Theorem - We don't have a genre.

[Tbirdbassist]

We however groove over any time sig, lol.

We're primarily a bass and drum duo. We work with whoever though. Check it out, hope you enjoy. If you don't... well... don't comment.

The Cell Theorem's sounds on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

TheCellTheorem's Channel - YouTube


We are going into the studio to record a 5 track EP and a 30 or so track beats album starting today, actually. Tracking drum/bass loops for the beat album later today. The EP is gonna be done straight through with as little overdubs as possible. Summertime is gonna be fun filled and gig heavy.

[Tbirdbassist]

Lol, 95 views, no comments. Guess it's no good. Tber's no like lo-fi recordings?

[BogeyBass]

I think its just that the sound quality is low.

It sounds like I'm driving in my car with a static radio station blasting and 3 of the tires are flat.

Could be a good thing, i can hear a few good chops on the bass and you and your drummer have a good thing going on.

I think its a little jam based, and musicians might like it for a bit, and lose interest. And the regulars would lose interest faster.

I think it just needs a little more hooks, and maybe a naked saxophone player and a chick doing death metal vocals with big boobs.

Guaranteed party band favorite.

[keiththebassist]

Honestly a little hard for me to catch on to what was happening. Maybe it's just the recording quality, but I can't find a beat or a bass groove anywhere in here...

Post more track when you get the next recording done

[Tbirdbassist]

You can't find a beat or a bass groove? Lol, did you listen to anything?


Really?

Spirit Bomb (Android Sessions) by The Cell Theorem on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Really?


I'm not trying to come across as a dick, but that's kinda outlandish, Keith. Did you play one track/vid and base your opinion on that?

[scottfeldstein]

I've listened to several tracks now and I find your music pretty inaccessible. Ambient noises, droning bass riffs, weird time signatures, no discernible melody... Can you point me to an established artist who is doing music similar to your own? I would like to hear it for perspective.

[ibateur]

They have no genre. They are unique.

The only name I have for this is "Noise", much like the name they have on soundcloud

[GreenWithEnvy]

I'd say that the band is in the same genre that The Shaggs were in.

My Pal Foot Foot - The Shaggs - YouTube

[AltGrendel]

The genre would be freeform jazz. Good luck and let us know when the new recordinds are done.

[AdamR]

Originally Posted by Tbirdbassist

You can't find a beat or a bass groove? Lol, did you listen to anything?


Really?

Spirit Bomb (Android Sessions) by The Cell Theorem on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Really?


I'm not trying to come across as a dick, but that's kinda outlandish, Keith. Did you play one track/vid and base your opinion on that?

Honest opinion, Theres some good riffs in there but the odd time changes kill the groove.

[keiththebassist]

Originally Posted by Tbirdbassist

You can't find a beat or a bass groove? Lol, did you listen to anything?


Really?

Spirit Bomb (Android Sessions) by The Cell Theorem on SoundCloud - Create, record and share your sounds for free

Really?


I'm not trying to come across as a dick, but that's kinda outlandish, Keith. Did you play one track/vid and base your opinion on that?

I wasn't trying to be a jerk about it. I played several tracks. I can hear the instruments, but as someone else pointed out, the constant syncopation and odd meter kill the groove. Also, I think it's the combination of the recording quality coupled with my computer speakers.

[ibateur]

Its interesting for sure. The Shaggs was equally interesting.

[Tbirdbassist]

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

I've listened to several tracks now and I find your music pretty inaccessible. Ambient noises, droning bass riffs, weird time signatures, no discernible melody... Can you point me to an established artist who is doing music similar to your own? I would like to hear it for perspective.

We really don't sound too much like anyone else. The closest to compare would be Mark Guiliana's "Beat Music". Then there's heavy influence from Planet X, Dream Theater, Meshuggah, Gojira, Dysrhythmia, Estradasphere, Tool, The Mars Volta... but we also listen to a lot of fusion/hip hop/beat music/electronica, so artists like FlyLo/Thundercat, numerous dubstep artists, UK DJ's... that's in there too along with the improvisational aspects of Jazz, but it isn't free form jazz at all... that's kind of an oxymoron if you really think about it, but that's another story.

You have to have a pretty open mind to want to try and get/like/appreciate what we're doing. We've done quite a few shows in the NYC area over the past year and a half and people have dug it a lot... musicians and non-musicians, but only the younger crowd of non-musicians (under 30), lol.

Our main goal isn't really to get the whole fame/fortune thing with this, being original and getting a paycheck off the bat isn't happening much anymore. That's where being good at your instrument/s comes in handy and you get a gig doing whatever pleases your ears, wallet, or both. We do work with a lot of other artists and have friends who do a lot of gigging in the jazz/restaurant/hiphop/church/reggae scenes so we know the drill, lol. However the fact that non-musicians have praised us is a start and the more people talking about it, the better, positive and negative.

There's also a difference between the groove being "killed" and simply one losing it. Saying the "odd time sigs kill the groove" is a poor choice of words and makes yourself sound like you aren't into anything other than regular formed "simple" music that's easy to follow.

Different people also have different perspective's as to what groove is, I've found, especially among the Talkbass crowd (search for the Dirty Loops thread, that's a good example of TB opinons)
... The groove is there, you just have to relax and listen because no matter what, everything comes back around at some point. Groove doesn't automatically = 4/4-always on the beat. What we play really isn't even that complicated, form wise, and is based off of 4/4, haha.

We hold a lot of notes back, "bend" the music around, syncopation/super-imposition and flip stuff around a bunch sure... but compared to a lot of bands doing the mathcore/technical crap, they are a lot less accessible than us, I'd say and honestly most of them sound the same and do exactly the same thing every song anyway.

We have structured songs, that aren't jams, but only two of them are on those links but I don't suggest listening if you can't simply open your mind a bit and get past the audio quality. Remember the days of bootlegs? There were no problems then, lol, must just be because we are nobodies.


For those without nonconstructive criticism and clever insults... ya'll can burn, lol, it only helps us. Let the internet be your shield til death takes you away.

[scottfeldstein]

I think if you're going to be a rebel and play music that's really "out there," you shouldn't turn around and say people who "don't get it" are simple and closed minded. I think the onus is on you to acknowledge that what you're doing is unlike any kind of music that most people have ever heard, that perhaps it's an acquired taste, that perhaps it's really not for everyone anyway. You should be prepared to have people wrinkle their noses and say "what's that??" You should expect it and be ready to be polite and informative. After all, it's not them that's doing something radically unexpected--it's you.

The alternative is to come off like someone who, rather than being in it for the music, is just getting off on being in an elite club of people who do 'get it.'

[keiththebassist]

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

I think if you're going to be a rebel and play music that's really "out there," you shouldn't turn around and say people who "don't get it" are simple and closed minded. I think the onus is on you to acknowledge that what you're doing is unlike any kind of music that most people have ever heard, that perhaps it's an acquired taste, that perhaps it's really not for everyone anyway. You should be prepared to have people wrinkle their noses and say "what's that??" You should expect it and be ready to be polite and informative. After all, it's not them that's doing something radically unexpected--it's you.

The alternative is to come off like someone who, rather than being in it for the music, is just getting off on being in an elite club of people who do 'get it.'

Amen brother, I wouldn't suggest posting music like this and accepting a huge mainstream response if you're already admitting that it is full of tweaks and variations from the standard. Again, I'm not trying to be mean, all I was trying to do was give my honest opinion. I listen to lots of odd meter music that is full of syncopation (Meshuggah, Blotted Science, Zappa, The Mars Volta) just like you do and I would not say that those bands are less accessible.

Anyway, If your feelings are hurt, I have some music from my band posted in this same forum, "Please tell me what you think of my band" feel free to listen and then tell me how you don't like it, I have thick skin

[BogeyBass]

Hey man have you ever heard about Lightning Bolt.

wild band, drummer and bass. Bass player has had a collection of crazy rigs and bass tones. Drummer is mad man with microphone duct taped to his face or other strange mask contraptions.

here is one of the many of the lo Fi videos, its a funny one since they have a pretty hardcore fan screaming to play one of their songs called 13 monsters

here is another good one to watch the kids go crazy at a Halloween show playing their song Dracula Mountain
nice rafter dive at :58 seconds !

The Cell Theorem does not sound like Lightning Bolt but it sorta reminded me of it. Showing mainly that odd bands can find a small label and tour like hell and just have a junk load of fun.
If the energy is their the kids go crazy, especially in small mid west towns. Ive had my nose broken on tour in a insane mosh pits in the middle of nowhere.

anyhoo keep moving forward

[mc_muench]

it very interesting...I like it, especially that Spirit Bomb track, I agree with you about the groove thing, its still there, its just a but lurchy, off the beat and like you said, syncopated.

But Im not a normal person by any means so my opinion is exactly that, an opinion, not the general consensus.

[Tbirdbassist]

Originally Posted by scottfeldstein

I think if you're going to be a rebel and play music that's really "out there," you shouldn't turn around and say people who "don't get it" are simple and closed minded. I think the onus is on you to acknowledge that what you're doing is unlike any kind of music that most people have ever heard, that perhaps it's an acquired taste, that perhaps it's really not for everyone anyway. You should be prepared to have people wrinkle their noses and say "what's that??" You should expect it and be ready to be polite and informative. After all, it's not them that's doing something radically unexpected--it's you.

The alternative is to come off like someone who, rather than being in it for the music, is just getting off on being in an elite club of people who do 'get it.'

It has nothing to do with being a rebel, lol, what does that even mean? Because it is different it is rebellious? Why can't it just be another kind of music? I think you have me wrong.

My intention was not to come off as an elite and those who have met me, many from this site, can tell you I'm the total opposite. Saying things a certain way will bring about different responses... as we just saw. Besides, it's all opinion anyway, right? No one should be butt hurt, I'm not, it's just if something sounds questionable/weird/doesn't make sense to me, am I supposed to not address it?

I'm aware of all the things you stated, Scott. And I appreciate the conversation. Most people on Talkbass (and in general, really) these days won't give the time to voice something worth responding to.

I'm well prepared cause I've been playing odd stuff for a few years, haha and have heard it all. I was/am being polite, I didn't insult anyone. I was very to the point and direct with what I had to explain and addressed what I read, if you think I misunderstood, call me on it, I'm super nice... just a New Yorker from the hood so I can be a hardass... . Sometimes people come off strong and it gets taken the wrong way. I'm not offended, if you thought I was, I just call it like I see it.

I didn't say anyone was close minded or simple. I do believe you're addressing the 4th "paragraph", please re-read it. Perhaps I should have said "open your mind up a bit more" and added a smiley or something, haha. I'm not getting off from anything except the fun from playing. You want elite? Head over to the double bass forum, hehehe... . They could show ya a thing or two.

[Tbirdbassist]

Originally Posted by keiththebassist

Amen brother, I wouldn't suggest posting music like this and accepting a huge mainstream response if you're already admitting that it is full of tweaks and variations from the standard. Again, I'm not trying to be mean, all I was trying to do was give my honest opinion. I listen to lots of odd meter music that is full of syncopation (Meshuggah, Blotted Science, Zappa, The Mars Volta) just like you do and I would not say that those bands are less accessible.

Anyway, If your feelings are hurt, I have some music from my band posted in this same forum, "Please tell me what you think of my band" feel free to listen and then tell me how you don't like it, I have thick skin

I too, appreciate what you've said. I haven't taken anything you said as being mean, haha. The bands I was referencing as far as being accessible were more along the lines of like... Necrophagist, Behold... The Arctopus (I like both these bands though), and mainly all those extreme djent and math-metal bands that play something out of this world every other measure, lol.

No harm, no foul, man. I appreciate the time you took to respond. I'll tell you how much I don't like it in that thread...

[Tbirdbassist]

Originally Posted by BogeyBass

Hey man have you ever heard about Lightning Bolt.

wild band, drummer and bass. Bass player has had a collection of crazy rigs and bass tones. Drummer is mad man with microphone duct taped to his face or other strange mask contraptions.

here is one of the many of the lo Fi videos, its a funny one since they have a pretty hardcore fan screaming to play one of their songs called 13 monsters

here is another good one to watch the kids go crazy at a Halloween show playing their song Dracula Mountain
nice rafter dive at :58 seconds !

The Cell Theorem does not sound like Lightning Bolt but it sorta reminded me of it. Showing mainly that odd bands can find a small label and tour like hell and just have a junk load of fun.
If the energy is their the kids go crazy, especially in small mid west towns. Ive had my nose broken on tour in a insane mosh pits in the middle of nowhere.

anyhoo keep moving forward

I've heard of them but never really checked them out, I knew they played out there stuff though. It's definitely stuff I'd like to hear live, maybe not so much recorded. That's how I feel about my band when it comes to our songs, it's a better experience live since we never play things exactly the same each time.

We also have stuff that has yet to become full on songs that we play with more of a oldschool/heavy/darker hip hop sound which we play at parties and such to get the ladies dancing ( ) which get's played straighter and is a lot less busy. We're just calling those tracks the "beats" for now and throwing them on a beattape/mixtape that we're gonna release along with the EP. Three of the covers (Busta, Dilla and MF Doom) are on the soundcloud and youtube.

The beat tape is gonna have a bunch of our interpretations of some known and unknown songs by hiphop/RnB artists as well as video game homages like, Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario, etc... along with original tracks. 25-30 songs all 2-3 minutes long, short and sweet.

We're in talks with a friends band, Ever Forthright | Ever Forthright about some shows/touring with them, but it's all talk still as they already have an album out. We prob won't be done mixing/printing till shortly before the time they'll be ready to tour (summer).

Originally Posted by mc_muench

it very interesting...I like it, especially that Spirit Bomb track, I agree with you about the groove thing, its still there, its just a but lurchy, off the beat and like you said, syncopated.

But Im not a normal person by any means so my opinion is exactly that, an opinion, not the general consensus.

The general consensus is nothing but the sum of many opinions.


Thanks for the kind words.