Write 8 songs in 2 months?

[TallicaDeth]

My band has a show in 2 months. But we agreed to play for it 5 months ago. Our band has gone through lots of changes. We have changed from a soft rock band into a modern metal band and have 2 new members. But we havnt started writing any songs with the new band lineup. The show is 2 months away and we need about 45 minutes of play time or 8 songs. Any ideas, advice, or anything to help us.

[jive1]

Jazz Odyssey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMTPQVOWCiU

[Buzzi]

Cover is not an option??

If don't...

try, try, try and try tons of riffs... anything that comes to mind... then you try to put some together later...

Bands like The Baseballs changed pop songs into rockabilly... maybe it is worthy to try...

if you get, at least, two covers and change two known songs into the rhythm you play... you got to write "only" four song in two months

[tangentmusic]

From soft rock to modern metal? Quite a genre jump! Do the new members write?
I'm confused... If you are now a metal band, what material are you now playing? Covers? Do them. Or are you just talking about being a metal band? You guys need a brainstorming session right away. Fire up the Marshall stacks today!
Or... Great idea... Take the old soft rock material and turn it into metal music!

[Bob C]

To make eight songs last 45 minutes, they would have to average over five and a half minutes each. To get eight songs in two months, you would have to write two songs a week.

Can it be done? Yes. Will the songs be any good? Mmmm... maybe. Here are some questions I would consider:

1 How many people in the band can write (either songs or big ideas)? That is, can everyone bring in ideas from their own stockpile to make up more than one song?

2 Can you do any covers for this show? Even one?

3 Do you have originals from your "soft rock" days that you can revamp?

4 Is your band ready for the gig, or should you cancel and move on?

You are definitely going to have to structure your creative process, to make the most of your time. You probablyneed to get more than one song in the rough simultaneously. Then dedicate X amount of time to work on one song, then move onto the next, etc. Then go back and polish them.

Others may say to write song #1, then move on to song #2, right down the line. If that works for you, that's fine too. Some will say you can't rush the creative process. Well, you don't have that luxury. And you may work better under pressure. If you're committed to doing this show, you will need to do a lot of work individually and collectively to crank the songs out.

[essentre]

Is it really worth scrambling to make the show? It's a pretty decent amount of time until the show, so canceling wouldn't be terrible. Why put out a rushed, unpolished version of yourselves?

The other obvious option is covers. That's easily doable in 2 months. Hell, my coverband learns 3 new songs every week!

[cnltb]

8 songs in 2 months...
Not a problem at all.
Just relax, focus and put the hours in.
If cover...even easier.
each bandmember suggests their favorite song and if that#s not enough...suggest yesterdays favorite song.
Done :-).

[Bob C]

Okay, there were two posts while I was composing mine. Some good suggestions here. What level are you guys at? How long have you been together? How often do you practice?

[godofthunder59]

Originally Posted by jive1

Jazzy Odyssey

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OMTPQVOWCiU

LMFAO

[sykes of christ]

One doom song will give you 45 min.

[BigOldHarry]

Easy. Done it myself. Just don't be too picky.

[TallicaDeth]

Well, with the new lineup, we have only met once and we just played a jam session. The jam sounded metal, so we became a metal band.

Bass=1.5 years
Guitar=about 5 years
Drums=about 6 years
Vocals=Little experience but sounds good

The guitarist is in another band called " City Not Forsaken" but they havnt played in awhile. So we have 4 members in the band and all are creative with writing songs. In the past our band had about 6 songs, we mostly just improvised and never remembered and never wrote down what we played. This will be out 2nd show. I'm thinking that we could write like 5 normal songs. Then write one long one showcasing all of our skills. And then maybe 2 covers.

[Richland123]

When you agreed to do the show, you were a soft rock band. Is that what the venue is expecting you to deliver or have you notified them of your change to metal? That can determine everything.

[Elrend]

****, just write down some riffs and have your singer flip out over it.

[TallicaDeth]

actually i own the show. and its a battle of the bands. i allowed any genre of music. and the other 3 bands are, a punk rock band with a chick singer, an alternative band with 2 male singers, and grunge 3 piece band.

so, im thinking we should get together and jam, and when something sounds good, we should right it down. We should get a bunch of riffs and write songs around them. And i can help the singer write lyrics. And do this while learning 2 covers. Am i missing anything? Any more good advice?

[taphappy]

If jam's doing it, that's all important. Record what you jam.

Keep shorthand to give you an idea which jams had some sweet nublets in there, either immediately afterward, or during - while they're still fresh in your head. Hold a whole note, scribble.

Make sure everybody has a recording setup, even a really basic one. Drummer can write with FruityLoops or find another solution, though he may get cranky.

Use gmail to send mp3s of the recordings to whoever wants to run with a specific idea when you're not practicing. Gmail has group chat capability, 20MB limit - can toss mp3's you're working on back and forth and play them embedded.

If you don't have any way to record the jams, and can afford it, I'd suggest the Zoom Q3HD - they're $300, and record video (non-video ver is $30 cheaper, so don't bother). Fantastic for live shows. I listened to a recording once where my buddy walked up on stage, right in front of the bass amp during a show. Didn't clip, and the compression and limiting handled the stage volume freakishly well. For three bills, it's gold.

Lost a boatload of great ideas by not recording jams through the years. You shouldn't have any problem getting 8 songs together if you guys have that going, and use it.

[dvil88]

Originally Posted by Bob C

To get eight songs in two months, you would have to write two songs a week.

I think it's just one song a week.

[puddin tame]

you booked a gig as soft rock and you're showing up as metal?

oh yeah... this'll work

[Bob C]

Originally Posted by dvil88

I think it's just one song a week.

Man! What is the matter with me today? Either not enough coffee, or too much. How many weeks are in a month again? Thanks for that.

[dvil88]

Originally Posted by Bob C

Man! What is the matter with me today? Either not enough coffee, or too much. How many weeks are in a month again? Thanks for that.

No worries, happens to the best of us. A song a week for 8 weeks is still a feat though and the band had better be ready to invest some serious time.