If you're using electronic or sequenced percussions, and if the music isn't guitar based, you can make a professional sounding recording in a decent home studio.
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This is simple:
I can't 'Embrace the Changes in the Music World', because the 'music world' I knew no longer exists. I often feel like a propeller mechanic watching the new 707's take off, or steam train engineer watching a GM Diesel roaring by. I'm older, the world has rolled over many times since my heyday, and I frankly can't make sense of most of it today.
A world where performance and musicianship is replaced by pitch and time-corrected digital snippets is way past me, so I'm happy being a curmudgeon, watching the parade go by, and letting new rats run the race.
I know it should bother me, but honestly, I'm just relieved.
I can't 'Embrace the Changes in the Music World', because the 'music world' I knew no longer exists. I often feel like a propeller mechanic watching the new 707's take off, or steam train engineer watching a GM Diesel roaring by. I'm older, the world has rolled over many times since my heyday, and I frankly can't make sense of most of it today.
A world where performance and musicianship is replaced by pitch and time-corrected digital snippets is way past me, so I'm happy being a curmudgeon, watching the parade go by, and letting new rats run the race.
I know it should bother me, but honestly, I'm just relieved.
I meant how are you making the most money you ever made in music.Play as much as you possibly can, with as many people as you possibly can, continue to work on your craft and attitude - and you too can make lots of money making music!!!!!!
That's all I've got.
Oh yeah... and my book
I played Classic rock for many years and now
I am gigging New Country with 3 different bands.
Not exactly my cup of tea but patrons turn out and
the pay is good.
Producers and radio still limit the growth and creativity of music.
I am gigging New Country with 3 different bands.
Not exactly my cup of tea but patrons turn out and
the pay is good.
Producers and radio still limit the growth and creativity of music.
I've listened to 3 tracks ... and I can't hear real instrument. Sounds like a Synth bass, synth lead, sequenced drums and some pads here and there so in a word : Katy Perry.
It is no different than any other pop music from today, made with a computer.
To me the past is alive and well. There will never be another golden era of Rock like the 60's through the 80's. Never.
Most clubs can't afford bands anymore due to insurance, d@m realtors and rent, taxes, etc. Surprisingingly in my little town there's a resurgence of local live rock and roll. Quite a few live acts in town and lots of musicians networking.
Also important to note-- no matter where I turn-- TV, or radio, music from the 60's through 80's are alive and well. To me that shows that the music today may have lost its way and all the young people who do play are learning the classic rock. That MIGHT be the path back to R and R redemption-- if the young people start writing music again in the style of the 60's through the 80's.
And for good measure, here are a couple pre-teen musicians who are internet sensations. They know and play just about every major rock and roll hit from the 60's to the 90's.
Most clubs can't afford bands anymore due to insurance, d@m realtors and rent, taxes, etc. Surprisingingly in my little town there's a resurgence of local live rock and roll. Quite a few live acts in town and lots of musicians networking.
Also important to note-- no matter where I turn-- TV, or radio, music from the 60's through 80's are alive and well. To me that shows that the music today may have lost its way and all the young people who do play are learning the classic rock. That MIGHT be the path back to R and R redemption-- if the young people start writing music again in the style of the 60's through the 80's.
And for good measure, here are a couple pre-teen musicians who are internet sensations. They know and play just about every major rock and roll hit from the 60's to the 90's.
there's the narrow definition of real Rock n Roll and there's the massive tent of 'rock' music which employs nearly anything not easily defined as something else. there's still pockets of hard core traditional jazz, country, maybe reggae, and whatever I'm forgetting, but soul and pop as we knew it in the '60s is gone and in 20 yrs the rest will be too as the artists fade away. it took the greats to rise above the mediocre proliferation and the few remaining are drowning in the sea of meh, the legion lovers of meh, and exorbitant costs which they have to compensate for to survive. it was always a struggle to beat the odds and become legit superstars and as our heroes have passed on even the strongest eventually succumbed, minus the exceptional few.
true RnR had a strong 20 yr run from '55-'75, metal and punk then competed with disco as they all beat themselves silly, and out of the '80s we got the Vaughan brothers, Stray Cats, and a handful of other standouts then came the Seattle based resurgence which provided a great last gasp of youthful guitar centric song writing which pretty much ended with Cobain's death. so we got 4 decades of good rockin' and it's been adios ever since. that the vintage likes of Keef, Iggy, and Ozzy are still alive and viable is mind wobbling.
today, I won't tolerate paying a dime just to get in a fight with the myriad jerks who insist on ruining a good nite out, but would consider paying $100 to see King Crimson / Golden Earring / Amon Duul II or the remaining selective never-gonna-happens for the last time, $50 for one more blow with Neil Young, surly $30 for The Melvins again, and $10 anytime for Mermen. that's it, my massive music archive, youtube, and grabbing a guitar for a friendly blast now carry the weight where I can enjoy Mountain, Grand Funk, Humble Pie, Krautrock, rockabilly, and my other genre loves til the cows come home. it was a fun run and now it's done, if you're a GOF and lived the best of times then you're lucky to tell the tales, those even younger like the op are gonna find the existing realities hard to stomach.
other than that, I got nothing too...
true RnR had a strong 20 yr run from '55-'75, metal and punk then competed with disco as they all beat themselves silly, and out of the '80s we got the Vaughan brothers, Stray Cats, and a handful of other standouts then came the Seattle based resurgence which provided a great last gasp of youthful guitar centric song writing which pretty much ended with Cobain's death. so we got 4 decades of good rockin' and it's been adios ever since. that the vintage likes of Keef, Iggy, and Ozzy are still alive and viable is mind wobbling.
today, I won't tolerate paying a dime just to get in a fight with the myriad jerks who insist on ruining a good nite out, but would consider paying $100 to see King Crimson / Golden Earring / Amon Duul II or the remaining selective never-gonna-happens for the last time, $50 for one more blow with Neil Young, surly $30 for The Melvins again, and $10 anytime for Mermen. that's it, my massive music archive, youtube, and grabbing a guitar for a friendly blast now carry the weight where I can enjoy Mountain, Grand Funk, Humble Pie, Krautrock, rockabilly, and my other genre loves til the cows come home. it was a fun run and now it's done, if you're a GOF and lived the best of times then you're lucky to tell the tales, those even younger like the op are gonna find the existing realities hard to stomach.
other than that, I got nothing too...
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I think the above post summed it up quite well!
Joe: based on much of "today's" music that I have heard, I honestly do not have any interest in embracing it. Most of it (IMO) has the same effect as Syrup of Ipecac. But that's only because of my particular taste in music. It doesn't necessarily mean I am right about anything. It's kinda like food....we all have our differing preferences, which is exactly the way it *should* be. I would never want to live in a world where we all like the same thing, so I am thankful for the differences that exist. Just don't count me in on the "embracing part" of today's music, because that just won't happen in my case. The interest just isn't there.
Here's a good example of differences. One of the posters in this thread proclaimed that playing covers is soul sucking. Okay....that's cool. I admire a person who has found what they like, and that particular person likes playing originals. For him, I say go forth and rock on! For me on the other hand, I despise originals and have zero interest in playing any of it, no matter what. I love playing classic rock covers (particularly 70's era YES music, which is why I ended up in a YES tribute band many years ago.....and I loved it!) But I think I am an oddball, because I have *NEVER* cared one iota whether or not I got paid for playing music. I have always just played music for the love of playing it, and for no other reason. It sure is liberating! (I should disclose that I chose civil engineering as a career path which has yielded a very healthy and reliable income for me over the decades.)
My recommendation??? Each of us should just do what we each enjoy doing in life, because life goes by so quickly, and *to heck* with the naysayers. For me, I enjoy playing Yes, Rush, Led Zeppelin, The Eagles, James Taylor, early Elton John, Crosby Stills & Nash, Boston, Creedence Clearwater Revival, Supertramp, early Rod Stewart, and The Beatles.......just to name a few. And if the youngsters in the audience don't pay much attention to those of us on stage rocking out, no problem.....I'm too busy having too much fun to even care! I'm doing what I enjoy doing, and that's all I really care about, to be brutally honest!
And if none of the youngsters are inspired to pick up a musical instrument and learn how to play it, I don't care. It's their life, not mine. They'll do something different, which is fine. 
Well, it certainly becomes easier if you're using samples but there's still a lot that goes into a professional mix and mastering that the average person is going to be clueless about. But yes, it depends on what kind of music you're making - and what standards you are trying to match.
I hate modern metal. I just can't find the melody. To me it feels like guitar players want to be bassists and bassists want to be guitar players.
I agree... unfortunately, our good drummer left to go to a full-time gig. We went through a few drummers and I wasn't thrilled so, I decided to play without one
I pretty much play and have played the music I most wanted to hear. If it doesn't interest any more people than could comfortably fit onto a 10' x 10' carpet, that's fine with me.
Fortunately, there's groups like Snarky Puppy and artists like Joni Mitchell and Loreena McKennitt that reaffirm my faith in the belief that if you follow your passion and remain true to yourself as a musician, you will find your audience.
Maybe not enough of one to become successful insofar as much of the the world measures success. Or famous enough to become a household name. But at least enough to make the effort rewarding.
Fortunately, there's groups like Snarky Puppy and artists like Joni Mitchell and Loreena McKennitt that reaffirm my faith in the belief that if you follow your passion and remain true to yourself as a musician, you will find your audience.
Maybe not enough of one to become successful insofar as much of the the world measures success. Or famous enough to become a household name. But at least enough to make the effort rewarding.
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What I find interesting is the School of Rock franchise, where kids are taught to play their instruments and put into bands and very quickly do performances. I travel a lot for my job and I see these franchises popping up all over the place. There seems to be plenty of interested among young people. Maybe some of these kids will not just preserve the old but also find new directions. School of Rock
I'd say the 80s and 90s were the fastest, most wide changes in music. The 50s definitely started it off, and right now, we're probably on the tail end, where we're just taking everything past and smushing it together in different ways and treating it all with more precise and detailed technologies. Unless some huge innovation comes along, I don't think there's even close to as big a change in music that could happen now. It's all subtle differences, and microgenres within subgenres. The great thing is that those subtle differences in sound can be a huge difference in how any particular piece makes you feel when you listen to or play it.
I also don't think there are at all fewer people picking up a guitar. The guitar is a timeless instrument. It'll be here to stay until the death of the sun, I imagine. Maybe even then, if we humans get ourselves sorted out by then. Not only because of that timelessness, though. But also because of the huge expansion in how easy it is for anyone to record themselves now. Essentially everyone can be a bedroom guitar hero, and they certainly don't fail at trying. There have been particular massive changes to the world of heavy music and the guitars that are part of them in the past 20 years, just because of that ease.
All is alive and well in the world of music, in the world of Rock. You just can't find it by walking into your local vinyl shop any more. Except with the reintroduction of vinyl now also being a thing... I think we're moving backwards...
I also don't think there are at all fewer people picking up a guitar. The guitar is a timeless instrument. It'll be here to stay until the death of the sun, I imagine. Maybe even then, if we humans get ourselves sorted out by then. Not only because of that timelessness, though. But also because of the huge expansion in how easy it is for anyone to record themselves now. Essentially everyone can be a bedroom guitar hero, and they certainly don't fail at trying. There have been particular massive changes to the world of heavy music and the guitars that are part of them in the past 20 years, just because of that ease.
All is alive and well in the world of music, in the world of Rock. You just can't find it by walking into your local vinyl shop any more. Except with the reintroduction of vinyl now also being a thing... I think we're moving backwards...
I can seriously attest to the validity of this statement. The quality of the equipment these days is enough to make you stay awake at night just trying to make wise purchase decisions.. There is just so much to choose from, and it's mostly great to superior. Poor Carvin... They were obviously surviving on borrowed time and it finally caught up to their Bottom Line unfortunately.
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I agree with most that Joe Nerve has said here. Things have moved on. Things have changed. Good rock is hard to find. Good pop is hard to find. Someone mentioned Bruno Mars. He is one of the few I respect. The one genre that does seem to be successful (hardly a genre, maybe more of a marketing concept) are Tribute Bands. They are payed well, perform at good venues and draw crowds. I worked with a quality James Taylor tribute for a while (internal frictions caused the band's demise). The pay was very good, musicianship was high, detailed rehearsals were expected, performing to packed houses were fun. Here in these parts if you "ain't Billy Joel" then the most satisfaction (success?) is a tribute band. Of course for the majority of young audiences, DJ's provide "live" music (or live entertainment). This stuff is clearly out of our control.
