What Kind of Music Do You Want to Play?
General music genre is typically a given for musicians interested in starting a band, but what happens if you love tons of different musical styles and are unsure about which you'd like to pursue? The problem is completely understandable; it's sometimes difficult to sift through the muck and figure out which music genre suits you best or, even more importantly, at which you're naturally talented. If you're feeling up in arms about what kind of music you really want to play, read on -- these tips could save your sanity.
Weigh Your Options
Flip your CD collection, or, better yet, put your iTunes on random and listen carefully; do you notice a pattern? Which music genre comes up most often, gets your blood truly pumping? Are you interested in, say, the lyrics of one musical style and the guitars of another? The sort of music to which you're naturally drawn is very often the best indicator of what you should be playing, even if it's a style you least expected. That's not to say that everyone is suited for every music genre you love -- there's a lot to be said for a diversity in taste -- but you should actively pursue whichever musical style makes your heart pound, whichever type of song that makes you think a man, I wish I could do that. And don't underestimate the power of new music to inspire. Seek out new musical styles whenever you get the slightest chance -- you might be surprised with what you find out about yourself.
Evaluate Your Playing Style
Before you can truly dive into a musical style, you need to take a long, hard look at how you play. Maybe you're intensely drawn to flamenco guitar, but if your playing abilities aren't up to flamenco par you might find yourself disappointed, frustrated and unable to get yourself motivated. Learn the parts for some of your favorite songs in any music genre -- not based on ease of the tune, but rather what you love -- and see how naturally the musical style comes to you. If you're breezing through the song with absolutely no problems, you're golden. But if you're struggling more than a little, having a truly difficult time mastering even the first few notes, it might be time to re-evaluate the music genre you've chosen.
Of course, that's not to say that you can't play in whichever musical style you'd like; learning and writing songs will just be a bit more work. If you're dead set on playing a style that doesn't come naturally to you, find an instructor who specializes in it. Talk to your local music store owner and employees about who they know, or get in touch with local bands playing that musical style. A lot of times, a local band member will be happy to tutor you for a small fee, or maybe even free of charge.
Write Some Songs
Even if you're not a natural songwriter, try to pen a few tunes without tying yourself to a music genre. You may never intend to keep them, the songs might get thrown out the minute you start writing a record or playing shows, but what you write will ultimately tell you which musical style is deeply embedded in your brain. But be easy on yourself; you don't need to write a Top 40 hit to get the benefits of this exercise. It's what you're attempting to learn about musical style that matters, not whether you've written the best song since the Beatles.
If you already know a bit about songwriting and feel like getting really creative, try rewriting the same song in several different music genres. See what feels natural, listen to the nuances of every musical style you're playing withtin. Even if you're already set on a music genre, you might wind up surprising yourself.
Break Out
No matter what anyone tells you, there are absolutely no hard and fast rules about music genre, so don't feel obligated to stick to the rote rules of whichever one you've chosen. Unless you're writing symphonies or fugues, classical forms that absolutely adhere to steadfast rules, feel free to go out on your own a bit when it comes to musical style. Play around, write what you know and love. Some of the most interesting music has come out of a melding of music genre, and sometimes the combination creates a whole new music genre of its own. Terms like alt-country, pop-punk, rap-rock and nu-metal get thrown around so often that you barely have a moment to think about what they really are, but those music genres only became popular based on a few bands, willingness to take risks with whatever they loved. So be a risk-taker with musical style; it could just propel your band to historic fame. If you are a business owner get listed at Best Education Site, part of Localwin Network.
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