One Republic?

Yeah but also Radiohead, Arcade Fire, etc. you know? :tongue:

That's what he listens to right now.

Not what he used to listen, which was more popular than those.

Like.. I dunno..

Coldplay.

LiTii- I completely agree with you and you made so many great points!

That's what he listens to right now.

Not what he used to listen, which was more popular than those.

Like.. I dunno..

Coldplay.

 

Is this about me? If so ... I don't listen to mainstream music. Not a fan.

Is this about me? If so ... I don't listen to mainstream music. Not a fan.

 

Not you.

hmm... you're totally right. this reminds me of something I actually posted somewhere else last night. I just had to vent it out. I'll vent it further here. excuse me for the longness:

 

 

I'm still very green to songwriting, but had an aptitude for writing music since I was 12. what I mean is, I didnt' start writing with my guitar until this year (I've only had my guitar for under a year). I've written a couple, which I thought were pretty good. The second song I ever wrote on guitar was actually inspired by school. My social studies teacher wanted us all to do creative projects on the French Revolution. While most of my classmates decided to make power point presentations and websites, I put together a couple little licks I had on guitar, in a rather "Day In The Life" format. It went over really well at school, and that got my confidence going. I put two songs on Facebook, and my friends said they really loved it. Even friends of friends. I don't think that they were just saying that to make me feel good, but got the sense that they were genuinely impressed. Having been given confidence like that right off the bat and support from many people I don't even know has really started me off on the right foot. I'm really excited for my music career to develop, and love figuring out songs by ear.

 

I wanted to say that, no matter what, share your music. Even if you're skeptical about it. Heck, I bet even the Beatles were skeptical about presenting some of their songs to the band. but can you imagine if Ringo had never presented Octopus's Garden? or if the world was deprived of any other Beatles song? Find someone you trust first, and show it to them. Chances are, they'll be happy and supportive of your creation, especially if they know it means a lot to you. They may give you constructive criticism, which would still be good.

 

Back to my own songwriting... Generally when I write songs, I'll have a guitar lick or one melody stuck in my head that I feel demands a song. I'll sit down with my guitar and build on it. sometimes I have whole verses and choruses before I begin to work with my guitar.

 

But I am terrified. Completely paranoid. Why? the indefinite fate of music. where is music going? what genre should I write in? I'm really confused about what sort of songs to write. It's at the point where I will ONLY listen to my favourite bands and music that I think is the best, for fear that anything else will corrupt my taste and songwriting. The last song I wrote was pretty country-sounding, which was scary to me, because I want to write songs close to my influences. The lyrics, I thought, were very good, but for some reason the melody and guitar was country (even though it was written on electric). maybe that's just me, naturally going back to my western roots, but that's not really the type of music I want to write. or is it? I'm very confused. I suppose I want to write a wide range of songs, just like the Fab Four. But what kinds of new songs can be written? what barriers can be broken? where does music go from here?

Really, the new and "groundbreaking" music today appears to be autotune and stupid amounts of engineering, to the point where every song in the top 40 sounds the same. it makes me sick. I suppose new heights are being set in indie music, but I don't want to write crazy avant-garde music to start off. I want to write music that makes people feel good, and may still have an influence in a few decades. but have we done everything good there is to be done? Where do I go from here?

 

I'm terrified. and excited. but good god, I need answers. I should probably study more music and talk to more people in the business. but in the end, I want to write a good tune that people actually care about. And I'm not sure how. I know I can't force it, but nothing happens if you just sit there. Another reason why I may be so confused right now is I'm so busy with other things. I can never really let the creative flow go because I have to focus on other things. Maybe once school is out in the summer I can really get working, but I hate having to wait like that. I'm 16 years old. I need to get started NOW if I want to make something out of my career.

 

 

^I guess I really just have to look to coldplay for a model. they write whatever sounds good to them. I guess I should do that too.

 

EDIT: the context was songwriting, by the way

Wow, that is one of the best posts I've ever read. Incredibly well-written and just brilliant. I can definitely recognize what your talent is: music.