Hope to improve our MUSIC SCENE!!

[KuroKupo]

gig on its own doesn't make sense to me, i'd rather have a gig as part of something bigger. where the gig actually supports the event taking place.

anyway as to ways to improve the scene: sexy rock chicks.

+1 but however I think female vocals for that case would be better lol but then we'd probably remember the band for the chicks.
I mean not many people know everyone in Paramore, Evanescence, probably Hayley or Amy Lee, thats about it?

I could add in Ting Tings to that too.

 

[cold_static544]

bands have a tendency to blame organizers, audiences, jamming studio uncles.

why not take a mirror, and ask yourself, would i want to see a band like mine playing, if i didnt know them personally, am not a musician, or maybe didnt even like the genre they're playing.

lots of gigs feature bands who cant keep time, play off-key solos, and have guitars which arent tuned.

maybe a good way to improve the local music scene.

is to start having more decent music.

 

[KeeZ]

[=cold_static544

Thumbs UP for This one!!

 

[GUYrenCE]

it would be good if you can take a look @ my threads as im finding bands

thanks !

 

[ahkiatt]

+69 for sexy rock chicks!

 

[syam41]

i just went to JB last sat for the JB rock fest, and trust me when i say, the scene there is buzzing and lively, compared to ours.

merch booths are aplenty. and the things are really DIY, like CD-R, with cd covers using papers and staples, even demo casettes are available. and guess what, people still buy it. the crowd is easily at least 200 people even though the place is like secluded and abandoned. and also, the people wouldnt mind paying RM 22, and actually staying from 1pm till late to support all the bands. bands that have performed also stayed and joined in the crowd to support. best part is, everyone from all kinds of subcultures are there. punks with mohawks, indie kids, skinheads with marten boots, hardcore kids with kungfu moves in the circle pit. i mean, its such an eye opener that everyone is there to support one scene, and that is their underground scene.

Also, the bands arent really household names. Other than The Times and Bunkface, the rest are pretty obscure. in fact, i think some of our bands are much superior to theirs, but in terms of support, they win hands down.

im not a malaysian btw. im a full blooded singaporean. but i cant help being envious at how it is there, compared to ours. to me, theres only so much a band could do. if a band cant get a crowd to watch them play for say, $10 regularly or buy their EPs or albums, how long can they sustain? its a 2 way thing. bands have to be good, and the crowd also have to show their support.

yes, our country is small. but i mean, little things like, standing in front of the band instead of standing at the back and showing your appreciation would go a long way. instead, i see people here who seldom wanna go in front, cause they afraid of being 'paiseh'.

and also, supporting local is not just by going to Live N Loaded and shout 'Support Local!' on TV. honestly, i dont think the people there even really support local. They're only there cause its cool to be there, and its fun to swing your arms around and hit someone in the face. Buy the band's merch, they're selling it for a reason. They want to give something back to you guys since you say u want to 'support local'. And bands, you should have an EP at least if you want to get your name around.

To improve our scene, i think we should look at how our neighbours do it. Seriously, you will be in for a treat.

 

[FluxUs]

hmmmm sounds like the local underground scene in the 'good old days' where diff genres can play in same gig (get booed by Mat Rokers is more cool than being ignored haha), ppl have a genuine fascination w checkin out local.........and bands although not so good technically actually were more interesting musically.......

 

[pianomankris]

1) Stop aiming to make a living from music. This surely wasn't the reason why you began learning an instrument in the first place.

Look at Nirvana, for example. For years their gigs were purely for friends at parties, and most of the time they didn't get paid - they only had enough money to drive back home.

To begin with, you should gig for free, and want to, for many reasons e.g. to improve band tightness, to improve stage presence, to lessen fear of audience, to improve live performance, to understand the reality of being a gigging band etc etc


2) aren't there any bars over there who have regular, scheduled gigs?

The best way to create a 'scene' is to have a venue that is willing to entertain the idea lol. Ideal situation is a bar that would have, for example, a thursday night 'gig' night, and perhaps an open mic acoustic night on, for example, a sunday, or something like that. this way, established gigging bands can get heard in gigs, and up and coming acts can show their stuff at the open mic event, and potentially arrange a future gig purely of their own material.

This way, you would tell if your stuff was liked - purely by the crowd's reaction. It also gives you a chance to hear what the other bands are doing. You'll become completely 'in the know' of the local scene, of who's doing what, and people will know you for what you are doing.



No need for a press pack etc - just get out and play. Play for friends - play at house parties - play at family events - eventually the name will spread.

You wouldn't believe the number of established DJ's who have gained international reputations through beginning at the ground level and working up a reputation slowly and surely.

Best way to get known is if someone recommends you to a friend, rather than through a press pack.



A small country is the ideal place to develop a reputation, as if you're good, your name will be known by everyone in a short space of time.

Look at the US. There are some amazing artists who aren't known outside their own state, due to reasons of geography. Don't be duped by the idea of 'fame', and what it may or may not bring. Just enjoy what you do, and do it for the right reasons.

 

[Mobius]

I have 2 suggestions:

Singers go for vocal lessons to learn about pitching properly, I find most of the time the singers sing off key. And that singing, like playing an instrument, needs to be practiced constantly to maintain/ increase the standard, not just sing only during jamming, remember this is not karaoke.

And write songs with strong hooks, otherwise most songs are quite forgetable.

 

[superpotato_30]

i agree with what edder said.

The local scene is filled with too many kids who desire to gig without the proper settings. I dont mean high end gear or anything of that sort. On the contrary, i believe in having at least a firm foundation of knowing how to tune the guitar, at least sing in key, have the vocal range for the choosen song, keep time and also EQ properly.

No one is forcing the band to play that particular song, if your vocalist cannot reach the range required why strain and embarrass yourself. Not everyone is born with the same vocal range?

Tuning a guitar is a basic know how. To be safe even if you can't tune, why not bring a tuner?

Practicing, listening to the song to know how its supposed to sound like, recording to hear what You folks actually sound like is also necessary.. i mean its not whether you think you're good. Its whether the crowd feels that you are worth listening to..

These are only some of the basics and there are probably a thousand more not mentioned in my post, but singaporeans being singaporeans thats how we are maybe? most of us desire quality, and sad to say some of the bands out there arent really hitting that quality the masses desire.