fuzztremecho
New member
any ideas on improving the scene on NOT BEING TOO ONE DIMENSIONAL ?
i can't think of 1 right now
i can't think of 1 right now
What do you guys think of Sg scene?
- Thread starter Maman
- Start date
AEnimic
New member
I think there should be chances given to other type of genres on huge platforms like Baybeats. That will diversify the local listener's ear. They will finally realise "oh gee,Brutal isn't exactly brutal when you give a chance for it" or "Indie doesn't sound that sissy after all" Because the local scene, fans included tend to lean to one side and not experiment with new music. As I have said, they want to fit in with the crowd they're with or they're just exposed to that type of music.
Another way is for organisers to NOT label genres of the bands on their gig posters. This will make the listener intepret their own genre in their mind and eventually make up their own mind on whether to like that band or not. I mean, if most of the bands in a certain gig was labeled as Indie,then tons of Indie music lovers would come. So let it be up to the gig-goer to experience the music themselves and judge the genre.
my other 2cents..I'm not having lunch today
Another way is for organisers to NOT label genres of the bands on their gig posters. This will make the listener intepret their own genre in their mind and eventually make up their own mind on whether to like that band or not. I mean, if most of the bands in a certain gig was labeled as Indie,then tons of Indie music lovers would come. So let it be up to the gig-goer to experience the music themselves and judge the genre.
my other 2cents..I'm not having lunch today
fuzztremecho
New member
ok
good POV. recently there was the Ria Remix. a band played "sway" using traditional gamelan instruments. that's cool
aah
observatory...that's a band which neither indie nor metal
correct bro edder
very very correct
good POV. recently there was the Ria Remix. a band played "sway" using traditional gamelan instruments. that's cool
aah
observatory...that's a band which neither indie nor metal
correct bro edder
very very correct
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AgingYouth
New member
Please, bro edder bro, Breakbeat Theory looks like a bunch of loafers and plays like a bunch of loafers. Please.... it's embarassing!
On the whole the singapore scene is a lot better than in the past -70s-late 90s. You'll get a wider selection of genres and better musicianship even by newer bands. The availability of a lot of new music from out of singapore exposes everyone to a higher level of tolerance to cross pollination from different genres. So it isn't one dimensional when looked at as a whole.
But this one dimensionality has to be present to effectively market the act (not that there is much of an economic aspect to it). Even if you can say the mars volta is not one dimensional, anyone can argue that they are just math rock and not say, country jungle. You can't play funkadelic soul one moment and switch to a 5 piece serial music quartet.
It's the gigs that might need to be a little more diversified. But like most things in singapore, the audience is small and it probably doesn't make sense to have many differing genres. But i would like there to be diversity, as long as there are no mods vs punks vs emo standoffs
But really if you try to compare singapore music, just the music, vs anywhere else, at most some singapore music is ok, but it still won't be as challenging and exciting as the best of the lot. So there's still a long way to go.
One of the problems i have with some of the music out there is the inherent problem of time. You don't have enough time to spend with the arrangements, you don't have enough time to spend with the recording, or not enough time to spend just finding out about instruments. At the end of it, you will just slap on some sampled beats from a sample CD, jerk off on an alesis micron or whatever, run that through a kaoss pad and call it the best thing in singapore since kaya toast. Or if you're into guitars, run the entire signal through a flanger,chorus, delay, reverb, and a gain boost, tweak a few knobs and think you're all that and a bag of chippy chips.
Sometimes the results are just sad.
But this one dimensionality has to be present to effectively market the act (not that there is much of an economic aspect to it). Even if you can say the mars volta is not one dimensional, anyone can argue that they are just math rock and not say, country jungle. You can't play funkadelic soul one moment and switch to a 5 piece serial music quartet.
It's the gigs that might need to be a little more diversified. But like most things in singapore, the audience is small and it probably doesn't make sense to have many differing genres. But i would like there to be diversity, as long as there are no mods vs punks vs emo standoffs
But really if you try to compare singapore music, just the music, vs anywhere else, at most some singapore music is ok, but it still won't be as challenging and exciting as the best of the lot. So there's still a long way to go.
One of the problems i have with some of the music out there is the inherent problem of time. You don't have enough time to spend with the arrangements, you don't have enough time to spend with the recording, or not enough time to spend just finding out about instruments. At the end of it, you will just slap on some sampled beats from a sample CD, jerk off on an alesis micron or whatever, run that through a kaoss pad and call it the best thing in singapore since kaya toast. Or if you're into guitars, run the entire signal through a flanger,chorus, delay, reverb, and a gain boost, tweak a few knobs and think you're all that and a bag of chippy chips.
Sometimes the results are just sad.
roninriot
Banned
I think if people stop talking about it so much and actually went out to do something about what they believed ought to be changed, we'd go a long long way. But at it is, that's not likely to happen because it's always 'someone else's job to do it'.
You want bands to sound better? Put in the investment, put in the time to plot and structure. You want more people to hear about bands? Start a newsletter, start a blog, spread the word, plan a marketing approach or strategy within your budget. You want organizers not to label bands and give all genres a chance? Start a gig that channels that very sentiments into something new and fresh. It really doesn't cost much, it just takes effort. You want more people to listen to bands? Start a Myspace or a CD or something, anything. You want people to support the scene? Turn up at as many gigs as possible and help sell tickets too. And when you say "Support the scene", you aren't really saying "Support my own band!". There are so many ways, yet so few people actually get up and do it.
You want to talk about how to improve the scene again and again but yet little gets done? Start a forum thread on SOFT and tell others to do that job for you.
Talk is cheap. Walk and get yourself knee deep in sh*t for what you believe in.
You want bands to sound better? Put in the investment, put in the time to plot and structure. You want more people to hear about bands? Start a newsletter, start a blog, spread the word, plan a marketing approach or strategy within your budget. You want organizers not to label bands and give all genres a chance? Start a gig that channels that very sentiments into something new and fresh. It really doesn't cost much, it just takes effort. You want more people to listen to bands? Start a Myspace or a CD or something, anything. You want people to support the scene? Turn up at as many gigs as possible and help sell tickets too. And when you say "Support the scene", you aren't really saying "Support my own band!". There are so many ways, yet so few people actually get up and do it.
You want to talk about how to improve the scene again and again but yet little gets done? Start a forum thread on SOFT and tell others to do that job for you.
Talk is cheap. Walk and get yourself knee deep in sh*t for what you believe in.
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AEnimic
New member
I like those two
well,you guys just don't seem to grasp the meaning of "the SCENE is too one-dimensional"
I'm not speaking of bands changing genres in the middle,I call that immature for the bands to do that.
What I said referes more about the SCENE rather than the bands. The monopoly of certain genres in Singapore. I mean,I heard it from a few friends,organisers and some other musicians. They say "oh you're playing this type ar? cannot la,I think Singapore market into that" and then they decide to go on and follow the flow.
I hope you get what I mean.
Never forget Impiety. Latest release killer! Singaporean members. It is big in Europe!! be proud of that!
Anyways, i think its picking up lah. Looong way to go still. Just miss the metal days( 300+ metalheads in a gig) But other scene, it seems to be picking up alot. I hope it will flourish one day. At least before i die.
Anyways, i think its picking up lah. Looong way to go still. Just miss the metal days( 300+ metalheads in a gig) But other scene, it seems to be picking up alot. I hope it will flourish one day. At least before i die.
edder
New member
yeah... they should dress up like circus clowns to impress lah... :mrgreen:
AEnimic
New member
don't be a spoilsport to this thread,bro. the TS asked for opinions,and I gave mine. Then bro fuzztremecho asked me how I would like the industry to be changed,so I tell what I would like to happen. I would only wish people with much more influence on the industry to actually hear out the little man in forums or whatever media there is where people can express their thoughts rather than start saying that the job is tough and by voicing out our views is like blasphemy and they should be doing it their own. There are different parts in the industry and people contribute in different ways. I contribute by voicing out. Sorry if it hurts the organisers..but I don't plan to hurt anyone's feelings just stating out what is happening in the scene. Which is not a bad thing altogether,but it may also just restrict everything we could have worked for.
All in all,I was just replying to a thread and expressing my views on it.
I like those two
well,you guys just don't seem to grasp the meaning of "the SCENE is too one-dimensional"
I'm not speaking of bands changing genres in the middle,I call that immature for the bands to do that.
What I said referes more about the SCENE rather than the bands. The monopoly of certain genres in Singapore. I mean,I heard it from a few friends,organisers and some other musicians. They say "oh you're playing this type ar? cannot la,I think Singapore market into that" and then they decide to go on and follow the flow.
I hope you get what I mean.
Like i said, you got to look at it as a whole. If you try to compare it to some place like america, you're going to be disappointed, but compared to the past, you have to admit, there's a lot more going on now.
It sounds like you're talking to a few people who want to make it in an economic sense. In that case, it would make sense to play to the most popular genre. Especially if you're a pub band.
But really, in singapore, let's be realistic, you have virtually zero chance to make money out of your music if it means playing your own originals the way you want to. But far from letting it get anyone down, it also means that everyone should just play what they like and not give a toss about genre's or how it fits an image. Want to add dangdut to your heavy metal riffing, fine go ahead. You want to dress like an ostrich and carry an umbrella. Go ahead. Just make it the best music you can make.
Sometimes, these threads about the singapre scene just seem to go nowhere, except maybe it's good enough for someone's GP project, but if it pisses someone off enough to do something, then it's got a plus side ya?
roninriot
Banned
AENimic,
Actually I wasn't referring to you in particular. But I'm sorry if you felt it was pointed at you. It wasn't. I apologize if it offended you but it's meant for people who DO complain about it. From any point of view. For the record, you don't need to be in any particular part of an industry to do something about the situation around you. We are like walking entities of cause-and-effect. If any of us create enough of a cause, the effect will happen. Not from one particuular person, but everyone on a general and a collective level. From the ticket runners to the bands to the journalists but unfortunately not always our guh-men 
The difference that separates a doer from a sayer is the action. So it wasn't poitned at you, but at the sayers.
On a side note, I'm currently in the process of writing a free online guide / book for bands who want to get more exposure and coverage and also for people in different parts of the industry - gig organizers, bands, media personnel, etc etc. Of course there's only so much I know myself --> I really don't know sh*t in some areas, like I even have difficulty figuring out how to turn on a guitar amp sometimes and I'm utterly clueless if you give me a cable and ask me to put it inside channel 2 or 22 :O. So I'll be going around to gather quotes and advice from various other industry experts like radio DJs, more experienced gig organizers, much more experienced musicians, marketing PR firms and etc and compile all their advice and input into a single guide. Hopefully it'll be helpful for everyone from musicians to people who want to find ways to promote the music scene - I hope to learn from it too with what more expert people have to say about the whole thing cause I'm really blur on some things myself, like say, tuning a guitar in under ten miinutes lol haha!
My apologies to ANEmic again if I sounded too harsh. I sincerely meant no offence to you on a personal level.
Actually I wasn't referring to you in particular. But I'm sorry if you felt it was pointed at you. It wasn't.
I apologize if it offended you but it's meant for people who DO complain about it. From any point of view. For the record, you don't need to be in any particular part of an industry to do something about the situation around you. We are like walking entities of cause-and-effect. If any of us create enough of a cause, the effect will happen. Not from one particuular person, but everyone on a general and a collective level. From the ticket runners to the bands to the journalists but unfortunately not always our guh-men The difference that separates a doer from a sayer is the action. So it wasn't poitned at you, but at the sayers.On a side note, I'm currently in the process of writing a free online guide / book for bands who want to get more exposure and coverage and also for people in different parts of the industry - gig organizers, bands, media personnel, etc etc. Of course there's only so much I know myself --> I really don't know sh*t in some areas, like I even have difficulty figuring out how to turn on a guitar amp sometimes and I'm utterly clueless if you give me a cable and ask me to put it inside channel 2 or 22 :O. So I'll be going around to gather quotes and advice from various other industry experts like radio DJs, more experienced gig organizers, much more experienced musicians, marketing PR firms and etc and compile all their advice and input into a single guide. Hopefully it'll be helpful for everyone from musicians to people who want to find ways to promote the music scene - I hope to learn from it too with what more expert people have to say about the whole thing cause I'm really blur on some things myself, like say, tuning a guitar in under ten miinutes lol haha!
My apologies to ANEmic again if I sounded too harsh. I sincerely meant no offence to you on a personal level.
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we all got opinions.
roninriot
Banned
Yup. And the reason why we do is because we're all passionate to death about the scene. I know it gets damn frustrating at times to be always in a state of the underdog while when an international band comes in --> BOOM! 8 thousand tickets sold! When will that ever happen for local scenesters? Hopefully in time to come from the love and passon that everybody gives to it. There are just so many awesome bands out there that need to be heard more. My jaws drop everytmie I hear a damn awesome band.
roninriot
Banned
I hope to gather feedback from u guys on this too. On what chapters should be included and added to it, and who should I best seek advice from. I am only experenced in matters like gig organization, promotiong and marketing strategies for bands to get musc heard, and some contacts in the industry and journalsm on local bands. There are other areas I really don't know much about and I'd greatly value anyone's opinion on other areas that might be useful for bands.
it'll take about a month or so for me to get the compiling of information done though as there's quite a bit of leg work and it will be the length of an entire book. But i really hope a lengthy and free guiide on these areas willl help bands stlll trying and fighting to be heard by the masses. Hopefully the information and advice from various partes will give more insight on issues bands might want to learn more about.
and on a side note, i spilt Vitagen on my keyboard and now my keys are all sticky! ARGH!
On what chapters should be included and added to it, and who should I best seek advice from. I am only experenced in matters like gig organization, promotiong and marketing strategies for bands to get musc heard, and some contacts in the industry and journalsm on local bands. There are other areas I really don't know much about and I'd greatly value anyone's opinion on other areas that might be useful for bands.it'll take about a month or so for me to get the compiling of information done though as there's quite a bit of leg work and it will be the length of an entire book. But i really hope a lengthy and free guiide on these areas willl help bands stlll trying and fighting to be heard by the masses. Hopefully the information and advice from various partes will give more insight on issues bands might want to learn more about.
and on a side note, i spilt Vitagen on my keyboard and now my keys are all sticky! ARGH!
crazyguy106
New member
Just adding my 2 cents worth...
Went to The Arena last night. Afro American band there. They were covering R&B tracks by Beyonce (quite a lot of her) and Nelly Furtado etc. It was mind blowing for me.
If anyone here has ever tried to do covers of funk, R&B and all the groove-based music you'd know what I mean when I say that it's crazy hard to do a good cover, let alone exact replica. They did that. Singer sang like Beyonce, and the band was so tight not even water could slip through.
Nothing, literally nothing that true blue Singaporeans have done to be able to beat it. You may say that it's just pure imitation and all, and no "original sound" but an important question is, isn't imitation the beginning of improvement and innovation? They -have- the standard to do to the original standard, which is honestly insanely high, and yet Singaporean bands are always going "with their own interpretation" when they can't even touch the original band's standard.
My mainstay of music are fusion, funk and jazz. I love any music which sounds good. The scene in Singapore for what I love, is miniscule to say the least. I'm trying to do something about it in the long term, I'm not just talking about it. Much like what roninriot was saying. -DO- something about it.
The standard of music in Singapore here cannot touch even Malaysia, let alone international standard. Much of the music we here now on radio are highly edited, overly rerecorded music that lost its feel and soul, and that helps these "lousy bands pushed by big money labels" reach around the world. On talkbass there was this thread about modern music losing the groove. It's all about the marketing and money. Most of the bands that are on radio now are really bad and if you just go over to America, or even watch Mosaic Music Festival, you'll realise how many INSANELY CRAZY bands there are. Singaporean standard right now can't even begin to touch that save for the top few.
Yup. Do something about it. However, roninriot, I think that what Singapore right now really needs is exposure to music. As in good music. From my experience, you're only as good as what you listen to (at least till you reach nirvana p.s. not the band). Would be very interested to read your book though. =D Keep up the good work
Went to The Arena last night. Afro American band there. They were covering R&B tracks by Beyonce (quite a lot of her) and Nelly Furtado etc. It was mind blowing for me.
If anyone here has ever tried to do covers of funk, R&B and all the groove-based music you'd know what I mean when I say that it's crazy hard to do a good cover, let alone exact replica. They did that. Singer sang like Beyonce, and the band was so tight not even water could slip through.
Nothing, literally nothing that true blue Singaporeans have done to be able to beat it. You may say that it's just pure imitation and all, and no "original sound" but an important question is, isn't imitation the beginning of improvement and innovation? They -have- the standard to do to the original standard, which is honestly insanely high, and yet Singaporean bands are always going "with their own interpretation" when they can't even touch the original band's standard.
My mainstay of music are fusion, funk and jazz. I love any music which sounds good. The scene in Singapore for what I love, is miniscule to say the least. I'm trying to do something about it in the long term, I'm not just talking about it. Much like what roninriot was saying. -DO- something about it.
The standard of music in Singapore here cannot touch even Malaysia, let alone international standard. Much of the music we here now on radio are highly edited, overly rerecorded music that lost its feel and soul, and that helps these "lousy bands pushed by big money labels" reach around the world. On talkbass there was this thread about modern music losing the groove. It's all about the marketing and money. Most of the bands that are on radio now are really bad and if you just go over to America, or even watch Mosaic Music Festival, you'll realise how many INSANELY CRAZY bands there are. Singaporean standard right now can't even begin to touch that save for the top few.
Yup. Do something about it. However, roninriot, I think that what Singapore right now really needs is exposure to music. As in good music. From my experience, you're only as good as what you listen to (at least till you reach nirvana p.s. not the band). Would be very interested to read your book though. =D Keep up the good work
fuzztremecho
New member
great discussion bros
when I was actively into the scene about 15-16 yrs ago (Lion City Hardcore), we do not have accesible media like youtube,myspace.etc
Its all very DIY stuff.Now I'm being coaxed by a good friend(Bombarde) to start a stoner rock.
I for one,am quite hesitant coz i've seen fellow bros who flew the "S'pore Scene" flag getting burnt in a lot of ways.
I truly agree with you ronin "I know it gets damn frustrating at times to be always in a state of the underdog while when an international band comes in "
Sometimes "doubts" creeps into us and then we would be asking " Am I not good enough?"
"How can a band make a Lemon Tree or a MLTR be better than my band/me?"
when I was actively into the scene about 15-16 yrs ago (Lion City Hardcore), we do not have accesible media like youtube,myspace.etc
Its all very DIY stuff.Now I'm being coaxed by a good friend(Bombarde) to start a stoner rock.
I for one,am quite hesitant coz i've seen fellow bros who flew the "S'pore Scene" flag getting burnt in a lot of ways.
I truly agree with you ronin "I know it gets damn frustrating at times to be always in a state of the underdog while when an international band comes in "
Sometimes "doubts" creeps into us and then we would be asking " Am I not good enough?"
"How can a band make a Lemon Tree or a MLTR be better than my band/me?"
fgl
Well-known member
I remember that the local scene had a emendous boom in the early ninties with New School Rock I, II & III courtesy of Big O. I was in a band called Shades and alongside cronies from my era were bands like Awol, Fish on Friday, Global Chaos, Padres, Oddfellows , The Watchmen, Humpback Oak etc
There were not that many gig organizers then but bands were really given great opportunities to play a wide variety and number of gigs with even TV / radio live performances etc plus good media coverage.
Local record label Pony Canyon also had a policy of promoting young indie acts and while the other labels didnt really go "all out" in local artiste development (I was a label chief in Warner Music back then), artiste like Lovehunters, Ramli Sarip, Dick Lee, etc were making good headway.
It seems these days that there are inumerable posibilities for gigs, albeit with a new "twist" of paying or selling tickets to play. While my verdict is out on this particular system, I must admit that it does offer new bands an opportunity for exposure.
These days with the many festivals, gigs etc good, solid bands like GSE, Allura, EIC etc are making great headway. Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts locally and I am convinced that it will evolve and grow in years to come.
There were not that many gig organizers then but bands were really given great opportunities to play a wide variety and number of gigs with even TV / radio live performances etc plus good media coverage.
Local record label Pony Canyon also had a policy of promoting young indie acts and while the other labels didnt really go "all out" in local artiste development (I was a label chief in Warner Music back then), artiste like Lovehunters, Ramli Sarip, Dick Lee, etc were making good headway.
It seems these days that there are inumerable posibilities for gigs, albeit with a new "twist" of paying or selling tickets to play. While my verdict is out on this particular system, I must admit that it does offer new bands an opportunity for exposure.
These days with the many festivals, gigs etc good, solid bands like GSE, Allura, EIC etc are making great headway. Every generation throws a hero up the pop charts locally and I am convinced that it will evolve and grow in years to come.
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