I’ve heard phrases like this:
“We play music differently than everyone else.”
Even if you played with your feet instead of your hands, the sound would be exactly the same as everyone else’s. How you play doesn’t determine what you play. You could play upside down, and the music would still be the same.
“We’re creating a genre unlike any other.”
Let me divert your attention for a second. We all know that there are three genres in music—three pillars: song, dance, and march.
And genres have long been established. Moreover, their subgenres, taken as a whole, are no more than 4-8 bars (in square music) of a repeating pattern of sound production.
So tell me, how many bars does a song consist of?
Certainly not 4 or 8. At least several dozen. And repetitions of the same pattern in classical song are rare.
So where do the other bars come from?! That’s right, it’s a fusion of other subgenres of known genres. Not a single song is performed in a single subgenre. That would be boring, monotonous, and tiresome.
Considering that all music was invented at the turn between the Baroque and Classical periods (mid-13th century), it’s safe to assume that we haven’t been creating anything new for a long time, but rather simply copying or mixing music. So, the claim of being unique isn’t true.
“We’re a completely new band.”
As for the musical lineup, there are always two factors.
The first is the instrumental factor. The number, type, and purpose of the musical instruments. Here, I think many will agree with me. You’re unlikely to consider a band a new one if it includes a bass player, a guitarist, vocals, and drums. There are plenty of those.
The second factor is the human element. And it’s much more valuable. If your band consists of ordinary musicians with ordinary skill sets, you’ll be new just by the fact of being created. There are plenty of those, too.
Yes, your collection of musicians can indeed be classical in terms of instrumentation. Yes, it will undoubtedly be unique in its name, style, and image.
BUT!!! The drummer can hammer out breaks that not everyone can, the bassist has mastered the slapping technique to perfection, the vocalist has trained with the country’s best soloists, and the guitarist masterfully executes the most complex solos.
With such a lineup, your band will definitely be in demand.
The important thing to take away from all this is that you shouldn’t think that just because you all got together and formed a band, that you play “different” music, that you’ll be very different from everyone else.
No, dear friends, you won’t. The human factor will play a crucial role in any musical group. Without knowledge and skill, there’s no creativity or mastery. And if that’s the case…
I have some bad news for you: You’re just like everyone else!
