Thread: What is your favorate band

question: what is alternative?

I LIKE EVERYTHING LOL!!!@#

Electronic music, more specifically; techno, trance, progressive house... As far as artist goes, thats a toughy.

Alice in chains.

The title and the poll are two dramatically different things

I think music off all genres feed off of each other. So to pick a best is difficult.
A favorite..rock

I guess my favorite genre of music is rock, but I like a whole lot of other categories. I love classical, and folk music. My favorite band, however, is KISS.

At this point in time I'd have to say trance. Infected Mushroom never fails to get me
moving. Check out " I'm The Supervisor"

Originally posted by Ynot
question: what is alternative?

Here's the current (12/02/2005) alternative radioplay chart.
http://www.radioandrecords.com/Formats/Cha...s/Alt_Chart.asp

The White Stripes are the greatest band currently walking the planet.

I'm also a big fan of:
The Black Keys
Queens of the Stone Age
Kings of Leon
System of a Down
Sufjan Stevens
.
.
.
I could go on for a while, but I'll stop there

You should also Add a "Hard Rock" up there. It IS a difference. Rock is what I refer to classical rock. Hard Rock is like Metallica, Mudvayne, Drowning pool, Disturbed, and that stuff.

My favorite band is somewhere between.... This is a toughy.....

Drowning Pool, Metallica (Old), System of a Down, and a lot more... Alice in Chains is awesome also.

LOL
fantastic quote here

http://www.ringsurf.com/info/Music/

What is alternative anyway. Basically it’s whatever will be popular after what is popular now, is no longer popular. So the next time you go into a club and see some gay vegetarian pressed up against a microphone pushing buttons ironically just think that you are looking at the future.[/b]

anyway, as a listener, I enjoy most things, but Hip-hop, Jazz, Funk & Soul in particular
DJ wise, dance music or hip-hop (cause they pay the best, and mixing dance is a piece of piss)
Production wise, no opinion really - whatever people want me to do - but I try throw a little of my own flavour in somewhere

INCUBUS

I am in love with this band. Their lyrics, their music, their live performances, their energy...... amazing.

These are their albumns.

Fungus Amongus


Enjoy Incubus


SCIENCE


Make Yourself


Morning View


A Crow Left Of The Murder


There's a little bit of something for everyone.
Enjoy!

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan
Jon Anderson
Vangelis
Peter Gabriel
Depeche Mode
...and many many more

All time favorite? Rush, hands down.

Ynot,
Im sorry but did you say mixing dance is a piece of piss? Im not sure to what genre you are refering to but Id be happy to hear what exactly is so easy about DJing? Have you done it yourself? Im not talking about hip hop people that just fade out or quickly cut to the next track. Im talking about mixing two tracks (or 3) for nearly 2minutes on beat. Ive been DJing electronic music (mostly trance, progressive house) for quite some time now and put alot of practice into it (just as I practiced saxophone or clarinet for 10 years) and trust me, theres one thing that its most definitely not: and thats 'easy'. You are essentially training your ears as the instrument to be able to fine tune the sound of two different records at once, where you know to the smallest degree which record is too fast or too slow and how much to change it accordingly, and if you fail you get the infamous, 'train wreck' or 'shoe in the dryer', where the entire mix falls apart. Its also knowing what records will match, what key they are in, timing on when to start to bring in the next track, timing your levels, etc...all live mind you, sometimes for 6hours.

Easy my arse, send me your mix cd if you still disagree...

ok, maybe not a piece of piss, but certainly easier than other types of music

Dance music is generally produced in a very DJ friendly way to enable easier mixing

long intro's & outro's allowing plenty of time to sync the beats

They all (90% anyway) follow the same formula (kick on every beat, 4 beats to a bar, 8 bars to a measure, switch up on every measure, and there's usually some sort of cadence every 4 measures)

A lot of dance music is computer made (as opposed to recordings of live musicians playing instruments)
so you tend to get very accurate and consistant bpm's with damn near no beat wandering
with decent turntables, and a little pre-planning before hand, you can pretty much map out your set, start to finish, in terms of pitch adjustments

any vocals you come across are sung (and so, by and large, follow the music rhythmically - D&B being the obvious exception here) as opposed to the syncopated vocals of hip-hop & d&b which form a counter-beat to the main musical beat and will screw up any beat matching

Dance music comes in many different varieties
The Joe Bloggs extended d&b mix
The Sam Smith elongated techno mash
The Billy Bob stretched out trance cut
so you have a lot more flexibility within that one song than other music types (you're lucky if you can find an b-side instrumental of most other things)

I don't want to sound cocky and I certainly don't claim to be a master mixer, but it's just my opinion that dance is easier to mix than other music forms

as for mix-tapes
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/Ynot%20-%20...%20Part%201.mp3
http://www.snoopy.force9.co.uk/Ynot%20-%20...%20Part%202.mp3

- Tony

Ps.
In all honesty, I suppose I have a slightly unfair view of dance music, purely because it's unheard of for a dance DJ to mess around with the record

Hip-hop on the other hand, actively encourages it

Ynot - Fantastic Routine (Final version, audio only)

and just to illustrate what I mean
here's a very early video recording of me doing the above routine (before I perfected and finalised it)

Ynot - Fantastic Routine (Early freestyle version, 10meg video)

any laughing at my sideways jiggy dancing or wobbly beer gut will not go down well, btw

Zeppelin!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Ynot, I havent taken a look at the files yet but I will later. What genre is it btw?

In response to the claim that Dance is easier to do than hip hop, I would disagree enitrely. It's merely two totally different kinds of DJing. A Scratch DJ normally wouldn't be able to mix his way out of a paper bag and a Mix DJ with scratching, either, its all in what you prefer(same instrument, two styles). By the way, techno music does allow for scratching, adding effects, etc. thats why 3 turntables are normally used. On my mixer at home I have built in sampling/effects which I normally scratch with since you can cue the sample up to the crossfader. Also, the way in which I mix leaves you about 1min 30seconds to cue up your next record and I keep them mixing for about 2minuntes on average. I'll admit most Mix DJ's do rely on the intros/outros to do a lackluster at best 20-30second mix but I use those long intros/outros to enhance the length of the mix and play with the two sounds Im dealing with for as long as possible before the break. If any DJ relies on using a Numark digital pitch readout or something like that, or plans out a set, they aren't a good DJ. Dont even let me start on CD DJ's. Anyway, Technics have and always will be, the standard for turntables- making the DJ not rely on readouts but their ears. If you cant work with any type of equipment (Turntable or mixer) then, again you aren't worthy of the title DJ. As far as selection goes- its about reading the crowd and feeling where THEY want the music to go: up or down, hard or soft. I bring all my records to an event even if its small because I never know what mood the crowd will be in, which is a pain in the ass, since I have about 400+records and as you know, vynyl isnt light.

I dont claim to be perfect but it definitely takes a hell of alot of concentration and monitoring to be able to mix perfectly for a long time. I also try to not stick to one style; using things like break beats/ two step and other 'off the wall' beats to try and accomplish the impossible. Sure it's timed when its recorded but that doesn't take away from the challenge it presents, you have to worry about things like the key change when you speed up/slow down the pitch, or whether the build up of one track will coincide with the breakdown of the other. I am always willing to take a challenge on any record to see if I can mix it on the spot, and of course, love battling people.

In regards to creating music on a computer and the comment of it not being real instruments, I'm not sure exactly what you were getting at. The definition of music, so-called instruments, and sound as a whole has been evolving thanks to the uses of a computer. Of course the Live feeling is also good which is why I do live shows with my friend who plays a japanese bamboo flute called, shakuhachi, and we play keyboards in conjunction with tracks, as well. However, with computers/workstations, sounds that have never been heard before can be created with alot of time and effort and that, is an amazing thing. To use the fact that its non-live creation as an excuse to knock the technical skill is downright absurd. It still takes an equal amount of skill, creativity, and patience like no other in order to create a song on a comuter/workstation.

Originally posted by SolSkye+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SolSkye)</div>

Ynot, I havent taken a look at the files yet but I will later. What genre is it btw?[/b]

Mix-tape's a drum & bass set I did a few years ago

the other thing is a beat juggling routine of mine
Track is DJ Noize & Maylay Sparks - Fantastic

Originally posted by SolSkye+--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(SolSkye)</div>

In response to the claim that Dance is easier to do than hip hop, I would disagree enitrely. It's merely two totally different kinds of DJing. A Scratch DJ normally wouldn't be able to mix his way out of a paper bag and a Mix DJ with scratching, either, its all in what you prefer(same instrument, two styles).[/b]

But a good DJ can do both.
I've always hating this segregation that DJ's insist on
I'm a mix dj, that's all I do
I'm a skratch dj, that's all I do
I'm a something or other dj, and ignore everything else

I try to do everything

Originally posted by SolSkye
By the way, techno music does allow for scratching, adding effects, etc. thats why 3 turntables are normally used

I have a little bit of a problem with skratching in other genres of music, purely cause they use it as a gimmick
I don't mean that nastily, but in hip-hop when you're beat juggling two copies of the same record (as in my Fantastic routine) switching back and forth between the two, a little skratching of the percussion is essential to meld the two together. techno skratching is a gimmick that's used without any understanding.

Originally posted by SolSkye
On my mixer at home I have built in sampling/effects which I normally scratch with since you can cue the sample up to the crossfader.

Originally posted by SolSkye
Also, the way in which I mix leaves you about 1min 30seconds to cue up your next record and I keep them mixing for about 2minuntes on average. I'll admit most Mix DJ's do rely on the intros/outros to do a lackluster at best 20-30second mix but I use those long intros/outros to enhance the length of the mix and play with the two sounds Im dealing with for as long as possible before the break.

that sounds cool, would like to hear some of your stuff

Originally posted by SolSkye
If any DJ relies on using a Numark digital pitch readout or something like that, or plans out a set, they aren't a good DJ.

Agree on the digital mixers and LCD displays, but not on planning your set
only a fool walks into a packed room with no idea what he's going to put on, plus if you dj any private parties or weddings, you will be asked to provide a playlist

Originally posted by SolSkye
Dont even let me start on CD DJ's.

no arguements on this one

<!--QuoteBegin-SolSkye@
Anyway, Technics have and always will be, the standard for turntables- making the DJ not rely on readouts but their ears. If you cant work with any type of equipment (Turntable or mixer) then, again you aren't worthy of the title DJ. As far as selection goes- its about reading the crowd and feeling where THEY want the music to go: up or down, hard or soft. I bring all my records to an event even if its small because I never know what mood the crowd will be in, which is a pain in the ass, since I have about 400+records and as you know, vynyl isnt light
I dont claim to be perfect but it definitely takes a hell of alot of concentration and monitoring to be able to mix perfectly for a long time. I also try to not stick to one style; using things like break beats/ two step and other 'off the wall' beats to try and accomplish the impossible. Sure it's timed when its recorded but that doesn't take away from the challenge it presents, you have to worry about things like the key change when you speed up/slow down the pitch, or whether the build up of one track will coincide with the breakdown of the other. I am always willing to take a challenge on any record to see if I can mix it on the spot, and of course, love battling people..

Each to their own, but I am not carting 400 records around with me
I'll break my back, and end up having half of them stolen

<!--QuoteBegin-SolSkye
In regards to creating music on a computer and the comment of it not being real instruments, I'm not sure exactly what you were getting at.

All I'm saying, is that computer made music is perfectly on time - all the time
making beat sync'ing much easier

Try and mix two Jazz tunes together, with the drummer (due to human error) gradually speeding up, or slowing down throughout the tune (only needs to be by an eighth of a beat, and it's noticable).
Plus, on live recordings, if the drums drop out (to make way for a solo, or whatever) and then come back in, they always come back in a little too early or late.
Computer made music is so regimented in terms of pace, that you don't have these problems.

Normally, I divide them up (I have about 4 big UDG bags) and I take them by car. Since we have alot of other equipment for the live part of our show (V-Synth, Motif, Juno, Power books, effect pedals, mixer, etc) its just one extra thing to bring and of course, we have people help us.

I, also, totally understand the semantics of the drum and bass/hip hop scratch arguement. Hell, I even do/did some of the same stuff you mentioned. I dont know why using samples from a mixer would warrant a , but whatever. Anyway, as a general rule, Yes, I agree- Alot of talentless DJ's, some revered as world-class, have given the idea that mixing trance or other electronic genre's is all about short-timed mixes with no added tricks, when really they are famous only because they were in the right place at the right time and quite bluntly, dont have any real skill. What I do with mixing, I consider to be quite different from what I see/hear from other DJ's thats why I got defensive about the mixing comment. Of course there are some good mix CD's out there that have even me scratching my head, Ferry Corsten- Infinite Euphoria, for one. His mix from the ambient Platoon theme song, William Orbit's- Barber's Adagio for Strings, into Prodigy's- Smack My Bitch Up... amazing

LOL, I dont do weddings and I dont normally plan a setlist so as a club DJ, Yes, I do find it retarded to plan your sets out in advance. Of course a general idea is nice but always prepare for whatever. The reason? Well theres many, but mainly, If the people aren't feeling where you took the music you have to be ready to go wherever the crowd wants it or you lose them and you should be versed enough with your collection to be able to pull some rabbits out of your hat on the spot. When you make the seemingly impossible mix, possible, thats what really gets the crowd going. There was a time that I practiced for 6hours (on average) a day for about 3-4months until I got to a level where I felt comfortable with anything thrown at me (also got busy producing). I will try and convert some of my mixes or composed songs to mp3 for uploading but I dont know where I can host them. any ideas?

heres a flyer from our last show in japan...

Originally posted by SolSkye
I will try and convert some of my mixes or composed songs to mp3 for uploading but I dont know where I can host them. any ideas?

http://www.yousendit.com/

if you send it to yourself (your own email in the recipient box)
you can post the link on here

My all-time favourite band is Pink Floyd. My second favourite would have to be...

Originally posted by ledzepplin
Zeppelin!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Another band which deserves a mention is the Flaming Lips. They're great.

btw I cant watch the video because Im using mac, unless you know where I can get an avi codec

Originally posted by SolSkye
btw I cant watch the video because Im using mac, unless you know where I can get an avi codec

http://www.insaneness.com/xvid.html

Alot of these parts are made to play with other live parts on top at the show so they may not sound right but heres a song from my partner and a song from me...

him
http://s18.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=2FQ2XD5...4Y3NTVAJUBHYGMZ

me
http://s18.yousendit.com/d.aspx?id=3A6342V...AR1E2SRXD92Q7UV

The mixes are just too long and I dont know how to convert them to mp3 using itunes so its too much hassle.