What are your musical pet peeves?

[Tony W]

Now that I've got a better handle on the thread, I cringe whenever I do this one lick that was friggin awesome the first 20 - 30 times I did it, but now.... I want to kick myself for clinging on to one thing so hard.

[Saijinn Maas]

... and Sai's taking shots at Gritter...

He knows I was just teasin'... At least I hope he does!     

[Gritter]

... and Sai's taking shots at Gritter...

He knows I was just teasin'... At least I hope he does!     

sob sob...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QrKLlDNeMc

[Bluesberry]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MqKSOZdcRwI

[Greeny]

All of my best work comes when I've pre-written and honed the song I'm working on. It's easier to visualise how it should sound during recording when it's a finished song that I can play live and acoustically. I tend to come unstuck when I randomly throw some chords or music onto the MBR and hope that a song will emerge. Inevitably, it's in the wrong key, or just doesn't have a strong vocal hook. Happy accidents can sometimes emerge from 'blank canvas' experimentation, but it just doesn't suit the way I work.

[Kevin Mammoth]

I have a newly acquired pet peeve - this site is eating into my recording time.  I go to record that killer fill or bass line, and hours later I'm still noodling away on the computer without having touched an instrument.  (Just kidding, this place is a godsend, particularly after the yawning voids of myspace)...

No, my pet peeve is recording a bunch of tracks/bounces/sub mixes etc during a fit of artistic inspiration, without bothering to name them properly, and then coming backs weeks/months later and thinking "wtf are all those tracks???". I have wasted hours that way, I'm much more careful about organising tracks these days.

[AndyR]

All of my best work comes when I've pre-written and honed the song I'm working on. It's easier to visualise how it should sound during recording when it's a finished song that I can play live and acoustically. I tend to come unstuck when I randomly throw some chords or music onto the MBR and hope that a song will emerge. Inevitably, it's in the wrong key, or just doesn't have a strong vocal hook. Happy accidents can sometimes emerge from 'blank canvas' experimentation, but it just doesn't suit the way I work.

Same here, big time. All the recordings I've produced where people go "wow" were fully organised structurally before the project opened on the recording machine.

Precise instrumentation etc might not be in place, but the basic song structure, how many verses, little bridges, whatever, were all decided on. Even down to what each section, the intro for example, is actually bringing to the party - if it's not adding anything, why's it there?! That sort of thing...

Usually the lyrics are pretty firm as well - there might be expected tweaks to make a line run more smoothly, but usually I can sit in the living room and play and sing a version of the song with one acoustic. If I can perform it, I know I've got something that might be worth spending hours on...

Anyway, that's the main way I work, and when I use that method it seems to give the best results (no-one gets to hear the other things ).

BUT, and I guess this is a current peeve for me, this very method is what's causing me hassle at the moment. I have several songs that I suspect will be stunners... but they're not quite "finished" yet, or if they are, I don't have the technical expertise yet to figure out how to capture them on my own, without a "live" rhythm section...

Still, it's not that much of a "peeve" - I keep accidentally reminding myself that at least I have this backlog of almost complete songs, each of which, with a bit of work, will be very satisfying to look back on when I've managed to capture them


And, Kevin, I have the same problem if I use recording to work stuff out and then put it to one side as "this is pretty good, I'll come back to it" - wtf are all these tracks? What was I thinking while I was doing this?!!... Cos I'm buggered if I can hear the same thing now...

[Blooby]

When my gorgeous and very naked girlfriend walks in the room while I'm doing the perfect take.

Wait a second, I think I was dreaming that at some point.

Any-hoo, it's got to be time, time, time, and I'm talking about not having a lot of time as opposed to not keeping time. Hell, I've practically become a professional lurker here.  I pop in, check out a few songs, maybe comment on one or three, and then I'm out again (for this, I apologize). It's no accident that most of my posts are from a live band.  We get together once every so often, cut loose for a night, and then it's back to the mines.  Pffft.  I'm sure most of us are in similar situations, so I guess I'm just whining.


Oh, and my utter lack of discipline.  Bosko drove that point home while listening to his stuff. I wish some of his O.C.D. rubbed off on me (sounds erotic, no?). I'm a first or second take person because I simply must move onto the next thing, much of the time, to the tune's detriment.  The discipline to practice might be nice as well instead of doing my noodly bits.

Off to the mines. I'm a half hour late today. Stick it to the man!

Blooby

[Tony W]

Has anyone mentioned their day job as a pet peeve yet? Seriously, this whole getting paid thing is overrated and highly annoying. I maintain a commitment free life style other than the job.

I make no promises to spend my time on others, I avoid social engagement like the plague. I don't have children, nor do I anticipate having any. When my plans of doing nothing but music get interrupted..... I think I throw a temper tantrum. 

I think I can safely say that I meet the minimum expectations required to be a member of society. I wave at the neighbor down the road, if I know that he saw me looking his way. I force myself to partake in the "required" social events such as company Christmas parties and funerals. I continually strive to be the person that nobody invites to a wedding.

I've found a list of guidelines which work quite well for alienation.

         Step 1

      Be completely preoccupied with yourself and your own problems and those around you will quickly alienate themselves from you.

      Step 2

      Listen to others conversations only long enough to find an opening so you can talk more about yourself. This will offend people and make them feel unappreciated.

      Step 3

      Take credit for the work of others. This may be the quickest way to alienate a coworker.

      Step 4

      Put other people down just so you can feel better about yourself and soon no one will care how you feel.

      Step 5

      Refuse to let anyone help you and then complain that no one cares about you. This leaves people feeling frustrated and confused.

      Step 6

      Borrow money from friends, family or coworkers and never pay it back.

      Step 7

      Deny having borrowed the money when you are asked to repay it. This is probably the second quickest way to alienate those around you.

      Step 8

      Put someone on hold for an extended period of time and then tell them you don't have time to talk. This will leave a clear impression that your needs are much more important than theirs.

      Step 9

      Have loud personal conversations on your cell phone in any public place.

      Step 10

      Leave lengthy messages on answering machines that go on so long that the machine cuts off before you leave your number.

      Step 11

      Forget to shower. Body odor can be very offensive.

      Step 12

      Make sure you are in control of everything no matter what it is. This is a great way to tell others you have no faith in their ability to do anything right.

      Step 13

      Exaggerate everything and become highly emotional about it. Drama becomes tiresome very quickly and soon people will avoid talking to you.

      Step 14

      Ask for advice and then tell the person how stupid it is. Rudeness is a surefire way to alienate people.

      Step 15

      Change the channel half-way through a movie your friends or family are watching and then leave the room. Being this inconsiderate of others will get you all the alone time you want.

      Step 16

      Be late to everything especially if you planned the meeting or event yourself.

      Step 17

      Promise to keep a secret and then tell everyone you see. People who can't trust you will stop talking to you.

      Step 18

      Sulk if you don't get your way. Pouting can be very irritating to others.

      Step 19

      Be possessive or overwhelmingly needy. Either one will alienate everyone around you.

      Step 20

     Repeated Threadjacking...... sorry I did it again.

[The Gobi Desert Canoe Club]

Hi Tony, I now have your advise pinned to the wall at work although a colleague says I've always been like it. I also managed to alienate the maintainance man who now has to repair the wall.
Sound Advise. Willie