I like doing this to bands that are worth listening to. So everyone break down Opeth into their formulas, songwriting techniques and theories. Need some good discussion around here. I'll do mine later.
Present Opeth Theory
- Thread starter Ten SiSi
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all_sins_undone
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- Oct 5, 2005
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Opeth really aren't a formulaic band... (maybe some tracks on Deliverance and others on Ghost Reveries).
affinityband
Member
They most definatley have a formula/style of writing which are closely related. Acousitic Parts/distorted guitars/Riff after Riff structure/the mix of clean and brutal Vocals, The formula doesnt have an order though i dont reckon, but these things are included into most opeth songs ( excl. damnation). The song ideas all situate round this formula and is very typical writing style that Opeth Demonstrate.
all_sins_undone
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affinityband said:
Right, but that really isn't a formula. Thats just what they incorporate into their songwriting.
affinityband
Member
Think of a recipie. You need to include all the ingredients to end with say a cake, but for this particular cake ( say a nice easy victoria sponge cake loL!z!?!g`3!), not all the ingredients or processes have to be in order. Regardless, it is still a recipie that is used to create the cake evertime. And thats the closest thing your gunna get to a formula when describing bands, because obviously no band is going to say 'right, well, to make every song we are going to create, we have to do this cleanguitar/distortedguitar/back to cleanguitar/ etc etc'. But they will have certain guidlines that defines their style of writing, regardless of what order it is in. So in that sense Opeth do use (What we can describe) a 'formula' as the majority of the songs include these attributes (even if its not the true mathematic formula)
Monochrome
Multi-instrumentalist @ Sammetry
Well, I guess (and partly know) that Mikael has a talent of speaking with his guitar. He plays guitar for hours (in a day) and tries to express himself. When he thinks he did it, he brings the material in front of the guys. They all think of what best fits with this material and what is the most unexpected thing is... I guess this is the essence of Opeth's literally "perfect" music. They perfectly mix the usual things with the most unexpected and undone things.
Mikael writes the basics of songs and the others feel it. They add their own parts and here comes another masterpiece
The lyrics are a bit different from the Opeth's techinal progress, it seems to me. It's like, they all have something in mind and they tell it to Mikael. Then he express it in a way no one does. It's like a secret language only he knows; the language of extraordinary pain and unending grief... it seems his lyrics come out this way; even he's writing about god or his wife or his daughter or a sad story or something he experienced.
The lyrics and concepts of Opeth are really intimidatingly magical. Unlike the music you feel like everyone could write such lyrics, but deep inside (more than feeling) you know it can not be done. It's a unique "ability" of Opeth.
They are really born with these "skills"...
Mikael writes the basics of songs and the others feel it. They add their own parts and here comes another masterpiece
The lyrics are a bit different from the Opeth's techinal progress, it seems to me. It's like, they all have something in mind and they tell it to Mikael. Then he express it in a way no one does. It's like a secret language only he knows; the language of extraordinary pain and unending grief... it seems his lyrics come out this way; even he's writing about god or his wife or his daughter or a sad story or something he experienced.
The lyrics and concepts of Opeth are really intimidatingly magical. Unlike the music you feel like everyone could write such lyrics, but deep inside (more than feeling) you know it can not be done. It's a unique "ability" of Opeth.
They are really born with these "skills"...
all_sins_undone
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affinityband said:
No, you see, a recipe isn't a formula. One of the reasons I enjoy Opeth so much is because they don't use a formula. 99.9% of other, shitty, metal bands out there DO use a formula, which can explain their shittyness.
Your "so-called formula": "Acousitic Parts/distorted guitars/Riff after Riff structure/the mix of clean and brutal Vocals" can be used to describe acts like Agalloch, Edge of Sanity, Vintersorg, November's Doom and tonnes of others. This just proves that their really isn't a good formula for Opeth, which is just another one of their good attributes.
affinityband
Member
Formula is not something you can use as an accurate description towards bands, because no band will use the same 'formula' from song to song.
Formula: taken from the consise oxford dictionary.
''Set form of words, definition, enunciation of principle, statement prescribed for use on some occasion; rule unintelligently followed, conventional usage or belief whence. Recipie; principle serving to differences of aim or opinion. (Math) Rule or principle in algebraic symbols; (chem) expression by symbols of substances constituents; tabulation of certain facts by symbols and figures.''
Now what im saying is that when looked at the meaning of the word formula it cant be directly linked to music as whole because there is no set way of doing it unless you do it for every song. But my example was that it is the closest thing you can get to a formula, in terms of the ingredients( see description again under the (chem) and the recipie section).
Formula: taken from the consise oxford dictionary.
''Set form of words, definition, enunciation of principle, statement prescribed for use on some occasion; rule unintelligently followed, conventional usage or belief whence. Recipie; principle serving to differences of aim or opinion. (Math) Rule or principle in algebraic symbols; (chem) expression by symbols of substances constituents; tabulation of certain facts by symbols and figures.''
Now what im saying is that when looked at the meaning of the word formula it cant be directly linked to music as whole because there is no set way of doing it unless you do it for every song. But my example was that it is the closest thing you can get to a formula, in terms of the ingredients( see description again under the (chem) and the recipie section).
Black Paragon
Serenity Painted DEATH
- Feb 17, 2006
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NFU
I like pie.
i wouldnt say "formula" is the most accurate word to use...HOWEVER, they definitely have an archetype of distortion/clean growl/sing with just a varied pattern depending on the song. So as much as they can change it up, its nothing you cant hear on the previous record in most respects. Lets hope they have something entirely new up their sleeves for the next album, yes? yes.
x_OPETH_x
Member
An Absent Friend
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Sorry but I definitly don't think they have a formula or anything like that. Skills might have come from birth it's not the thing. The life is the biggest factor I thing for example Mikael got his guitar when he was so young with no pressure on him to practice ( From parents etc. )..He used to listen and collect music for a long time , so was into music for all youth. His lessons were bad probably 
Hmm , actually I couldn't emphasis the point. The point is that he used to listen music so much and also he listened too many kind of music probably. This gave the ability to write original - unique stuff. This is not only for Mikael for all musicians who could create their original music.
I think listening music the first and the basic level of writing music. This way the love of music and your influences can form. And this happened to Opeth probably.
And the lyrics , they are taken from life of course. For example the events made you the feelings in the limit like hate like love. For example maybe you listened at my Myspace which is www.myspace.com/moonloopaty. We have a song called Starship Virgo which I wrote. ( İn myspace there are 2 minutes of song seperatly , you might think its boring but its only one intrument there - not that full of feeling ). And come back to lyrics..Virgo was the name of a girl , I loved for 2 years..Anyway he lyrics are about me and this girl. Our homes are really near , and I had a dream one day. The dream is that I am sleeping in my room , I woke up and I see there is a cloud in the sky between our houses. I bring a ladder and I climb to cloud then I walk though it. At th end I jump to her roof and there I see there. LOL fuuny childish dream but this a inspriation for example. Maybe I can wrote about our first concept if you want.
Thanks.
Cheers.
Hmm , actually I couldn't emphasis the point. The point is that he used to listen music so much and also he listened too many kind of music probably. This gave the ability to write original - unique stuff. This is not only for Mikael for all musicians who could create their original music.
I think listening music the first and the basic level of writing music. This way the love of music and your influences can form. And this happened to Opeth probably.
And the lyrics , they are taken from life of course. For example the events made you the feelings in the limit like hate like love. For example maybe you listened at my Myspace which is www.myspace.com/moonloopaty. We have a song called Starship Virgo which I wrote. ( İn myspace there are 2 minutes of song seperatly , you might think its boring but its only one intrument there - not that full of feeling ). And come back to lyrics..Virgo was the name of a girl , I loved for 2 years..Anyway he lyrics are about me and this girl. Our homes are really near , and I had a dream one day. The dream is that I am sleeping in my room , I woke up and I see there is a cloud in the sky between our houses. I bring a ladder and I climb to cloud then I walk though it. At th end I jump to her roof and there I see there. LOL fuuny childish dream but this a inspriation for example. Maybe I can wrote about our first concept if you want.
Thanks.
Cheers.
all_sins_undone
New Metal Member
- Oct 5, 2005
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affinityband
Member
I Reckon/Hope that it wont be typical opeth on the next album. Something new and exciting and strange. I like strange.
Powers
Good Morning USA!
Opeth songs has almost always several instrumental parts built up by (i.e.) a riff that is repeated exactly 4 times.
(Then comes perhaps another riff, chord sequence or vocal part... again often repeated the same number of times.)
This is VERY typical of Opeth!
Later (newer) album songs has (partly) the same structure, but with the excellent difference that things are slightly changed, or parts are added, during the four repetitions.
The more varied these riffs/sequences are, the more you can appreciate that they are repeated four times.
But many early Opeth songs tend to become slightly booring when you sort of KNOW what'll come...
(Then comes perhaps another riff, chord sequence or vocal part... again often repeated the same number of times.)
This is VERY typical of Opeth!
Later (newer) album songs has (partly) the same structure, but with the excellent difference that things are slightly changed, or parts are added, during the four repetitions.
The more varied these riffs/sequences are, the more you can appreciate that they are repeated four times.
But many early Opeth songs tend to become slightly booring when you sort of KNOW what'll come...
affinityband said:
I want to hear another track along the lines of Silhouette. I love that track and surely it's more than possible now with Per. Even if its not purely piano, an instrumental track led by a Piano would be awesome.
JoeVice
Member
opeth avoids the cliche. every once in a while, a section will make me specifically think about a band or a style of music...like the rhythmic stuff in ghost of perdtion, very toolish...and the clean section in the moor has a camel vibe...but, opeth's personal stamp is always in front. they have many labels, and are influenced by all kinds of music...but they never play what they are labeled...and even in their most notoriously evident of rip-off moments, e.i. the intro to benighted, or master's apprentices...opeth's stamp still remains #1.
their song structure can be compared to almost any band in existence relative to the bands' styles. but, opeth's repertoire has a massive range looking from opposite ends of the spectrum...the heavy part in the moor is ruthless and twisted, while the middle is sweet and cuddly...there is a huge fucking difference between those sections...what they say are in no way related.
their personal playing styles are evident...they are the band's own cliche's...like that one drum beat thats in almost every song, and the strumming pattern thats in almost every song. bla bla bla
their song structure can be compared to almost any band in existence relative to the bands' styles. but, opeth's repertoire has a massive range looking from opposite ends of the spectrum...the heavy part in the moor is ruthless and twisted, while the middle is sweet and cuddly...there is a huge fucking difference between those sections...what they say are in no way related.
their personal playing styles are evident...they are the band's own cliche's...like that one drum beat thats in almost every song, and the strumming pattern thats in almost every song. bla bla bla
