As the title says, what bands and songs influence your playing/songwriting the most?
and give reasons.
and give reasons.
What songs/bands influence your playing/songwriting the most?
- Thread starter Matt
- Start date
Jaen
Member
hmm, i dunno about playing since i've never actually taken the time to fully learn a song or solo, but songwriting the biggest influences are probably Vintersorg, Borknagar, Death, Wintersun, Winds and Adagio (the last two because of all the piano stuff invovled). Dan Swanö is also a pretty big influence.
Jaen
Member
Kenneth R.
Cináed
Thirdeyeblind. No joke. They prove that simplicity in music doesn't mean the song is simple in concept or depth.
Zero Hour. They question the roles of guitar and drums, and often switch them.
Mostly Autumn. Is there a more atmospheric band on the planet?
Marillion. Amazing songwriters.
Nightingale/Unicorn. Same as 3eb, and Dan Swanö is my hero.
Pain of Salvation. Music is much more than music.
Riverside/Pink Floyd. Smooth, ambient guitar lines set an amazing backdrop.
Agalloch. Folk metal masters.
Ulver. See above. Also one of the most evolving bands out there.
These and more influence my style.
Zero Hour. They question the roles of guitar and drums, and often switch them.
Mostly Autumn. Is there a more atmospheric band on the planet?
Marillion. Amazing songwriters.
Nightingale/Unicorn. Same as 3eb, and Dan Swanö is my hero.
Pain of Salvation. Music is much more than music.
Riverside/Pink Floyd. Smooth, ambient guitar lines set an amazing backdrop.
Agalloch. Folk metal masters.
Ulver. See above. Also one of the most evolving bands out there.
These and more influence my style.
Tubbs
Bi-weekly top album:
Meshuggah, because I like polyrhythms.
Opeth, because I like their overall sound.
Morbid Angel, because of their blastbeats and strangeness.
Dream Theater, because of their complexity.
Just recently, Ulver, because of their stylistic change which they still manage to sound good in.
That's all I can think of for now. I'll edit the post and add more later if I remember anything.
EDIT: (of course)
Emperor, especially their earlier albums, because of the atmosphere.
Cryptopsy, because of the drummer and complexity of the music.
King Diamond, because of the melodics and for King Diamond's silly falsetto voice.
Behemoth, because of their ridiculous heaviness in their later albums.
Dan Swanö, because he is Dan Swanö.
Lastly, Green Carnation, and only because I also want to make a massive 60-minute song.
Opeth, because I like their overall sound.
Morbid Angel, because of their blastbeats and strangeness.
Dream Theater, because of their complexity.
Just recently, Ulver, because of their stylistic change which they still manage to sound good in.
That's all I can think of for now. I'll edit the post and add more later if I remember anything.
EDIT: (of course)
Emperor, especially their earlier albums, because of the atmosphere.
Cryptopsy, because of the drummer and complexity of the music.
King Diamond, because of the melodics and for King Diamond's silly falsetto voice.
Behemoth, because of their ridiculous heaviness in their later albums.
Dan Swanö, because he is Dan Swanö.
Lastly, Green Carnation, and only because I also want to make a massive 60-minute song.
Jaen said:
Right now,my playing has been influenced alot by Bal Sagoth, Dimmu Borgir, Opeth, Zyklon, and Symphony X. Most of these bands use heavy keyboards to create really powerful songs to go along with heavy guitars. Dream Theater influences me alot drumming wise, as does Bal Sagoth and SymX of course.
Kenneth R.
Cináed
CantoX
Member
Usually, it's Dream Theater and Symphony X that influence my playing and writing, but lately, I've been trying to write more in between the lines of Kamelot and alot of thrashier stuff, like Gamma Ray, Savage Circus, and just faster and more raw.
Yngvai X
Dark Emperor
my three biggest writing influences would have to be:
Symphony X - for the guitar work and progisms
Rage - for the groove and thrashy riffs
Children of Bodom - for the attitude and guitar melodies
Lately I've found I've been inspired by bands like Freak Kitchen, King Crimson, old Genesis, Nevermore, Kreator, and Sodom as well.
Symphony X - for the guitar work and progisms
Rage - for the groove and thrashy riffs
Children of Bodom - for the attitude and guitar melodies
Lately I've found I've been inspired by bands like Freak Kitchen, King Crimson, old Genesis, Nevermore, Kreator, and Sodom as well.
Tubbs
Bi-weekly top album:
^ That's exactly what I do.
+1, Except the bands I mentioned are a little more influential than some others.
+1, Except the bands I mentioned are a little more influential than some others.
greenaxer
Knight of the Templar
For the longest time, Dream Theater has been my primary influence in writing. There is so much depth to their compositions, with sounds you might not pick up on without repeated listens, and their music is so unpredictable that it makes for a fun and wild listening experience.
Also:
Symphony X for their mix of classical, metal and melodic
Rush for their fine balance of technical patterns with great hooks, and Alex Lifeson's riff and texture oriented style
Savatage for their ability to create musical "stories" with great drama, melody, and killer hard rock
Dredg for their adventurous, experimental nature and ability to weave beautiful, almost ambient soundscapes with a rockin' edge
Also:
Symphony X for their mix of classical, metal and melodic
Rush for their fine balance of technical patterns with great hooks, and Alex Lifeson's riff and texture oriented style
Savatage for their ability to create musical "stories" with great drama, melody, and killer hard rock
Dredg for their adventurous, experimental nature and ability to weave beautiful, almost ambient soundscapes with a rockin' edge
Tubbs
Bi-weekly top album:
Anonymous
L'Étranger
Symphony X - V
Evergrey - In Search Of Truth
Queensrÿche - Operation Mindcrime
Ayreon - The Universal Migrator (two albums)
Well, you can probably see the pattern here: they all are concept albums. I love them.
Evergrey - In Search Of Truth
Queensrÿche - Operation Mindcrime
Ayreon - The Universal Migrator (two albums)
Well, you can probably see the pattern here: they all are concept albums. I love them.
Eternal Dragon
1337AD
I don't have influences when I write piano stuff. For guitar i've used a lot of symX style stuff with rests etc, but not much of my stuff resembles anything i've heard b4.
7GodlessTongues
Member
- Jun 28, 2006
- 167
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1. Dream Theater/John Petrucci: A lot of times after I write something, I think to myself "wow, this sounds a lot like DT."
2. Nevermore: One of the main reasons I primarily play a 7-string guitar, and I really dig Loomis' all-out shredding.
3. Megadeth: I love Mustaine's complex and intricate rhythms, which is something I try to incorporate into my music.
4. Symphony X: Michael Romeo's playing inspires me to write things in strange time signatures, or just riffs that are heavy as ****.
2. Nevermore: One of the main reasons I primarily play a 7-string guitar, and I really dig Loomis' all-out shredding.
3. Megadeth: I love Mustaine's complex and intricate rhythms, which is something I try to incorporate into my music.
4. Symphony X: Michael Romeo's playing inspires me to write things in strange time signatures, or just riffs that are heavy as ****.
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