Form a Metalcore Band
Some of us in the growing up in the 90's and 2000s are growing up on a genre of music that is distinct and different from anything else. This genre is known as metalcore and is something to almost all of us. This is a guide on how to form a Metalcore band remember you don't have to follow this, but you can always use it as foundations for your band.
Steps
- Assign Instruments in Rock Band you play. If you are good at drums, drum. If you've got the aggressive vocals and ability to scream, sing.
- Before you do anything else make sure you can read Tableture and Sheet music
- Now it's time to Start a Band when Your Friends Aren't Interested. always look for friends that have decent skill with an instrument and time for the band. IF you can't, look around the internet for musicians in your area.
- Start to practice and get better at your music. Once you're good enough you can start to write your own music. It is suggested that you start out covering other metalcore bands to get a feeling for the genre. Start with Hatebreed, Converge or I Am War.
- Find a Vocalist. A good vocalist is important.He should be able to perform screams at an enjoyable level using correct technique. The screams should fit the music and mood. Avoid inhale screaming.
- Get a Lead Guitarist. Needless to say lead guitar is vital to your metalcore band. He should be able to play solos and pretty much know his way around his guitar.
- Get a Rhythm Guitarist. The rhythm guitarist, or what I like to call 2nd guitar is usually misconceived as the "the other guy". Musicians looking to be in metalcore bands need to realize 2nd guitar is extremely important in this genre and most metal and rock in general. They don't have to just play the power chords from the chorus. They give the guitar parts harmony and maybe a tad dissonance (which is good for the genre!). They are like Yin and Yang (as it relates to the driving force of metalcore which is the guitars). But even if you're rhythm guitarist isn't at the same level as lead, it's a great way to have him learn new stuff along the way without embarrassing himself live.
- Find a Bassist. Some also might think bass is "just another guitarist", but in metalcore, bass is vital almost more vital than lead guitar! It gives us the "oomph". You know. The heavy feel. Metalcore is heavy music so you need bass! The bassist is also the 2nd biggest part of a BREAKDOWN! And even if you don't know how to play incredibly fast bass parts (it would be cool if you could though), all you need is a sense beat and good strumming.
- Get a Drummer. A good drummer is normally what you NEED to worry about when starting a metalcore band. He NEEDS to know double bass. Although, he doesn't need to overdo it or need to know how to do it insanely fast (but it's good if he does know), but it's a skill every drummer in the genre use. But if your drummer sucks at double bass. fret not! You could always try an Underoath kind of style. No double bass. More kind of a hardcore punk feel. Your drummer is also the most important part of a breakdown. Bass is next. Then guitars. FOLLOW DRUMS!
- (Optional) Expand your range of sounds Play Rock Keyboard. Synthesizers and programmed laptop beats are becoming more commonplace in this style of music. Current purveyors of Electronicore are Asking Alexandria and Enter Shikari from England, Motionless in White and Attack Attack! from the United States and We Butter the Bread with Butter from Germany. While they and others groups use keyboards in different ways, if you want to include electronics in your band, listen to these bands to understand their appeal.
Tips
- Blood-curdling screams are most effective put together with more melodic sounds. But you can vary between sounds until you find the desired effect you are after.
- Another good set of Metalcore bands for guitarists to listen to are As I Lay Dying and Trivium, sometimes they are pretty advanced but when you get it down and become in sync with the rest of a band it creates a very melodic feel. The reason guitarists would want to listen to them is because they have a good mixture of hard legato tapping and sweep picking, and the solos are pretty epic.
- Many metalcore bands take use of clean vocals, like Killswitch Engage, Memphis May Fire, Miss May I, and All That Remains. Either find a vocalist who can scream and sing, or a band member who can sing while playing their instrument, if you want some clean vocals in your music.
- Look at these bands for a more "Hardcore" Metalcore bands: I Killed The Prom Queen, The Hunt For Ida Wave, Emmure, Converge, Bring Me the Horizon and Parkway Drive.
- Also listen to bands such as Whitechapel, Suicide Silence, Misericordiam and Veil of Maya. (for a more Deathcore sound)
- Look at these bands for a more "Metal" Metalcore Band: The Number 12 Looks Like You, Killswitch Engage & Unearth.
- You don't always need a rhythm guitarist. A good lead guitarist can sometimes cover the role of 2 guitarists using several techniques such as using a loop pedal playing riffs that have a more full sound. Listen to bands with one guitarist, such as Veil of Maya, for inspiration.
- Look at these bands for a traditional metalcore sound: Parkway Drive, Converge, Hatebreed, Throwdown, Integrity and Earth Crisis.
- Never be afraid to sound different! Metalcore is a very diverse genre, and can lead towards Hardcore Punk, lean more towards Metal, or sometimes even take on a Melodic Death Metal feel! Never try to sound the same as every other band of this genre. It is important to be original.
Warnings
- NEVER take the words of "true" metalheads seriously. They will try to bring down your band, but don't let them get you down.
- The vocalist MUST know how to do "death growls/screams" the right way or ELSE he could blow out his vocals. Use your diaphragm.
Things You'll Need
- A Vocalist who knows how to properly scream. Preferably one who can scream in different ways for more variety.
- A Lead Guitarist. Preferably one who can play fast riffs and can solo.
- A Rhythm Guitarist (optional, although metalcore bands typically have a rhythm guitarist).
- A Bassist is expected to join as he will be adding a more full sound.
- A Drummer. Preferably one who can play double bass.
- A Keyboardist (optional), who can program & play music in live situations.
- A Clean Vocalist (optional). This could either be the screaming vocalist who can also sing, or a band member (usually a guitarist or bassist) who can sing while playing their instrument.
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