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Posted by: thefireball Feb 20 2012, 06:48 AM

I've listened to my favorite guitar songs many times and I think sometimes things are copied and pasted. It sounds exactly the same on some guitar parts - even some of the vocals sound exactly the same. Easier to hear in metal because of the scream(s) being exactly the same. Is this recommended? I always record my guitars again and change it up so people can't say it was copied and pasted. If you have a good ear - and I know we musicians do mostly at least - it's not that hard to miss if you listen to something long enough.

Your thoughts??

Posted by: Sinisa Cekic Feb 20 2012, 01:09 PM

If we consider that the entire music world has only 12 half-tones, what can we expect
In this case it's, in fact, influence. As is normal. Many artists are not trying to escape from it, and that follows them through their career - as a good or a bad copy of his role models. The more you listening to various artist - you'll have more material for analysis and processing, on that way you building your style. You played identically solo as a someone there? It doesn't matter, but play it with a different feel, add some of your phrases, and it will pass. Influence still will be seen,but that will not be literally copy- paste.
We all have our own role models - but, how much you are wiling to enter YOUR personal emotion and expression trough it - that much you will have your own style..
One more thing: on a live gigs when we play covers, I never played the original solo section, from t to t. ever! I always like to play it on my own way, the way I like it, no matter what someone will say - hey, it's not like the original. Well, this is much better, I replied.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 20 2012, 05:22 PM

When recording guitars I never copy and paste anything.. it all gets recorded. I'll cut into tracks and re-record over mistakes but I think everyone does that.

However, I have started noticing more vocal lines that are exactly the same. I think a lot of choruses get pasted these days. If you listen to the last Metallica and Megadeth records, most of the choruses are pasted as the vocal lines are exactly the same with the same nuances. That dissapoints me quite a bit but hey, what can ya do ?

Posted by: thefireball Feb 20 2012, 05:28 PM

Yeah, that's what I'm talking about.

Posted by: Marcus Desaiha Feb 20 2012, 05:51 PM

I know what you mean, and I think it depends. Alot of times when I record I'm on a very tight schedule, so I tend to copy paste things such as basic guitar chords(ex. Backing) to save time. Vocals are important as hell not to copy and paste, they make a huge diffrance in a song, and the colour of the voice changes in every take you make, hence to make the song flow and come to life the vocals should never be copy pasted! But that is just my own opinion, and for that to work it would take you alot more time to record the vocals!

You have to take in account that the voice are muscles working togheter, and fatigue is something you can't escape as a singer.
Every take you make the voice graduately becomes worse and worse, hence copy pasting would be the only solution if you want to be time-efficient and get the first good takes. Especially as a singer in Metallica or Megadeth.

Posted by: Ben Higgins Feb 20 2012, 06:59 PM

Yeah I agree that vox are important. In some genres, vox samples that are re-used is part of the sound, like Electronica etc but for traditional metal, it's a bit too noticeable.

I also understand why they do it, like you just said. Time saving and tiredness. Sometimes it takes forever to get that good take and when they get it, they hold onto it and use it again.

Posted by: Alex Feather Feb 21 2012, 07:03 PM

Hey man! Good question!
I have been working at studios for many years now and I always copy and paste rhythm parts and some repetitive melodies
I don't do that for solos tho!
When you are recording guitar on a major studio where one hour cost $400+ producers usually very strict on time so quicker you do your part better it is!
When I started recording guitar I was recording every part but after a while there is no point doing it!
For example when we did Rihanna song I only played verse and chorus it's all copy and paste! Song sold 500K copies.
Vocal is a totally different thing and I wouldn't copy and paste it because listener always can tell!