CreedFeed Community - View Single Post - Guitar virtuoso Troy Stetina speaks about Creed

Bridge of Clay · 01-10-2004, 10:20 PM

The following was taken from www.stetina.com board. For those who don't know him, Troy Stetina is a guitar virtuoso that gave Mark lessons last year. He released a few records, but he's not mainstream. He also wrote several books and articles about learning guitar.

http://www.stetina.com/cgi-bin/ikonb...um=4&topic=178

Quote: I would expect that most of the guitarists here wouldn't be Creed fans for 2 reasons. First, the songs are dominated by vocal/lyric and the guitar is by and large in a supporting role (and there's no shred... yet, anyway). Second, I think most of the people attracted to shred guitar tend to be a 'counter-trend' bunch... that is to say, many here are more attracted to underground things and less popular things precisely because they run counter to mainstream taste. Nothing wrong with that... you want to stand apart from the bunch. Of course Creed is on top of the heap in terms of mainstream, and therefore it's no surprise that it's popular among the counter-trend to bash them... or at least to demote them to a lower importance than popular music has elevated them. Or course, if you realize that their 'importance' isn't due to being 'the best'... it is due to sales pure and simple... then you may feel less inclined to 'set the record straight' and demote them. The fact is that the people have spoken with their wallets and they have made Creed the monstrous success that it is. So there really is nothing to 'set straight'.... it is what it is, and they get precisely the amount of attention they deserve in a market economy.

So, can anyone here can honestly say that they aren't good at what they do? The style may not be your personal preference, but it is well done. If you think that's easy, just go ahead and try to write a song as good as 'Higher'. Ya know, *playing* a hit song is hardly the same thing as writing one!

Now if you CAN honestly say that you don't hear anything 'good' about the band... if you don't even glimpse the attraction... if you don't 'get it'... if you listen to 'Higher' and do NOT notice that it's a well-arranged song with a great hook, then, by definition there is something missing in your perception. I mean, obviously there is an attraction that the majority of people have verified as being valid. So if you cannot see it at all... if it totally mystifies you why they are successful, I would suggest that you get used to the idea that you do not understand public taste, and therefore your music will most likely not have any widespread appeal beyond musicians. (Except for the most fortunate of accidents! I mean, you cannot succeed by design if you cannot design success.) Listening with a more open mind and asking yourself "What is going on here that people are so into?", would result in a fuller appreciation of the positives. Then, one might be set on a path to a wider audience.

Many of you will respond, "I don't care about mainstream success." That's fine, but in that case don't complain 10 years down the road when you're still playing in your bedroom part time because you have to a work full time job to pay the mortgage and put food on the table for your 2 1/2 kids. That's where most musicians are, because it's extremely hard to make a living in music. So music is either a hobby you do on the side, or you become a full time leach on those more productive around you who will pay your bills for you. Now the bigger your potential market is, the more likely you are to accomplish the ability to make a living at it. The trick is to do it in a way that ALSO satisfies you artistically.

My 2 cents...

Troy

01-10-2004, 10:20 PM	#1
Bridge of Clay USER INFO » Status: Tree of Wisdom Posts: 8,025 Joined: Sep 2002 Currently: Offline	Guitar virtuoso Troy Stetina speaks about Creed The following was taken from www.stetina.com board. For those who don't know him, Troy Stetina is a guitar virtuoso that gave Mark lessons last year. He released a few records, but he's not mainstream. He also wrote several books and articles about learning guitar. http://www.stetina.com/cgi-bin/ikonb...um=4&topic=178 Quote: I would expect that most of the guitarists here wouldn't be Creed fans for 2 reasons. First, the songs are dominated by vocal/lyric and the guitar is by and large in a supporting role (and there's no shred... yet, anyway). Second, I think most of the people attracted to shred guitar tend to be a 'counter-trend' bunch... that is to say, many here are more attracted to underground things and less popular things precisely because they run counter to mainstream taste. Nothing wrong with that... you want to stand apart from the bunch. Of course Creed is on top of the heap in terms of mainstream, and therefore it's no surprise that it's popular among the counter-trend to bash them... or at least to demote them to a lower importance than popular music has elevated them. Or course, if you realize that their 'importance' isn't due to being 'the best'... it is due to sales pure and simple... then you may feel less inclined to 'set the record straight' and demote them. The fact is that the people have spoken with their wallets and they have made Creed the monstrous success that it is. So there really is nothing to 'set straight'.... it is what it is, and they get precisely the amount of attention they deserve in a market economy. So, can anyone here can honestly say that they aren't good at what they do? The style may not be your personal preference, but it is well done. If you think that's easy, just go ahead and try to write a song as good as 'Higher'. Ya know, playing a hit song is hardly the same thing as writing one! Now if you CAN honestly say that you don't hear anything 'good' about the band... if you don't even glimpse the attraction... if you don't 'get it'... if you listen to 'Higher' and do NOT notice that it's a well-arranged song with a great hook, then, by definition there is something missing in your perception. I mean, obviously there is an attraction that the majority of people have verified as being valid. So if you cannot see it at all... if it totally mystifies you why they are successful, I would suggest that you get used to the idea that you do not understand public taste, and therefore your music will most likely not have any widespread appeal beyond musicians. (Except for the most fortunate of accidents! I mean, you cannot succeed by design if you cannot design success.) Listening with a more open mind and asking yourself "What is going on here that people are so into?", would result in a fuller appreciation of the positives. Then, one might be set on a path to a wider audience. Many of you will respond, "I don't care about mainstream success." That's fine, but in that case don't complain 10 years down the road when you're still playing in your bedroom part time because you have to a work full time job to pay the mortgage and put food on the table for your 2 1/2 kids. That's where most musicians are, because it's extremely hard to make a living in music. So music is either a hobby you do on the side, or you become a full time leach on those more productive around you who will pay your bills for you. Now the bigger your potential market is, the more likely you are to accomplish the ability to make a living at it. The trick is to do it in a way that ALSO satisfies you artistically. My 2 cents... Troy __________________ .:: "If people don't like guitar solos... then they're frikkin' stupid!" - Mark Tremonti ::.