Tag: Music Industry

Tips For Decorating Your Home; Music Edition

photos and posters hanging on the wall
Photo by cottonbro on Pexels.com

When it comes to decorating a home for a music lover, you’ve got options for what to do. This article is highlighting the ways to decorate any space with Switching Styles decorating tips!

Photo by Alina Vilchenko on Pexels.com

Music lovers are proud of their title. They love showing off their pride, their passion, and their prized vinyl record. Whatever music, musician, or medium you want to show off to the world is perfect. That level of artistic freedom does come with its downfalls. There are so many different things that you can do. Switching Styles is here to help.

Get Posters from Your Favourite Bands.

These are available on their websites or at their concerts. It’s always best to buy from the band as directly as you can. This not only makes them more money, but it lets them know that you enjoy their music. Switching Styles has highlighted some amazing bands that have fantastic merchandise. Musician merch such as WTHCNVCTN, Marc Van Der Meulen, Adrian Sutherland, and Misplaced Intentions, would make an amazing conversation piece in any home. Plus, this means supporting local economies and the local music industry.

Highlight Your Favourite Band Albums.

Even though most people listen to music online via Spotify, YouTube, or apple music, it doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the physical copies. There’s something more tangible to it. Whether you’re into With Ether, Swing’it Dixieband, Baby Metal, Morgan Wallen, Blackpink; nothing is stopping you from decorating the wall with them all side by side.

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Pexels.com

Decorate Your Home While Supporting Local Music Journalism.

Switching Styles has a huge amount of amazing artwork, and apparel for all those that live or work in the music industry. Check out these amazing pieces on Redbubble!

Make Your Own.

Use your artwork based on ticket stubs, selfies, and any kind of music mementos. Nobody is saying you must purchase anything at all to celebrate being a music lover. You can use oil paint and charcoal on a canvas based on how Asking Alexandria – Stand Up And Scream CD Album makes you feel.   There are always shadowboxes for collecting memories from your latest tour, or your favourite concert, or your first time in a mosh pit. If those aren’t your vibes, print out all the lyrics of your favourite album in tiny font. If the Bee movie can do it, so can AC/DC’s High Voltage Album!

Think Inside the Kitchen Drawers.

Even household items can be used as decorations. Use a music-themed Tumblr for your morning coffee! Get a pair of simple potholders and paint music notes on them or even lyrics to your favourite album. Put your lemon coke on top of gorgeous album coasters. Better yet, get photo coasters and use concert selfies or album art printouts. The possibilities are endless.

Think Outside of The Box.

You don’t have to only decorate your home with things that get hung up on a wall. There’s more space in your home such as shelves, mirrors, drawers, windows, doorknobs, anywhere you can think of. Put a crocheted set of The Beatles, and an Inflatable 80s Boombox alongside your stuffed animal collection for a colourful and bright addition.

Our Decorating Verdict

No matter what you do with the space, you must remember this important rule. There is no right way to decorate your room. Style it funky. Have straight edges. Have shag carpet on the walls. Display a cardboard cutout of Freddie Mercury. Get that Prophets of Rage – Prophets of Rage Signed Shepard Fairey Poster for the bathroom. Put up your Led Zeppelin cookie Jar.

Photo by Charlotte May on Pexels.com

This is your chance to create the way you feel in that room. This is you creating the vibe. Go for it! Oh, and don’t forget to show it off by tagging us on your socials.

Categories
Interviews Reviews

Interview With Notedead

Are you ready? Are you sure you’re ready for this? We don’t think you are, but you better get ready. Switching Styles has the answers you need with this interview with Notedead.

Introductions All Around!

Max Preuss (drums) and Trymer Martin (guitars/vocals) combine to form the band, Notedead. It all started where all great bands start, with a passion for music. The band found their start during the 2020 global COVID-19 pandemic, despite the hardships. Everything was rough. That didn’t stop them. For Notedead, this was a new beginning. The band formed in 2020 and has been rocking the world since.

Q&A Between Switching Styles and Notedead!

In an interview with switching styles, they’ve opened up about their band, their process, and their goals. Read below to get to know Notedead even better!

What is it about music that makes you feel passionate?

 Music emits emotion. I long to feel what the artist felt when they wrote the song and kind of experience it together. Music is also everywhere, from malls to elevators. And rhythm is in footsteps and your heartbeat, it’s everything.

 The emotions a song can put you through makes me feel alive

How did Notedead start and how did the Covid 19 Pandemic impact your band?

 Early on in Covid times when everything stopped and when we couldn’t jam with our bands Trymer started writing his own stuff and asked Max to write drums along with it. We both quickly realized that our writing for our respective instruments clicked together.

We started ripping out songs super-fast, so we decided to continue writing under our own band together which is Notedead.

How is being an Edmonton-based band impacted Notedead?

 It’s funny because only half of the band (Max) is Edmonton based and the other half (Trymer) is from Lacombe so it’s almost a long-distance type band relationship.

 The local music scene in Edmonton has a great group of people who support and encourage us, and we are forever grateful.

What inspired you to start playing and making music?

Trymer:

 Before I got into my own music I listened to my dad’s classic rock/metal, Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Foreigner, ZZ Top, etc. Anyways but I’m in grade 5 I had some project to do at school and there was another classmate who did his project, but his was on Sum 41 and it caught my eye, so I got the CD “all killer no filler” at a Walmart in Manitoba, and that cd changed me.

From there I adopted my first taste of music away from my parents and it inspired me to want to play guitar, the ball started rolling from there!

Max:

Rock band. I loved the game because I was able to some of jam along to my favorite songs while simultaneously learning a basic version of the drums. I got very good at that game, and it made my transition into real drums very easy.

My music teacher in junior high band class then asked if anybody knew how and I volunteered to learn some percussion. The rest is history, between drum lessons, drumming for my high school jazz band & winning jazz artist of the year, it’s safe to say I’m a real drummer now

What bands or genres inspire your sound?

 Counterparts, Napoleon, Dance Gavin Dance, to name a few… but it’s really so hard to say what inspires our sound, so many bands growing up shaped us into the musicians we are and what our preferences are as well.

We also use it a lot! Of dead notes haha

Describe your creative process when you write new music.

 We both write our music on Guitar Pro. being as we are far away from each other, and we both enjoy the punctualness we can read. Trymer usually comes up with the first riff and then sends it to Max and Max writes the drums and then we work together from there, writing the song section by section.

Sometimes there will be a pre-discussed idea before we start on our next track, but we always write song by song and never add too much to our plates.

What’s your favorite venue for performing? Why?

 We don’t play shows as we are only a 2 man band writing songs to share with people, but if we could Trymer would want to play the St. Andrews United Church in Lacombe as he used to play local punk shows there growing up (it’s kind of odd I know, but it was so much fun!) and Max wishes we could play at Polar Park Brewery in Edmonton but it unfortunately just closed down.

What are some of your current projects?

 Currently, we have some new music in the bank but nothing to confirm aside from our new album “Separate Paths”. However, Max is in 2 other bands, Withered Days and Sol Runner.

What advice would you give to musicians just starting?

 Listen to music as often as you can. Find something that you wish you could make your own and take that drive to make your own with your inspiration and feelings

 Don’t give up, you’re going to suck at times, but music is a lifelong partner if you let it be.

Is there anything you wanted to mention that I didn’t ask about?

 Yes, our new album ‘Separate Paths’ is out September 9th

Categories
Interviews Reviews

Featuring Notedead

This content was sponsored by Notedead. Thank you for supporting local music blogs like Switching Styles!!

Are you sure you’re ready for this? Are you ready for truly hardcore music? We don’t think you are, but you better get ready. Notedead is one of the most hardcore bands in the province, and they’re not stopping any time soon.

Introductions

The band formed in 2020 and has been rocking the world since. They’ve been releasing music since their debut in 2021 with the release of their Best Wishes EP. Then the single “Labyrinth” was released a year later.

Max Preuss (drums) and Trymer Martin (guitars/vocals) combine to form the band, Notedead. It all started where all great bands start, with a passion for music. Despite the hardships, the band found their start during the 2020 global COVID-19 pandemic. The covid pandemic was a tough time for Canadian musicians. Venues were closed. Live performances were limited. Finances for everyone were rough. Everything was rough. That didn’t stop them. For Notedead, this was a new beginning.

Getting Started.

Trymer started writing instrumental tracks solo during the quarantine. Channelling the pressure, uncertainty, and anxiety into the melodies, he created three of Notedead’s first songs. But something was missing, and that something was Max. As a drummer, Max had felt the impact of the pandemic firsthand. Trymer reached out and Max took to his role like a fish to water. They both quickly realized that their writing was an amazing match. That’s the exact moment that Notedead was created.

You may think you know the post-hardcore genre, but not like this. Max is a drummer, not only for Notedead but also for Withered Days and Sol Runner. His skill combined with Trymer’s artistry makes entirely unique music. This band brings something fresh to the post-hardcore genre. The band is inspired by classic rock and metal legends; Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, Foreigner, and ZZ Top. That’s not all. Notedead’s influences also include contemporary bands such as Counterparts, Napoleon, and Dance Gavin Dance. Notedead is breathing a new kind of life into the genre with its music.

“A dynamic, immersive, and progressive assimilation of heavy influences. Rangy guitars work that balances urgent and melodic astutely and a pummeling vocal delivery intertwines deftly with the instrumental unit”

Raves Katie from Carry The 4 PR.

Their Music

This post-hardcore Canadian band is bringing out all the stops in their music. Notedead is bringing forth impressive drums, emotive lyrics, and an emotional connection to each one of its listeners. All their music has such a profound level of depth to it. Each note, each strum, and each word have a meaning and a purpose. That purpose is to connect with the listener within that moment.

Their most recent release is an album called “Separate Paths.” This album of 11 hardcore songs has been available as of September 9, 2022. Not even one of the album’s songs is flat when it comes to emotions. The songs all tell a story of humanity and share a part of the human condition. Pain, anger, joy, rage, and misery, it’s all there in their music.

Notedead is aiming to be one of the greats coming from right here in Edmonton, Alberta. The goal was never to impress people. It never has been. It’s been about the music. The real goal is to write great music that speaks to the human heart. Find their music online on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, and Bandcamp.

Check them out and let us know what you think!!
Categories
Interviews Reviews Switching styles

Advice For Musicians By Musicians

From a dream to action, it’s hard to know where to even start when it comes to building a career. Especially when that career is as subjective and ever-changing as the music business. Here is some advice for musicians that are just starting out, musicians that are in a funk, or long-standing musicians looking for more tips.

Switching Styles has collected the advice given by musicians throughout the site. Below is an easy and inspirational guide for that advice.

Advice For Musicians

What advice for musicians do you have for our audience?