What Ingredients do you NEED in your Prog?

For instance,

I NEED a great drummer.  Not just chops, but one who can make me believe he is not playing to a click track (even if he is) and can play fluidly across odd meters or make me feel like he is truly inside the music, not just keeping time, but playing into the music melodically and conceptually.

I NEED the melodic instruments like keys and guitars to work together, not compete against one another or walk all over one another.  I like them to understand composition and be comfortable leaving space also.

I NEED a bassist who is not a former or failed guitar player.  One who listens to the drummers foot and links that to the melodic line in a way that makes me feel he or she is in touch with both equally.

If there is a singer, I NEED the vocals to move me with character and unique intonation.  I don't want the vocalist to make me think they are copying someone's style.  They need to convince me that they are feeling the lyric or are making sounds with their voice that represent something they are feeling in their own way. 

I NEED the band to sound like they are playing together in real time (even if they are not)
I don't need a recording of the band to make me visualize that they are experts at editing on a computer. 

I NEED to know the band is actually a band that can properly represent themselves in a live situation.

These are critical things I need.  But I know I am a tough sell,

What do you need or not need in your Prog?

Skullhead wrote: For instance, I NEED a great drummer.  Not just chops, but one who can make me believe he is not playing to a click track (even if he is) and can play fluidly across odd meters or make me feel like he is truly inside the music, not just keeping time, but playing into the music melodically and conceptually. I NEED the melodic instruments like keys and guitars to work together, not compete against one another or walk all over one another.  I like them to understand composition and be comfortable leaving space also. I NEED a bassist who is not a former or failed guitar player.  One who listens to the drummers foot and links that to the melodic line in a way that makes me feel he or she is in touch with both equally. If there is a singer, I NEED the vocals to move me with character and unique intonation.  I don't want the vocalist to make me think they are copying someone's style.  They need to convince me that they are feeling the lyric or are making sounds with their voice that represent something they are feeling in their own way.  I NEED the band to sound like they are playing together in real time (even if they are not) I don't need a recording of the band to make me visualize that they are experts at editing on a computer.  I NEED to know the band is actually a band that can properly represent themselves in a live situation. These are critical things I need.  But I know I am a tough sell, What do you need or not need in your Prog?

I NEED a combination of the atmosphere of Strawberry Fields Forever and the guitar solo a la Jimi Hendrix; that's prog actually, lol.

Edited by Svetonio - January 24 2015 at 18:56

I don't need prog. But it's still a good thing.

I don't need metal, I need variety, I don't need technical expertise, I need a touch of the ridiculous, I don't need clever lyrics, I need a double live album, I don't need to go on, I need to stop.

Barbu wrote: Cowbells

More cowbells.


Edited by Stool Man - January 19 2015 at 03:42

Three things: intensity, beauty and adventure.

I need good guitar if I'm going to like a band. Acoustic or electric; it doesn't matter. It doesn't need to be in every song but it's hard for me to get into a band without a strong guitarist. I also need lyrics that deviate from love, sex and violence more often than not. These are part of life but come on, there is so much more to be curious about!

I need music that connects with me, there's no prescribed mix of instrumentation or styles. It can be pure electronic, Chamber, rock instrumentation, instrumental, vocal, whatever as long as it connects.

Nogbad_The_Bad wrote: I need music that connects with me, there's no prescribed mix of instrumentation or styles. It can be pure electronic, Chamber, rock instrumentation, instrumental, vocal, whatever as long as it connects.

Can't think of any ingredient that has to be present.  

Edited by Saperlipopette! - January 19 2015 at 13:00