Video:Matthew Koma: Finding a Unique Sound

Transcript:Matthew Koma: Finding a Unique Sound

What do you feel is the best way to avoid sounding too much like your musical heroes, whether it's Springsteen or Don Henley or whoever -- trying to work that influence enough out of your music that you're keeping it your own?

First Mimic Influences to Find a Unique Sound

I think that's something that just comes with time because at first, like anything, you mimic, I mean when you're a kid, you're mimicking your parents' words – you know, that's kind of how you learn to do anything.  Right?  You're reacting to your surroundings.  You're reacting to what you're exposed to. So, I think it's the same with the process of writing or recording or producing music that, at first, you have these reference points, there are these kind of road maps that you're following, that you're meant to follow and at some point you learn how to make your left turn or how to go this way. 

Break the Rules to Find a Unique Sound

But, I think you need to mimic, and I think you need to kind of trace those steps to really understand what they are and figure them out and see how they fit for yourself before you really know how to break them.  It almost learning the rules so you can break them, so I think it's important actually to go through that phase of writing songs that maybe are melodically reminiscent of your biggest influence, or lyrically or going for something that you heard from an artist that you love and listen to 'cause it kind of gives you the insight to maybe – ok, that's how they got to that place, how do I apply that to what I do now.  Funny enough, I do think the uniqueness comes through studying and mimicking to some degree at first.

• Matthew Koma's Official Site: http://www.matthewkoma.com
• Listen to Matthew's Parachute EP: http://phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=528699766