The Sims™ 4 Music Expansion Pack
Hey, I've seen a lot of music-related topics here but all of them were about bands so I decided to give my idea of something that would be larger than bands and worthy of an expansion pack instead of a game pack, and before you say anything - hear me out.
Music is something that makes our life better, I can't imagine a life without music, all those sounds that were being created for centuries have always been something that people liked. The music industry over the years has gotten so much more attention and is currently one of the highest-paid industries in the world. Making a game pack only about bands would be such a missed opportunity.
For starters, I think that there should be three ways of gameplay: solo, group, or band.
Bands and groups will have the ability to practice together and groups will be able to harmonize.
You can leave a certain group or band and go solo anytime you want.
There should be also a new management menu that would allow us to:
Besides that, there should be two new traits connected to singing and performing giving a little advantage when singing and performing and three new skills: classical singing, contemporary singing, songwriting, and one hidden skill called performing. Also, a new skill for the new instrument - drums, obviously.
Classical singing is something that allows our Sims to be opera singers, they will be able to practice it by going on paid vocal lessons or by themselves (but this way is less effective and can harm/strain the voice easily). They can go and audition for a job and depending on their classical singing skill, they might be accepted and work in the opera (rabbit hole).
Contemporary singing is right now one of the most popular ways of singing and that is the type of singers that record labels want. Sims can learn contemporary singing the same way as classical singing - by going on paid vocal lessons or by themselves (but this way is less effective and can harm/strain the voice easily). Solo, groups, or bands can record covers of certain songs and then post them on the internet. Depending on their skills and ways of promotion, they will gain recognition, and the bigger their recognition is and the hype over the cover, the bigger the chance a record label will call them and offer them a certain record deal. Another way of getting into a record label would be to record a demo of an original song and wait for the response of a certain record label. Record labels will have two types: Major and Indie.
Major labels will be all about profit and domination in the music market.
+ you will gain a lot more recognition, fame, and money
+ your songs will get higher on the charts (also with a big chance of achieving 1st place)
+ your music will be of very high quality and you will have access to the best recording studios in the new world for free
+ concerts and concert tours expenses will be paid for by your label
- you will have less control over the music (they will tell you what you need to do to complete the requirements included in the contract, for example, release 5 songs in the R&B genre, which also will be finally added)
- they will own all songs that were created by you during the time under that label (if you released a song and you will leave that label you will not be able to sing it at concerts and any money etc.)
- they will take a certain % out of your earnings
- they will schedule concerts and concert tours for you, whenever they want
Indie labels will be more artist-friendly but also will be less important in the music market.
+ you will have full control over your music
+ you will own all your songs
- it will be harder for you to go on top of the charts (but this depends more on recognition and fame levels)
- you will gain less recognition, fame, and money
- all expenses will have to be paid by you
There will be an option to negotiate a major record deal and if the major record label agrees with you (depends on your recognition level and fame), a certain disadvantage will be removed. So for example, if you decided that you want to negotiate control over your music, if successful, you will have control over your music in the major label.
Recording music
You can record music and release it anytime you want, even if you don't have a record deal with a major label but remember that an expensive recording studio will give you higher quality songs but also will be indeed, very expensive.
Performing
You can perform anywhere and anytime you want but you can also schedule a concert or concert tour (even if you don't have a record deal with a major label but this will be very, very expensive). There will be a special menu that will list all available places for you to book, as well as a new venue called stadium (similar to The Sims 3) that will be a big arena in which our global stars will be able to sing and perform. There will be new group dances for groups and singers.
So, in conclusion, in case you don't want to read all of it.
Music is something that makes our life better, I can't imagine a life without music, all those sounds that were being created for centuries have always been something that people liked. The music industry over the years has gotten so much more attention and is currently one of the highest-paid industries in the world. Making a game pack only about bands would be such a missed opportunity.
For starters, I think that there should be three ways of gameplay: solo, group, or band.
Bands and groups will have the ability to practice together and groups will be able to harmonize.
You can leave a certain group or band and go solo anytime you want.
There should be also a new management menu that would allow us to:
- manage the members of our group or band
- see our recognition level with the number of fans
- change the name of our singer/group/band
- view all released music and see which place it took on the charts
- schedule (and view already scheduled) concerts and concert tours
- display of the current record label with the description of advantages and disadvantages
Besides that, there should be two new traits connected to singing and performing giving a little advantage when singing and performing and three new skills: classical singing, contemporary singing, songwriting, and one hidden skill called performing. Also, a new skill for the new instrument - drums, obviously.
Classical singing is something that allows our Sims to be opera singers, they will be able to practice it by going on paid vocal lessons or by themselves (but this way is less effective and can harm/strain the voice easily). They can go and audition for a job and depending on their classical singing skill, they might be accepted and work in the opera (rabbit hole).
Contemporary singing is right now one of the most popular ways of singing and that is the type of singers that record labels want. Sims can learn contemporary singing the same way as classical singing - by going on paid vocal lessons or by themselves (but this way is less effective and can harm/strain the voice easily). Solo, groups, or bands can record covers of certain songs and then post them on the internet. Depending on their skills and ways of promotion, they will gain recognition, and the bigger their recognition is and the hype over the cover, the bigger the chance a record label will call them and offer them a certain record deal. Another way of getting into a record label would be to record a demo of an original song and wait for the response of a certain record label. Record labels will have two types: Major and Indie.
Major labels will be all about profit and domination in the music market.
+ you will gain a lot more recognition, fame, and money
+ your songs will get higher on the charts (also with a big chance of achieving 1st place)
+ your music will be of very high quality and you will have access to the best recording studios in the new world for free
+ concerts and concert tours expenses will be paid for by your label
- you will have less control over the music (they will tell you what you need to do to complete the requirements included in the contract, for example, release 5 songs in the R&B genre, which also will be finally added)
- they will own all songs that were created by you during the time under that label (if you released a song and you will leave that label you will not be able to sing it at concerts and any money etc.)
- they will take a certain % out of your earnings
- they will schedule concerts and concert tours for you, whenever they want
Indie labels will be more artist-friendly but also will be less important in the music market.
+ you will have full control over your music
+ you will own all your songs
- it will be harder for you to go on top of the charts (but this depends more on recognition and fame levels)
- you will gain less recognition, fame, and money
- all expenses will have to be paid by you
There will be an option to negotiate a major record deal and if the major record label agrees with you (depends on your recognition level and fame), a certain disadvantage will be removed. So for example, if you decided that you want to negotiate control over your music, if successful, you will have control over your music in the major label.
Recording music
You can record music and release it anytime you want, even if you don't have a record deal with a major label but remember that an expensive recording studio will give you higher quality songs but also will be indeed, very expensive.
Performing
You can perform anywhere and anytime you want but you can also schedule a concert or concert tour (even if you don't have a record deal with a major label but this will be very, very expensive). There will be a special menu that will list all available places for you to book, as well as a new venue called stadium (similar to The Sims 3) that will be a big arena in which our global stars will be able to sing and perform. There will be new group dances for groups and singers.
So, in conclusion, in case you don't want to read all of it.
- There will be a new world, similar to Los Angeles in which you will have new venues: cheap and expensive recording studio, stadium
- You will be able to go solo, in a group, or a band (bands and groups can practice together, groups can harmonize). You can quit a band/group or go solo whenever you want.
- You will be able to gain new skills: classical singing, contemporary singing, songwriting, playing on drums, and one hidden skill called performing
- You will be able to write and then record your own songs in a cheap or expensive recording studio.
- You will be able to schedule concerts and concert tours for money
- You will be able to sign a record deal with an indie or a major label (and also negotiate the deal in the major labels)
- You will gain recognition and fame (with Get Famous)
- New job that you need to go on an audition first to get it: opera singer
- New activity: vocal and music lessons where you can practice your skills
- New radio station: R&B
- New situation in which singer can strain their voice and won't be able to sing for an estimated period of time
