Help Me Find Some Music (Please)

[Gungnir]

I'm not that into music. Even with my meager music selection, I can't tell you what's playing half the time without checking. And since I don't like buying CDs because I might not like most of it, virtually all of my music has come from a video game (since I've heard it before, I know if it's good). However, it's getting a little stale, and I was looking into freshening it up a bit.

I like:
Rock.
Music without lyrics.
Music worthy of throwing up the horns.
Anything that involves guitar over piano.
Odd instrumental combinations.
Anything that might be played in the background of an action scene in a movie, including Kung Fu movies.

For example, my favorite music to date has been the product of the Black Mages.

Anyone know of stuff like that?

[Manga Shoggoth]

If you can find them, I used to like an instrumental group called "Sky".

[JDMSJR]

I highly recommend Telluride Sessions by Strength in Numbers. Beautiful music by virtuoso musicians.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telluride_Sessions

Also, while it is not just instrumental, Dire Straits is an awesome group and Mark Knopfler is made of pure awesome as a guitar player. Don't think I have ever heard a song of theirs that I didn't like.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dire_straits

I know you can find some songs by Dire Straits on youtube if you want to listen to some before you get a CD. You can also find Strength in Numbers on youtube (I just checked)

[Narmoth]

Liquid Tension Experiment (an instrumental project involving the guitarist and drummer of Dream Theater)
The Shadows (not rock, really, but The Instrumental Band)

[Dea_al_Mon]

Well, I'm big into the power metal. but there isn't really a lot of instrumental stuff... Some of Sonata Arctica and Edguy's ballads have voice over guitar over piano...

[commander43]

If you like real rock and roll with piano, give the New York Dolls a try. Not instrumental at all, but if you can resist throwing the horns randomly to an NYD song, you're a better man than I.

[Midnighter1021]

try these bands out Muse, Foo Fighters, Rage against the machine ( I mean comeon Tom Freakin' Morrello guys he's one of the Guitar Gods) then if you like Jam Bands which with you saying you like instrumentals or little bits of lyrics you cant go wrong with DMB (Dave Matthews Band) but if you are gonna download their stuff download their Live Music, because if you try to listen to anything but their live stuff you will be greatly dissappointed.

[MrEdwardNigma]

Well, I'm big into the power metal. but there isn't really a lot of instrumental stuff... Some of Sonata Arctica and Edguy's ballads have voice over guitar over piano...

Seconded. Good pick.

Also, on a different note, you might want to try the Dropkick Murphies. They play pretty good rock music, and their music often involves somewhat les conventional instruments, like flutes and bagpipes. Besides, some of their lyrics are funny as hell too.

[Mephisto]

I like:
Rock.
Music without lyrics.
Music worthy of throwing up the horns.
Anything that involves guitar over piano.
Odd instrumental combinations.
Anything that might be played in the background of an action scene in a movie, including Kung Fu movies.

For example, my favorite music to date has been the product of the Black Mages.

Anyone know of stuff like that?

Hmm. For those criteria I'd say Pelican. Try to find the single version of March Into the Sea, it's absolutely amazing (despite being 20 minutes long). I'd also recommend Do Make Say Think. It's not exactly \m/-worthy, but there are some pretty rockin' songs with diverse instrumentation.

For metal with odd instrumentation I'd also say Apocalyptica. No lyrics (usually). Try to find Inquisition Symphony.

[The Extinguisher]

Music without lyrics.

65daysofstatic
One of the best instrumental bands around. Well some occasional lyrics, but it's never much, and it's often guest singers.

Retreat! Retreat!
Don't Go Down to Sorrow

[Attilargh]

Instrumental music that rocks with an odd choice of instruments and can be played over action scenes? Try Apocalyptica.

[Quirinus_Obsidian]

As mentioned, LTE (liquid tension experiment) is pure win. Dream Theater in and of itself is my favorite group. You may enjoy the Instrumental half of Nightwish's 'Dark Passion Play'. It's their new release without Tarja =( It is a good release though.

[valadil]

You pretty much described Liquid Tension Experiment. The only problem is that they've only got two albums and aren't likely to produce more. LTE is a super group based on half of Dream Theater, so if you like LTE you're also likely to like DT. Jordan Rudess was also involved in the project and has some solo material that's similar, but not quite as good in my opinion.

Buckethead has some very solid material too. He varies a lot from CD to CD. There aren't lyrics in the traditional sense, but a lot of his songs have spoken word imposed over them.

For something slightly less metal, and a lot more acid trippy, try Ozric Tentacles. They're kinda like techno played on instruments.

If you get back to us with which suggestions you liked and which you didn't I'm sure we can offer up even more music.

[thedavo]

Hmm. For those criteria I'd say Pelican. Try to find the single version of March Into the Sea, it's absolutely amazing (despite being 20 minutes long). I'd also recommend Do Make Say Think. It's not exactly \m/-worthy, but there are some pretty rockin' songs with diverse instrumentation.

For metal with odd instrumentation I'd also say Apocalyptica. No lyrics (usually). Try to find Inquisition Symphony.

Pelican are awesome, i like them a lot. Took ages for my local record store to get their latest in on vinyl, but well worth the wait.

Also, if you like multi-instrumental oddness, i'd recommend uneXpect. www.myspace.com/unexpect

65DOS newest is really good aswell.

[Powerslave44]

You can't go wrong with Haggard... I think they've gotten up to like 20 some odd people in the band at a time, basically half symphony half death metal. It's interesting stuff.

[Moff Chumley]

First off, learn about musical from a historical perspective (Starting probobly in the late fifties). iTunes can help you there. Once you start getting into late 60s, early 70s, your options really explode. I am very partial to Progressive Rock, like Yes and Emerson, Lake, and Palmer, the latter with lots of instrumentals. Yes mainly uses nonesence lyrics, so I'm not sure if that counts. King Crimson is quite good, they have mainly metal. Of course, theres always Jimi Hendrix, but were all assuming you know about him. . Other instrumental bands and pieces that you might like are Rockit-Herby Hanckock (started modern hip-hop as we know it), Frankinstien-Edgar Winters (terrific song) Santana Partially instrumental, but still godlike music. Bolded for your convinience.

[Darth Mario]

Action movie music, in the style of the Black Mages? How about two of my favorite Symphonic rock/Opera metal groups, (I know they're not the same genre, don't kill me) Trans-Siberian Orchestra and Nightwish. The former mainly does Christmas music and rock covers of classical works, the latter is a metal group that incorporates heavy amounts of orchestra. Great for action scenes. I listen them while playing video games with crappy music instead of the game's soundtrack.

[turkishproverb]

I'm not that into music. Even with my meager music selection, I can't tell you what's playing half the time without checking. And since I don't like buying CDs because I might not like most of it, virtually all of my music has come from a video game (since I've heard it before, I know if it's good). However, it's getting a little stale, and I was looking into freshening it up a bit.

I like:
Rock.
Music without lyrics.
Music worthy of throwing up the horns.
Anything that involves guitar over piano.
Odd instrumental combinations.
Anything that might be played in the background of an action scene in a movie, including Kung Fu movies.

For example, my favorite music to date has been the product of the Black Mages.

Anyone know of stuff like that?

You might like some of the music tracks here, available for dowload:

Located
Here/ is some remixed music from FFVII, fitting mostly the odd instrumental combinations, though I think there is a little guitar on piano in there somewhere (3 hours of music, been a while since i listened)

[Icewalker]

Ok ok ok, I can solve your problem.

Instead of looking for individual suggestions to look into, go to this website.

http://www.pandora.com/

Pandora Radio. You create an account, pick a song you like, and it starts playing other similar songs. You can register them as positive or negative so it can more accurately pick to your preferences. You can start multiple stations with different seed songs.

It is quite awesome.

[DraPrime]

I'd go with AC/DC. It's a good hard rock band. If you want some good metal go for Iron Maiden, Blind Guardian, Metallica, or Virgin Steele (no doubt someone is going to disagree with me on these bands). Someone already mentioned Liquid Tension Experiment. I really liked it, so it's worth checking out.

[Lucia]

PORCUPINE TREE!!
Must check out this band!! Totally love this guys, i cant believe what they managed to put together. And if you like it, find the time to read about them in wikipedia, they have interesting beggenings, yo say the least

I dont know about that video, just listen to the song, its simply wonderful
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ARJRCcfY_A

[Mr. Mud]

For more of a guitar based theme I'd Go with Kansas. Try: "Dust in the Wind" and "Carry on my Wayward Son". "Ghost Riders in the Sky" is okay, but the artist's name eldues me And of course, Famous bands and artists like Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin

good luck!