Jump to content

Why do you do the music thing?


benedictrm

Recommended Posts

I am interested. I hope people can answer honestly…

Why do you make music?
(including Composing, Singing, Mixing, being a Record Producer like Sir George Martin)

  • a) I like playing with technology. Being in control of knobs and blinking lights make me feel special?
  • b) I want people to feel that I am more creative Rok Chic Bling than they are. I deserve to be famous?
  • c) I need to deliver my music to the world as my mark, my legacy, my “children”?

The reason I ask is that it seems to me that while I am a “C”, many are really an “A” or a “B” (or both).

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

e) To overcome the imposter syndrome and prove it to myself that I can.

f) As a gift to a specific person. If someone else likes it, fine, but when I write, it’s usually with someone very specific in mind.

f) As a gift to a specific person.

This is actually relatable to an extent. I sometimes gift friends covers on songs they like for special occasions, and they are usually appreciative. 🥳

Link to comment
Share on other sites

H) Money!

I never feel so alive!
Cha-ching, Cha-ching, cha-chingaree
Money, oh money, how I love thee
Cha-ching, Cha-chong, Cha-changaroo
From pennies to dollars, any amount will do!
Cha-ching, Cha-ching, it’s no contest!
There’s only one thing that I love the best!

From every sight I’ve ever seen
The sweetest sound I’ve heard
I’d gladly give up everything
For all the money that I’ve earned!

Cha-ching, Cha-ching, Cha-chingaree
There’s nothing on Earth…like the feeling of greeeeeed!!!

-Mr. Krabs

Link to comment
Share on other sites

j) It’s a great creative outlet that allows you to express in millions of different ways like you’ve never done so before. As someone that can barely string a sentence together to express their emotions correctly when they have to, music allows me to reflect and grow, so if I can’t put it in words I can definitely do it through sound.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, basically… ’ k = a ’ ?

So, basically… ’ k = a ’ ?

It had already struck me that everyone added their own variant of one of the three choices rather than choosing the more direct pre-defined option. Interesting. I should have seen that coming.

I few alluded to C but most were A, B or both A & B.

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve played music since I was 11. It’s been some of the best experiences of my life. Creating music at home is an extension of that. There’s no greater joy than working with something that is just a skeleton of an idea, and turning it into a song that’s a joy to listen to. Taking an idea from nothing into something- this could be true in any art form, or even in building things- but for me, it happens to be music. I don’t think you can simply categorize into 3 narrow lanes why people do music… why do people listen to or like certain music? Cuz they do. One finds bliss in Classical music, another escapism in punk. Some might do both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve played music since I was 11. It’s been some of the best experiences of my life. Creating music at home is an extension of that. There’s no greater joy than working with something that is just a skeleton of an idea, and turning it into a song that’s a joy to listen to. Taking an idea from nothing into something- this could be true in any art form, or even in building things- but for me, it happens to be music. I don’t think you can simply categorize into 3 narrow lanes why people do music… why do people listen to or like certain music? Cuz they do. One finds bliss in Classical music, another escapism in punk. Some might do both.

See you assume that Classical & Punk are different, opposed even. I don’t. They are as opposed as any two different languages.

The French speak French as a result of location. The Japanese speak Japanese as a result of location. If we had the Universal Translator or Babelfish, we would all be speaking the same language.

Music is the same. Punk may be a regional variant but not a different language. Even Indian microtonal scales are not really another language, just a variation as a result of circumstance.

I deliberately tried to pare the choices into universals. My hypothesis was that many people would put themselves into the C option then say something that was more A-B. Interesting then that everyone has to add back in their tiny (ego) details and create a new category of just themselves before they feel they can answer. Note how no one (so far) has wanted to choose one of the options at all. Not judgmental, merely interesting.

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good point and it is interesting. I did jump on the bandwagon, which in hindsight, was rather more restrictive, even though what was listed didn’t quite fit.

I do like playing with tech, but usually it makes me feel inadequate rather than special. Maybe once I can use it without referring to a tutorial, I’ll get that specialized feeling. The software aspect changes so much and fast though, I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever manage to get use to a program before it’s outdated.

I do think I have creativity, but I DON’T want to be ‘famous’ like most people define it. I’m an introvert. Publicity, no thanks. I don’t need to share my creations with the world, when the one I made them for, smiles. I suppose I do lean ‘C’ some, though, as long as I get to stay behind the scenes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’m just chasing that serotonin, baby. Validate my existence by bobbing your head to my music.

In all seriousness, it’s always been about having fun for me. I’ve been playing music since I was a kid; its a great creative outlet, stress reliever, conversation topic, you name it. Music rules.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good point and it is interesting. I did jump on the bandwagon, which in hindsight, was rather more restrictive, even though what was listed didn’t quite fit.

I do like playing with tech, but usually it makes me feel inadequate rather than special. Maybe once I can use it without referring to a tutorial, I’ll get that specialized feeling. The software aspect changes so much and fast though, I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever manage to get use to a program before it’s outdated.

I do think I have creativity, but I DON’T want to be ‘famous’ like most people define it. I’m an introvert. Publicity, no thanks. I don’t need to share my creations with the world, when the one I made them for, smiles. I suppose I do lean ‘C’ some, though, as long as I get to stay behind the scenes.

The software aspect changes so much and fast though, I sometimes wonder if I’ll ever manage to get use to a program before it’s outdated.

This is a common trap people fall into. A tool does not make the music. You do. You need only use the tools that you connect with so if you do not connect with a modular synth (mmmm knobs) then that is fine. Don’t use the stupid thing. Use a guitar (unghhh strings) or a tin whistle. Yes if you want it recorded there is some tech but that is simpler than most people assume too. Just look at the buttons you need. ignore the rest (they were probably added for A-type people). Or get someone who likes buttons to do that bit (but not at the expense of you doing what you are there for as many A-type people make it about their need not the need of the talent).

I don’t need to share my creations with the world, when the one I made them for, smiles. I suppose I do lean ‘C’ some, though, as long as I get to stay behind the scenes

That is squarely in the C-Type. One person or the world is not in the definition. We read books of love letters from one person to one person. World or not, you are communicating.

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For me it’s pretty much A. In depth:

80% actually making something new, for you and yourself only even, that makes you satisfied and/or earns you money in a positive way.
10% getting your name out and opening doors up to some new opportunities.
10% proving to yourself/others you’re good at it.

Notice how for me that 80% is “broad” and not about exclusively nailing a progression or just making a perfect patch you’re really happy with.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that Music (and Arts in general) are the most impressive way to deliver emotions and feelings. Any artist has a universe inside, ready to be showed to other artists (or non artists). In any case, we want to show our dreams, emotions, ideas since we are overwhelmed by dreams, emotions and ideas. We are dream factories 😊 or volcanos… but the cool thing is that todays technology helps us, while 30 years ago an artist could not express himself (except rich artists of course, owning a recording studio, or a painter studio etc etc)… think this, artists were obliged to accept a life with no music and no arts because they were lacking the resources to make their dreams come true!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think that Music (and Arts in general) are the most impressive way to deliver emotions and feelings. Any artist has a universe inside, ready to be showed to other artists (or non artists). In any case, we want to show our dreams, emotions, ideas since we are overwhelmed by dreams, emotions and ideas. We are dream factories 😊 or volcanos… but the cool thing is that todays technology helps us, while 30 years ago an artist could not express himself (except rich artists of course, owning a recording studio, or a painter studio etc etc)… think this, artists were obliged to accept a life with no music and no arts because they were lacking the resources to make their dreams come true!

I agree fully on the first part.

On the second: Making music was entirely doable 30 years ago. I know because I was there. It wasn’t that hard at all. My first cassette EP hit the shelves in 1990.

Yes it was a bit harder than with a DAW that saves everything every 5 mins and exports to YouTube & Bandcamp. But it was not remotely un-doable with fairly common household items to make something that people would actually listen to. Doing is what separates the casual from the dedicated.

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I remember, but it was a dream to reach the technical quality we have today with DAWs. For the creativity, this is another issue. But technically you could never imagine to reach industry standards at home, so renting a recording studio was necessary.

technically you could never imagine to reach industry standards at home, so renting a recording studio was necessary

If you are talking cassette portastudio then yes but if you had a reel to reel the only limits were essentially those today. Les Paul, Springsteen, Stones… all recorded at home to some degree.

But broadly yes the DAW is a total godsend in terms of ease of use and overall power. I can load more softsynths than I could ever realistically put in my room, put lots of processes on each then master with a dynamic range of 1db with not are in the world for overs. The real Q what do most people do with all this ability???

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, consider also that about 20 years ago there were many cards with DSP chips to give power to the DAWs. Today, the CPUs are so powerful alone, that you don’t need anymore external chips, even if many still work this way. I’ve got 2 DAWs and one still uses external chips to render. The other DAW has a very powerful CPU with 64GBs of RAM. And its power is impressive.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

(post withdrawn by author, will be automatically deleted in 24 hours unless flagged)

skill that requires years of sacrifice to deserve. A complicated job that every slight adjustment leads to an entirely different position or vocation in the industry. Sidemen aren’t frontmen, rhythm isn’t lead, arrangers aren’t songwriters aren’t producers aren’t engineers.

That sentence alone makes you a resounding C

I have never worked with any touring professional or studio musician who didn’t understand these concepts. It’s the barrier of entry.

Amen. But of course, that is not the line on marketing for VST (that you 99.99% don’t need).

I get soooooo frustrated when people try to tell me things that are wrong because they saw some no-nothing peddling affiliate links in their 2-Min Tut (where mostly they pulled faces). A beat is a fraction of a Bar. the bit ton the bottom, 4/4. What you are wanting is a Music Bed. Using proper terms makes it easier, using wrong terms makes it harder.

Now I don’t mic much of anything as a Mix engineer but I know the SM57 was common on Kik Drums (at least when I was trained) because you can’t kill that sucker with huge volumes of air. Bue I also know people use it for everything as it is a good all rounder of a mic.

You’re using music like a buddies couch. You don’t want to work hard enough to get your own couch, but you want to tell people that you do.

Oooh, but yeah. In my defence…

and that’s not my discography which is on my site

Music is a job. A job that can twist your soul into a pretzel and make you question the validity of any creative endeavor forever. When your skills are developed enough to take on jobs outside the scope of your preferences, you’ll begin a lifelong argument with the artist inside of you. That fight will broaden your ability, your toolkit and your business network. A professional will honor the “working” aspect of music and learn to deliver quality like a “service provider.”

I know that one. my semi-total ban on working with Rappers is simple because every one I have tried to with has burned me very badly.

I appreciate you post. I may have been sniping at me personally. I get that. maybe you even think I am probably an amateur and a not very good one. Ok. I don’t know you but maybe. I’ll admit if I can see who you are and what you do past those gig. I can see you got a haircut, but at those rates it can’t be a real job lol

Yep C, Frustrated definitely. But why be frustrated if not mostly a C?

(showing off your Nord is kinda A/B but we all have a bit of each part)

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just my two cents on how much you need to be skilled to make music. I think you need a balance between creativity and technical skill. Creativity is given by talent probably, you have catchy tunes in your mind or you don’t that’s all. The technical skill is based on study and experience. If you are extremely creative but with no skills, you’ll end whistling cool things but you’ll never produce anything. Or you could end creating very strange things, with weird sound designs or something like that. If you are skilled with no creativity, you’ll produce tons of stuff very boring, and very “flat”, just applying what you learned over and over. In that I see often “academical” guys with no good ideas, impressive performers on piano, as example, but awful composers. It’s difficult to judge someone in music, since it’s a so subjective matter, anyway, But these are just my thoughts of this monday morning 😊

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just my two cents on how much you need to be skilled to make music. I think you need a balance between creativity and technical skill. Creativity is given by talent probably, you have catchy tunes in your mind or you don’t that’s all. The technical skill is based on study and experience. If you are extremely creative but with no skills, you’ll end whistling cool things but you’ll never produce anything. Or you could end creating very strange things, with weird sound designs or something like that. If you are skilled with no creativity, you’ll produce tons of stuff very boring, and very “flat”, just applying what you learned over and over. In that I see often “academical” guys with no good ideas, impressive performers on piano, as example, but awful composers. It’s difficult to judge someone in music, since it’s a so subjective matter, anyway, But these are just my thoughts of this monday morning 😊

I see often “academical” guys with no good ideas, impressive performers on piano, as example, but awful composers

It is just possible that those people are not composers by nature at all. I don’t believe that Frank Sinatra ever wrote a single song. Yet as a singer he was stunning.

We can naively assume that being skilled in one area suggests skill in another. My father was a highly trained Cathedral Organist/Choirmaster/Harpsichordist (Guild Hall London - back when these things had value). He could play Bach & Scarlatti the way it should be done. He could poke his way through Beatles songs but had no feel for them. He could write music but it was wooden. None of that was a failing as he was plucked straight from college by a famous organist to start in a cathedral when most of his peers went to churches.

Plenty of Rock & Pop musicians have training. Or got it after they started to “make it” - John Lydon & Adam Ant both learned singing from an old lady who specialized in preparing Rock singers - this did them no “damage”. They often don’t talk about it to avoid the cringe.

So some people are creative, some are not. Many who claim to be “creative” never output any work; this is not creativity but hiding.

I do agree tho that one without the other is somewhat limited. the more I understand theory (and that still ain’t much) the better able I am to deliver my own work. It is not the theory that drives my compositions but helps me know what to do to get my story told. Simple things like making Variations goes a mighty long way.

🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I see often “academical” guys with no good ideas, impressive performers on piano, as example, but awful composers

It is just possible that those people are not composers by nature at all. I don’t believe that Frank Sinatra ever wrote a single song. Yet as a singer he was stunning.

We can naively assume that being skilled in one area suggests skill in another. My father was a highly trained Cathedral Organist/Choirmaster/Harpsichordist (Guild Hall London - back when these things had value). He could play Bach & Scarlatti the way it should be done. He could poke his way through Beatles songs but had no feel for them. He could write music but it was wooden. None of that was a failing as he was plucked straight from college by a famous organist to start in a cathedral when most of his peers went to churches.

Plenty of Rock & Pop musicians have training. Or got it after they started to “make it” - John Lydon & Adam Ant both learned singing from an old lady who specialized in preparing Rock singers - this did them no “damage”. They often don’t talk about it to avoid the cringe.

So some people are creative, some are not. Many who claim to be “creative” never output any work; this is not creativity but hiding.

I do agree tho that one without the other is somewhat limited. the more I understand theory (and that still ain’t much) the better able I am to deliver my own work. It is not the theory that drives my compositions but helps me know what to do to get my story told. Simple things like making Variations goes a mighty long way.

🙂

very nice post, congrats for your father! My dad was a great hifi enthusiast, mainly a classical listener, but he introduced me to classical music, and concerts at the theatre. I started as folk and country guitarist and then I studied piano, melody and harmony. Anyway the mix of different feels, from country, blues and pop into my film music compositions is clear, and many love it, others not but it’s part of the game. (I can say 95% love it) 😃 today I’m totally involved in music, I love any aspect of it, any style and I study daily to learn anything I can. There’s so much to learn.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...