Professional practicers

Fuo said:

I got a late state at age 35 (almost 2 years ago). I just enjoy having something to work on and obsess over... I already have a career and stuff, I just need a hobby. At some point I may want to play with others, but I'm not worried about it now.

Click to expand...

you know i almost wish i had have taken on a proper career and just done music on the side, things would be far easier if i could retire with a hedge fund @ 30 and then make music all day (i think)
then again i have 7 years to make my own hedge fund so i guess we'll see

If I never played music in front of anybody again, that would be a huge shame, but I'd still practice, hone my skills, and write. The music is inside of me and needs to come out. It's more of a self-expression than a need to entertain people.

But, then again, I could say the same thing about entertaining...that is ALSO a "need" for me. If I never practiced again, I would still perform for people. It might be kinda hard to do new material, but songs have a way of evolving, and new songs have a way of just "coming together" at gigs. I'd still prefer to have both in my life, though.

Zero Mercury Drummer said:

Interesting you should mention that. The "perfection" syndrome can really get you. Most people I know are working on "albums" or "projects" that drag on for five years until they peter out.
We are facing this in my band right now. We can keep re-recording and mixing tracks until they are absolutely perfect- problem is, the months turn into years with no release. I have laid down many drum tracks, but eventually it always turns to "let's do it again" or "scrap it and start from scratch because we can do it better now," or the songs get stale.I hate laying down drum tracks and then waiting for a year and half to hear the final product, if ever.

Click to expand...

I was once working on an album an it was pretty good, but it certainly could have been better. I was lamenting the whole "it's done but I would love to re-do..." to a buddy, who said an old quote "Art is never finished, it's only abandon"

Yes, there does get a point when one has to realize almost no album is perfect and it needs to see the light of day sooner than later.

Or else you end up with Guns and Roses Chinese Democracy album that sounded like it was 10 years old the day it was released.

I love fishing. But have never thought of doing it professionally. I love my photography but never have planned on making it a job. I love sports and have played, coached , and officiated soccer, football, basketball, baseball. softball, and swimming and track and field but have never thought about the Olympics or being a pro in any of those. I like my hobbies and will continue to do so without worrying about doing it in front of a crowd.

plus, the older i get, the less i enjoy doing things with other people. they're just too flaky and undependable. i even play multiplayer video games as if they single player (CoD all free-for-all, DAoC all soloing, etc.).

i couldn't put up with 1/2 the "band drama" situations I read about here anymore. i played guitar in various bands throughout high school and shortly after... not sure i could do it again.

in another 30 years i'll probably be in a shack on top of some mountain somewhere.

Zero Mercury Drummer said:

This might be more of a general music topic, but what is up with musicians that have no interest in playing in front of people, or getting their music heard?
To me, rehearsal is something you do to prepare for a live show. Most musicians I know just want to create music in their home studio, or rehearse endlessly for years. And it seems the less they play out, the more critical they are of "popular" bands.
I understand that playing out is a lot of work, and has an inherent risk. There is also nothing wrong with having fun at home, but i am continually striving to get my music on as many eardrums as possible.
Just like a writer with no audience is just writing a diary, a musician with no audience is just a practicer. Not trying to put anybody down, but interested in hearing thoughts on this.

Click to expand...

You must live where I do. A zillion players of all kinds of instruments who won't even play in their garages because someone else might hear them there. I can't understand any of them. In fact, my local music scene makes no sense to me whatsoever.

I'm a very goal-oriented person. I want to be absolutely the best at the (admittedly few) things I feel I have a talent for. But being best would be meaningless to me if I wasn't sharing what I could do with an audience. And, for me, the best audience is a paying audience because that's how people show that they appreciate my skill - by paying me.

Drummingwise, I want to be playing in public with a group of similarly skilled musicians. Entertaining others as well as ourselves. For me, that's what it's all about.

Fuo said:

in another 30 years i'll probably be in a shack on top of some mountain somewhere.

Click to expand...

my dream is to own a small castle out in rural Transylvania later in life
the internet is a great invention

With no gig and very few jam sessions, all I've got is practice. Not the way I want it. I miss making music with others, terribly. But for the time being it's the way it has to be. All I can do is "professional practice" in the meantime so that when I get back into it again, I'm not dragging my heels.

larryace said:

I love seeing people dance and observing their own personal sexual dance as they try and get close to their partners. THAT's entertainment lol. I love the fact that I am responsible for that girl, who has her eyes closed, and is totally lost in the (alcohol assisted) feeling she's experiencing, just bobbing to the music, and giving her temporary asylum from the grind of life.
...

Click to expand...

Whew, Larry. Thought your covnersation was headed for the dreaded NC-17 rating pretty soon...

GRUNTERSDAD said:

I love fishing. But have never thought of doing it professionally. I love my photography but never have planned on making it a job. I love sports and have played, coached , and officiated soccer, football, basketball, baseball. softball, and swimming and track and field but have never thought about the Olympics or being a pro in any of those. I like my hobbies and will continue to do so without worrying about doing it in front of a crowd.

Click to expand...

I don't know if that's an accurate comparison GD. Maybe with photography but fishing is a perfectly acceptable hobby. You don't need an audience or competition to make it any more rewarding. You'd never "practice" coaching or playing sports if you had no intent of playing a game or coaching one, even a little 1-on-1 with your boy after school or a quick game of soccer at the park with some friends.

Personally I am a born and bred performer. I practice my instrument because I want to be better when I play shows. It's fun jamming with other musicians but I derive endless joy from playing for other people. When people enjoy my drumming and my band then it makes all those hours of hitting the pad and taking lessons worth it.

I live in a tiny apartment now so my practicing has been relegated to a single practice pad and tapping my feet on the floor. I really don't think I'd be doing this if I weren't staying fresh for the next gig.

Red Menace said:

I live in a tiny apartment now so my practicing has been relegated to a single practice pad and tapping my feet on the floor. I really don't think I'd be doing this if I weren't staying fresh for the next gig.

Click to expand...

i have my full kit setup next to me but i still use the practice pad more often than not
sometimes you can't see the wood for the trees

I've work in four different music stores, and in my experience the vast majority of musical instruments are sold to hobbyist. Music may be their passion, but it's not what they want to as a career. So for them, being a "Professional practicer" is the goal.

There are those that always talk about doing one day doing gigs, but just never get it going, and I agree, that's a bit odd.

For myself, I gigged a lot in my 20's and early 30's, from smoky bars to showcasing in front of record company executives. I was very driven and did a ton of shows in a variety of settings and bands. But after so many bands came and went, I got tired of always having to rely on other people to play with. Been there, done that.

Or as Polly put it "Played many gigs when I was younger. These days I find it's a lot of trouble for not much reward."

So I decided I would spent a little time taking a different approach and trying writing my own songs. And my songs I write for me. I don't really expect anyone else to dig what I do. So I guess that puts me into the "Professional practicers" group of people.

Which isn't to say I don't want to play live. I will again. I actually tried getting a blue band going last year for fun, but as luck would have it, everyone else stopped showing up to rehearsal.

Zero Mercury Drummer said:

This might be more of a general music topic, but what is up with musicians that have no interest in playing in front of people, or getting their music heard?

Click to expand...

I can still remember how shocked I was when I first learned that there is more to life than sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll. All that seems to matter though is that we should be able to identify those among us who are what Eric Hoffer refers to as the "true believers". In other words, the question is whether or not a person is willing to drink the koolaid.