Sharing Your Music

[ghostnote]

If music is your job, then you have an obligation, the same as any other employee in any other job. That means a going to work when you don’t want to, doing the best you possibly can at all times, and smiling through the crappy times. But if music is your passion, then you have no obligation to anyone else. It’s yours. I write and record songs, just like many, many folks here. I have never submitted one here for other people to hear, and I probably never will. It’s not fear, it’s not insecurity, it’s not arrogance. It’s simply that it’s my own thing, and I want to do it my own way. If I wanted feedback, I’d ask for it here, and I know I’d get polite, careful but sincere advice. I see it here every day. But that’s not why I play music. Music is my passion and my joy, and I don’t need advice about that. I have my own standards, but I harbor no illusions. I love the process of creating something from nothing, but if something stinks, it gets erased. “The first, and worst, fault is to lie to yourself.” That was my quotation in my high school yearbook, and I’ve tried to live by it ever since. Every now and then I actually do.

[slooky]

Originally Posted by b1j

I tried a few months back: posted a Show and Tell of a song I wrote, arranged, played all the instruments and sang on, recorded, and mixed. It’s a heartfelt ode to an artist, filled with references to her work, with three main structural parts with thoughtful rhymes and meter.

Two comments (nice, granted) and then it sank like a stone.

My music is still for me, though. I’m working on an ambitious project that is guaranteed to be met with crickets. I’m excited about it.

Play a well known musician/song and you will get more comments. I have no idea why an original barely gets a comment. To me, it takes more talent to write and record your own songs. For some reason, people don't like to comment on an original.

[Dave Hicks]

In the world of science, a research project isn't really done until it's published. But many are called (or think they are, at least) though few are chosen.

D.H.

[The Bard Rocks]

Originally Posted by slooky

Play a well known musician/song and you will get more comments. I have no idea why an original barely gets a comment. To me, it takes more talent to write and record your own songs. For some reason, people don't like to comment on an original.

The fact is people like best what they know. It takes a really special unknown song to bring them in. Notice I used the word "special" instead of "good". Some of the best songs must be heard several times to be appreciated. And there are differences between audiences. A few love self-penned material and think a person must be amazing if he or she could write a song.

[raysachs]

Of course we’re not obligated to share music. If we WANT to, if we’re DRIVEN to, then perhaps we should, but there’s zero obligation. When I was a young man, I was a very social being and music was a big part of that. I played music with and for other people a lot. Not because I was obligated to, but because I enjoyed it, it was an enjoyable form of interacting with people. Now I’m almost officially old - I turn 65 in 10 days - and I play music for and almost alway BY myself. I’ll sometimes put a tune up here on the forum if people want to check it out, I sometimes play for or share stuff with family and a few close friends, but I haven’t played with or for other people in decades. It’s meditation for me, gets me out of my head and lands me solidly in the moment. That’s its whole job. I demand nothing else of it and owe it nothing (although I’m deeply grateful for it).

Music is fun and satisfying - do the things that make it more fun and satisfying for YOU. If that includes sharing it, by all means, share it. If sharing it doesn’t make it more fun and/or satisfying, don’t. The rest of the world will do fine without more of my music in their ears, and probably yours too…

-Ray

[Nymuso]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Do we have a responsibility or obligation to share what we do as musicians?

Nope.

Had to make it longer. Still nope.

[foxo]

I’m honestly past the point of caring whether anyone gets to hear my music. My friend knew I had some new songs written and encouraged me to record another EP and I obliged him. We recorded it at his, he mixed and mastered it, I think it sounds pretty good but I’ve chosen not to release it yet because I’d be lucky if a dozen people chose to listen to it. I just don’t see the point anymore. Someone earlier said “good songs find a way” - I don’t think this is true, and if it is, well my songs are bad and I’m doing a service by not trying to promote them.

[Moldstar]

What? Why? What???? Obligation? to whom? To what? Why would there be an obligation? Are other fields of endeavor obligated to share their activities, and with whom? This makes no sense to me. Are people obligated to listen to artists output? I know that most people would be very happy not to listen to some musician's obligated musical output.

[Nymuso]

Originally Posted by Moldstar

What? Why? What???? Obligation? to whom? To what? Why would there be an obligation? Are other fields of endeavor obligated to share their activities, and with whom? This makes no sense to me. Are people obligated to listen to artists output? I know that most people would be very happy not to listen to some musician's obligated musical output.

Oh, this is great - what I would have written if I could write like that.

[Gordon Currie]

Originally Posted by Mr. Jelly

Do we have a responsibility or obligation to share what we do as musicians?

I believe social responsibilities/obligations are a personal choice, so I reject the idea that they are in any way mandatory.

That said, my personal values include sharing my own knowledge, experience and talent with others. I just do not want to make that decision for someone else.

[raysachs]

Originally Posted by Moldstar

What? Why? What???? Obligation? to whom? To what? Why would there be an obligation? Are other fields of endeavor obligated to share their activities, and with whom? This makes no sense to me. Are people obligated to listen to artists output? I know that most people would be very happy not to listen to some musician's obligated musical output.

I forget when it was exactly, but a few years ago my wife and I were watching the movie “Vicky Christina Barcelona”. I had not long before moved on from my long time career as a land use and transportation planner. At one point, one of the main characters in the movie said that his or her Dad was a poet, but he never showed anyone his poetry because “there’s not enough love in the world”. At which point I leaned over to my wife and said, “yeah, that’s why I’m not doing planning anymore - not enough love in the world”. At which point she spit out her soda through her nose and caused a general disturbance.

I still had the mind of a planner - I’d been doing it a long time, but I didn’t feel the need to “share” my planning expertise anymore. If I didn’t feel the need to continue to share my planning expertise, from which I’d made a comfortable living, I surely don’t feel the need to share my guitar playing, which has never been a profession, just a long time and beloved hobby.

-Ray

[papat]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jtaMUKaa_2c

[Mr. Jelly]

I have had the experience where people think making music is special. I am not greatly driven to perform. I have had people, more than once, berate me for not performing. This makes me feel like a bad person if I don't perform. Hence the question.