Musically Unfulfilled

[Skol303]

[quote name='RhysP' timestamp='1459332973' post='3015470']You need the space & the quiet to be able to do this though...[/quote]

That is true. Our house is often hectic but I'm lucky to have a space set aside where I can make music, which is a big help (allows me to work at it whenever I get chance - even the odd 10 minutes here and there).

[RhysP]

[quote name='cheddatom' timestamp='1459336431' post='3015509']
maybe build yourself a manshed or rent a room somewhere?
[/quote]

No room and/or money to do either, and this won't change now I've had to give up work on medical grounds.

[BottomE]

Once you've nailed the covers doesn't that give you time to go off and explore other avenues? If you've not got a DAW (music software on a puter) it might be worth looking at investing in one. You'll be able to create/jam/record anything you want.

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1459338041' post='3015538']
work at it whenever I get chance - even the odd 10 minutes here and there).
[/quote]
this, i have a hectic life but if i have half hour or so spare, i focus on getting things done and making the most of the time. sometimes its better to have less time to spend on something as the pressure forces you to work smarter.

[Woodinblack]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1459290763' post='3015275']
Does anyone else ever feel a little depressed sometimes about not playing the sort of music you'd really like to be playing/creating?
[/quote]

Yes. A lot of the time. It goes away for a bit when I am gigging regularly, but as my group is having problems with people doing other things, then yes, it is frustrating.

[lojo]

To me there are 2 things I like to do

1. Play gigs and enjoy the party side of things

2. Play music for the sake of music

I can seldom combine the 2 but sometimes it happens, so I have to enjoy both separately

[AustinArto]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1459291001' post='3015279']My band is working and getting paid. I'm musically fulfilled.[/quote]

I get paid well enough at work that I can just enjoy music.

[AustinArto]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1459331847' post='3015448']

Those are the benefits, for me, of being an antisocial, isolationist, musical hermit
[/quote]

I'm sort-of doing the same thing but I have another local guy who I collaborate with. I'm lucky in that we get on really well, like each other's ideas and have different skill sets, so we don't tread on each others toes at all, nobody's stuff ever gets rejected really just improved by the other, it's cool.

We very rarely end up with tracks that are anything like what we expected when we started them, which is also nice.

[Mykesbass]

[quote name='Truckstop' timestamp='1459290763' post='3015275']
Hello all,

My problem is, is that my tastes change from week to week. Sometimes I want to be a vocalist for a death metal band and then the next week I want to start an acoustic duo playing Elbow covers.
[/quote]

My problem doesn't seem to go as deep as yours Truckstop, but I do get GAS for other musical forms - for a few weeks it was Northern Soul, at the moment, thanks to a BC thread it is full blown Disco, and I have occasionally hankered for a bit of Country. Basically I'm a bit of a musical tart

[operative451]

I'm really lucky - doing comedy/parody stuff i get to play in pretty much any style! That's because its mostly recording though - the 'try noodling around on your computer' thing doesn't really help if you're wanting to do live stuff only/mostly. Otherwise? Download some midi files and whack them into the DAW of your choice, and acoustic death metal elbow funk awaits!

[bassbiscuits]

I guess I'm quite lucky I'm that I'm currently playing in a couple of different bands which really does help balance musical fulfilment with paid work which I'd be foolish to turn down.

My money-earning band is a rock covers act, and while some of the tunes aren't really my cup of tea, they go down well and keep us in regular work.

But I've also recently begun gigging with an originals band, which has got some really cool support slots lined up with genuinely interesting other original performers, and it's a real treat to explore things musically and not be focused on money.

It's got a great vibe and doing art for its own sake fills a very particular gap for me that isn't filled by the cover band. But then it also enables me to see the many positives of the covers band and enjoy it for what it is too.

I think musical fulfilment is a lifelong quest, rather than something you feel you've reached and need to explore no further.

Edited March 30, 2016 by bassbiscuits

[pmjos]

You spend a long time dead, get out there and do what the other feckers can't play some bass notes. Good or bad, do you stuff, be yourself and don't give a brass sh*t about anything else!

[peteb]

[quote name='CamdenRob' timestamp='1459318451' post='3015336']
Bands, especially originals bands are really a case of how much your prepared to compromise to make it work... If every member sticks rigidly to what they want then the band will never work. I am a case in point as as I absolutely refuse to be told what to play under any circumstances... hence I am currently bandless
[/quote]
You see I’m the complete opposite – people ring me up and ask me to play bass on their projects and if I think it will be fun / good and I have the time then I say yes! Money is nice but not the most important thing and I don’t care if it is original material or covers. I wouldn’t consider anything where they want me to be a completely different type of player but beyond that I can come up with my own basslines or they can tell me exactly what to play (as long as it is going to work).

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1459312584' post='3015328']
If I made you think that it's solely about money I apologize.

There is nothing about performing, even at the bar band that leaves me cold.

To me there is nothing more fulfilling than the fun and opportunity to play rock and roll and getting paid.It's not all there is to it but it's a big part of it.

I've invested a life time to this and I'm not giving it away.

I mean even for originals bands I would think you'd get more from hearing the applause from a crowd after one if your originals is a bigger thrill than playing it alone in the bedroom.

Blue
[/quote]
Absolutely, getting to play rock and roll with a decent band in front of an audience is one of the things I live for.

Getting paid is good, but I’m quite excited about the possibility of putting together a one-off scratch band with a great guitar player mate of mine, just to be the house band for a new blues jam night. No money in it but just the chance to play with some friends who haven’t played together for a while in a different context…

Edited March 30, 2016 by peteb

[blue]

[quote name='AustinArto' timestamp='1459355061' post='3015752']


I get paid well enough at work that I can just enjoy music.
[/quote]

The old I have a job, so I'm better than you full time musicians.

Lame.

Blue

Edited March 30, 2016 by blue

[Bobthedog]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1459378094' post='3016069']


The old I have a job, so I'm better than you full time musicians.

Lame.

Blue
[/quote]

He did not say anything about being better than anyone, just that money is not a driver for his playing. I read that as being able to choose the music to play without having to consider the pay. Methinks some of your insecurities coming out.

[peteb]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1459378094' post='3016069']
The old I have a job, so I'm better than you full time musicians.

Lame.

Blue
[/quote]
I don't think that he means that at all. Obviously, if you don't rely on gigging to pay the rent then you can afford to be choosier about what projects you do.

However, getting paid does put a definite value on any musical endeavour. Of course it is not the only value, or even (necessarily) the most important one, but if someone is prepared to pay you to perform then there is a certain validation whereas if you never get out of the bedroom / rehearsal studio then who is to say objectively that what you are doing is any good or not.

Edited March 30, 2016 by peteb

[blue]

[quote name='Bobthedog' timestamp='1459378532' post='3016079']


He did not say anything about being better than anyone, just that money is not a driver for his playing. I read that as being able to choose the music to play without having to consider the pay. Methinks some of your insecurities coming out.
[/quote]

I know, it's just my take on his statements. It's uppity.

Blue

[blue]

Guys, yeah I'll give you that it's my insecurities.

I always take offense to the " well I have a job" response.

I have a job too. The best job in the world, playing bass guitar and singing in a rock n roll band.

Blue

Edited March 30, 2016 by blue

[CamdenRob]

I'm so choosy about my projects that I don't currently have one...

...might be something in that

Edited March 31, 2016 by CamdenRob

[Japhet]

I learned a long time ago that making your hobby into your livelihood is a good way of screwing up your hobby. When I was young I loved cars and anything about them and when the opportunity arose I started my own business repairing them. Fast forward 25 years when I sold off my business and I hated everything about cars and repairing the damn things with a vengeance. I won't do the same with music. Money is of no importance as long as I'm enjoying what I do.

I've played in quite a few bands in lots of different genres and have found that I hanker for he types of music I'm not playing at the moment. I currently play in a rock band and would love to play some jazz funk, latin or soul, but without side projects that I don't have time for it ain't gonna happen and I'm fine with it.

[RockfordStone]

[quote name='blue' timestamp='1459381474' post='3016096']
I know, it's just my take on his statements. It's uppity.

Blue
[/quote]
to be fair, one could take your "[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]My band is working and getting paid. I'm musically fulfilled" comment as "i am playing music and being paid therefore i am better than those who have a job"[/font][/color]

[color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif]musicians be they full time or part time are equal.[/font][/color]

Edited March 31, 2016 by RockfordStone

[paul_5]

I absolutely love playing with my 'regular' band, but also do dep work, so that gives me a broad range of styles to work with.

I sometimes get the hankering for something different, but I have projects on the go on my macbook, so that I can vent my creative outlet. I'm yet to finish anything, but sometimes it's more about the journey than the destination.

[BigRedX]

Firstly everyone is different in what they find musically fulfilling and how much variety they want from their musical endeavours, but this is what I have found and maybe my experiences will be helpful to the OP.

1. If I find myself contemplating other musical avenues it generally means that either I am not sufficiently enjoying what I am doing musically at the moment, or I am not busy enough with that band/project etc. That generally means I need to step up and take control of the band and make sure that they are doing enough of the right things to keep me interested or it is time to move on.

2. When it comes to music, I am very much a "serial monogamist". I like listening to and playing lots of different kinds of music, but I find it best if I concentrate on just one musical project at a time. I've tried being in more than one band simultaneously, but I find that I either do a half-arsed job for all the bands, or that one takes precedence at the expense of the others. Both situations I think are unfair on the other musicians I am working with, so I won't do this anymore.

Maybe if all you do is turn up and play your instrument at gigs/rehearsals/recording sessions, or you have a strict hierarchy of importance to your various musical projects that your fellow musicians are aware of, then you can make the multiple band thing work. My experience is that it very rarely does to the satisfaction of the other musicians you are involved with.

Also no band is going to last forever. At 6 years and counting The Terrortones are the longest-going regularly working band I've been involved with. Before that 5 years was a good life-span for a band. Of course the duration of a band is no real indicator of how much they do. I've been in bands that managed to achieve more in 9 months than others did in 4 years...

3. Finally I have never bought into the complaint that people can't find other suitable musicians to work with. Maybe if you live out in the sticks with no transport, then you have a case, but IME i's mostly down to inertia on the part of the person doing the complaining. As I've said before if I (as a musician of considerably less than average technical ability, with some fairly strict rules about the kinds of music I want to play, and living in a city that while it has a healthy music scene IMO punches considerably below its weight compared with others) have been to find interesting bands to be a part of for the last 35+ years, then anyone who is prepared to put in the effort can too.

[Lw.]

I sometimes get similar feeling to the OP; I've got two bands on the go at the moment, one pop/rock & the other metal/hardcore - neither are necessarily my favourite version of each genre but they do scratch my two main itches & the interaction with other musicians/combining song ideas is really great. Outside of that I do get lots of other musical urges so I end up writing & recording little bits of stuff across whatever genre takes my fancy that week - it's quite good as I get to try out ideas without the faff of a band; record the bass part, fudge through the guitar parts & program in some drums - that's generally enough for me, I then move on to something else - recording equipment is super cheap nowadays & the software is free.

[Grangur]

In the Pro-bassist, part-time-bassist thing, doesn't it really follow that the Part-timer owes it to the Pros to always charge a Pro-rate, so the Pro has just as easy time to get the work?

But given that, some venues would stop promoting live music because the crowds drawn don't bring the bar takings to pay a pro-rate?

My head hurts.