What do you "expect" from life as a musician?

[xilddx]

I never expect, or feel I deserve, compliments, appreciative audiences, record deals, money, or an easy life. All I feel is great privilege to be able to play some good music with some really good musicians who, for some reason trust me with their music and, I think, like me as a person.

I want to enjoy myself, feel friendship and rapport with the other band members while on stage and off, and get to express myself occasionally as a musician, and more importantly as a PERSON, within a musical context. The primary thing is doing something of "quality" but that is highly subjective, I only like playing with bands that produce good songs, with good musicianship and who look good on stage.

I have met musicians in the past who are really up their own arses and come across like they are going to save the world with their music, and they DESERVE to be heard because they are GOOD and INNOVATIVE. Bollocks. They don't appreciate what a gift it is for someone to lend you their ears for a hour and derive some enjoyment from it, let alone some inspiration.

[thisnameistaken]

I just hope some listeners enjoy it. That's all.

[waynepunkdude]

I hope I continually improve and everyone has fun.

[Marvin]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='904658' date='Jul 25 2010, 12:10 PM']I hope I continually improve and everyone has fun.[/quote]
This. Sums it up nicely.

[Pete Academy]

I just feel lucky to be able to play good music to people that appreciate it.

[Etienne]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='904665' date='Jul 25 2010, 12:20 PM']I just feel lucky to be able to play good music to people that appreciate it.[/quote]

+1. I like this thread!

[Lozz196]

[quote name='Pete Academy' post='904665' date='Jul 25 2010, 12:20 PM']I just feel lucky to be able to play good music to people that appreciate it.[/quote]
Agree with the previous posts - play some good music, have a good eve with yr band-mates, and if playing a gig, hope it all goes well, and that the audience enjoy it, and also have a fun eve.

Also agree with the part about some musicians being up their own - have been in bands with a few like that, luckily that isn`t the case in my current band - we all seem to have the opinions as above.

[velvetkevorkian]

I expect to have fun. Anything else is a bonus.

[Paul_C]

This is quite an interesting piece in regard to the musician/audience question:

[url="http://sivers.org/starving-artist"]http://sivers.org/starving-artist[/url]

I started off playing for the song while trying to get plenty in for people to appreciate me as a musician (which sadly has rarely happened ), but I'm slowly working back to concentrating even more on the song even if it means less for me.

I'm in a band whose musicians are all people I'm delighted to call friends, and almost without exception it's been fun. I'm only in the band to play music and to enjoy playing that music, anything else, whether it's bigger venues/crowds, albums, radio play or any other benefits are all a bonus that I can live without, but am happy to enjoy if they come along

[Mykesbass]

Nice post Silddx,

As a member of a rock & roll/country/blues band, to have some fun and hopefully get an audience that enjoys what you are doing. We had a great time last night - social club punters, so we weren't the centre of attention (like most of these places) however, at the end of the night we had loads of nice comments and people asking if we were coming back. Now I know some musicians would have taken offence at the perceived lack of respect from the audience during the gig, but we all knew what to expect from this type of venue so had our own fun and put on a show regardless.

[OldGit]

[quote name='silddx' post='904645' date='Jul 25 2010, 11:58 AM']I never expect, or feel I deserve, compliments, appreciative audiences, record deals, money, or an easy life. All I feel is great privilege to be able to play some good music with some really good musicians who, for some reason trust me with their music and, I think, like me as a person.

I want to enjoy myself, feel friendship and rapport with the other band members while on stage and off, and get to express myself occasionally as a musician, and more importantly as a PERSON, within a musical context. The primary thing is doing something of "quality" but that is highly subjective, I only like playing with bands that produce good songs, with good musicianship and who look good on stage.

I have met musicians in the past who are really up their own arses and come across like they are going to save the world with their music, and they DESERVE to be heard because they are GOOD and INNOVATIVE. Bollocks. They don't appreciate what a gift it is for someone to lend you their ears for a hour and derive some enjoyment from it, let alone some inspiration.[/quote]

Yup Just happy to get away with having musical fun in a room full of people having fun.

In the "Up their own" department, Poor ol' Paul Weller on the wireless this week talking about his Mercury nomination. He thinks he's "Cu''in' edge, chew chew" and made Wake Up the Nation to add edge to contemporary music.
Eh? It's good (for a 50 year old) but sounding like various 70's heroes - Ian Dury, Elvis Costello, and Jerry Lee lewis etc does not make for a cutting edge album...

[Sarah5string]

All I want to achieve is

To be able to play well enough that I'm happy with my standard
To be able to write creatively
To be able to use a variety of techniques and be decent at them
To continually learn
To continually LOVE playing
To write music that others will enjoy and to be able to play live, even if I don't make money from it.

I'm not into bass for fame and fortune. I play bass because I LOVE to play bass.

[arsenic]

As long as I enjoy playing, in whatever capacity, I do not expect anything - simple as that.

[Cat Burrito]

I would hope there aren't too many on here who honestly believe their clever use of a pentatonic minor scale will stop the war in Afganistan... but you never know!?

I guess 20yrs ago I'd hoped amongst other things that I'd get to make a living from music without compromising my tastes. I didn't want to be famous but to work at a cult level would have been nice. Still, no regrets. Ultimately goals change though. I've set myself a few realistic goals 1) done sessions, 2) played on TV, 3) played the Marquee, 4) released a vinyl record, 5) toured. The only one I am yet to do is play abroad. We have some dates booked for Southern Ireland in October and interest from a promoter in the US so hopefully that'll change.

Ultimately though my ambition has always been to enjoy playing the music I play and I've achieved that throughout. I'll never be rich, I've seriously compromised my career and a few relationships but it's been fun along the way.

[the_skezz]

I just want me and the band to try and write/play things that others (even if it's a few people) enjoy listening to and that I enjoy playing. Though money, women and constant adoration would be a nice bonus

[Sarah5string]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='904996' date='Jul 25 2010, 06:02 PM']I would hope there aren't too many on here who honestly believe their clever use of a pentatonic minor scale will stop the war in Afganistan... but you never know!?[/quote]
Maybe not, but apparently Osama bin Laden is quite a fan of Chromatics.

Edited July 25, 2010 by Sarah5string

[JTUK]

To enjoy it.

I guess I am arrogant/confident enough musically to know if we play well, then there is a very good chance people will really like it.
Do I take that as an indication that we are great..or whatever?

No, Just pleased they like and appreciate it. I'll keep pushing our standards and hope they are compatible.
I think it is a bonus that both parties are liking the way things are going...
It helps you to push on.
I'd get bored very quickly if we pandered too much and threw in crowd-pleasers that we didn't like doing...

Our goal is to pick songs we like doing and we will soon include originals if they cut it as songs.

The other thing is to do a gig and people are surprised rather than fall from a great height, so humilty needs to be in there as well.

[Cat Burrito]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='905106' date='Jul 25 2010, 07:15 PM']Maybe not, but apparently Osama bin Laden is quite a fan of Chromatics.[/quote]

Yeah but I can't hum any of his tunes!

[RhysP]

My life as a "musician" so far leads me to expect that I will die bitter, unfulfilled & in poverty.

[urb]

I just enjoy playing and striving to better myself both as a bassist and a musician - and if I can do that with musicians who are as good, preferably better than me then I'm a happy man - being a journalist is also a great way to see how the other half live at the top end of the music industry, while also being VERY aware of just how many incredible musicans are barely scraping by and yet are vastly more talented than the likes of Susan Boyle... that's what it's like t have a job in the 'arts' in this country. I'll stop before I really start ranting

Mike

[Clarky]

I don't have the brain or fingers to be a very good bass player (that isn't false modesty, its a fact) so I don't ever expect to be technical "musician" (cue Bilbo telling me to learn to read ). What I do want to do, however, is to make a joyful noise with like-minded individuals and for the occasional live audience to get pleasure from it.

[grumble]

[quote]I don't have the brain or fingers to be a very good bass player (that isn't false modesty, its a fact)[/quote]

You and me got summat in common Clarky

[Lord Sausage]

i demand everyone worships at the sausage altar. i demand shrines are built in every house. I demand a 10000ft statue is made in my likeness out of sausage. For i am Lord Sausage and i can change the universe. if not.....well that's ok. As long as i'm rocking out i'm happy!

[spinynorman]

Ironically the change-the-world faction in music have provided a great outlet for protest, which governments can ignore completely. People all sit in a field together, listen to some really angry lyrics, interspersed with inter-song rants and some heavy duty swearing, go "Yeah, man, that's terrible, someone should absolutely do something about that." and go home feeling like they've done something. If we could persuade the Taliban to hold a couple of big concerts, preferably with Bono involved, we could bring the troops home tomorrow.

[deathpanda]

at the very least, I expect homelessness. anything beats being a total drone and sucking satan's phallus by working at the checkouts, which is all i'm really qualified for.