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

[Mog]

At this stage its all about my enjoyment. I'll do the same show in a packed venue or when playing to just the bar staff. You cant please everyone when playing original tunes so I dont really care about crowd reaction anymore.

[Balcro]

[quote name='Sarah5string' post='904961' date='Jul 25 2010, 05:36 PM']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 (edit- pass)
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 (edit - the sound of bass).[/quote]

Thank you for that; saved me the trouble of typing- knackering day. Couldn't agree more.

Balcro.

[BigRedX]

Well screw all you "I'm just in it for the fun" losers.

I fully expect that by the end of the year snorting cocaine from naked goupies thighs will be the most minor of my excesses...

















;-)

[gjones]

I've never made much money from playing music even when I was a (supposedly) professional musician. Ultimately to be playing music I enjoy is a huge privilege and now (through necessity) I have day job I would happily play for free.........and often do. I can't imagine a time in the future when I won't be playing and I hope that time will never come.
Frankly as long as the music and musicians I'm involved with are up to the quality I expect I'm happy. I've played thousands of gigs and there's maybe 20 (if that) I didn't enjoy playing.
All the serious songwriters and musicians I've known have had the same attitude. Some of them have gone on to play the pyramid stage at Glastonbury and some are still playing in backrooms in pubs but thier attitudes are the same i.e. the chance to play good music is a reward in itself.

Of course money (lots of) would be a bonus.

[Telebass]

[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
Can't say fairer than that.

[flyfisher]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='904996' date='Jul 25 2010, 06:02 PM']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.[/quote]
I don't think I'm anywhere near that rather impressive list as yet, although I have played abroad.

Er, well, in Wales.

[matski]

I just do it for my own personal pleasure, to be honest - I don't crave hero worship, fame, riches or any of those trappings.

I once played with a band which had a drummer who 'fired' the rest of us, as he felt we were holding him back from his objective of "making it". That was 20 years ago, and funnily enough he's still a loser....

I consider myself lucky to be able to play exactly what I want without any compromises, as music is my passion in life not my day job.

Oh, and snorting coke from groupies tits ain't all it's cracked up to be: you can't chop out a nice straight line and the sweat causes it to coagulate.

[Earbrass]

[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]

I just feel lucky to be able to play bad music to people that don't throw stuff.

ps <only joking if my band read this>

[wotnwhy]

I expect to make people cry, and for them question the validity of music itself with my self indulgent, self righteous manner.

Either that, or what everyone else says...

[harvey1-8]

I expect to get a bit of a buzz from music.

It changes on how I get that buzz though. I’m not currently in an active originals band. The two function bands I play with are great, I expect us to play well at every gig. Sometimes I don’t feel we do and I’m a little disappointed (your own worst critic and all that). Recently, what’s giving me the biggest buzz is taking on dep gigs at short notice. I like the challenge of learning a set in 7 days and then nailing it with a bunch of people I’ve never played with on gig night.

It’s that bit of adrenalin which makes it worth while. Same reason I cycle a road bike, 67kg on about 4 square inches of rubber pumped up to 100psi and topping out at 54mph leaves me buzzing.

[Low End Bee]

I want more than I get but I expect less than I actually do.

[CPBassman]

Its always been about the journey.

No other skill that I possess has taken me to so many extremes of experience.

Ive hit some of my goals,, owned some MEGA basses that I now wish I hadnt sold on, and failed miserably to reach other goals but who knows?? The best may be yet to come.

I just love playing with like minded muso's who love to chat gear and swap old stories over a few bevvies.

Oh, and another thing it doesnt hurt like Rugby...which I quit to be able to continue playing as the gigs clashed with the games (saturdays) I was also paranoid about my hands getting mashed......I did get a great broken nose as a trophy though

PS: Ive always found it helps to display confidence in your art and have a healthy disregard for audience requirements..............makes the buzz even more rewarding when it HAPPENS

Edited July 26, 2010 by CPBassman

[algmusic]

For me music, it's just who I am.. I feel wired if I don't play.. in terms of gigs.

Most of my highlights where I really enjoyed myself wasn't the flash recordings/sessions or tours, which were fun, but the silly little covers bands with friends, where we played most of the time wanted we wanted to play and we really enjoyed each other as friends and musicians in our own right.

I play in one band were we're all bassist (not all for this gig) and there's never any competition only engagement and a true sense of appreciation..

[Chris2112]

Absolutely nothing. Playing bass and making music is just something I do for fun when I'm not at work, on the 360 or out driving.

[TimR]

Expectation is a weakness and almost as bad as assumption.

Expect nothing and assume nothing and you will always be surprised.

I am weak and expect and assume that the musicians I play with will listen while they play.

One day I will be surprised.

I like to play any music that the audience enjoys - I am only happy when the audience is enjoying what we are playing. There is music I like to listen to at home that I think would be great to play but I realise that what I like to listen to is not what everyone else does.

[deathpanda]

[quote name='TimR' post='905669' date='Jul 26 2010, 12:27 PM']Expectation is a weakness and almost as bad as assumption.

Expect nothing and assume nothing and you will always be surprised.

I am weak and expect and assume that the musicians I play with will listen while they play.

One day I will be surprised.

I like to play any music that the audience enjoys - I am only happy when the audience is enjoying what we are playing. There is music I like to listen to at home that I think would be great to play but I realise that what I like to listen to is not what everyone else does.[/quote]

on that note, I would also like to add:

[Marvin]

I was talking to a bloke this morning who played two sets (one Friday and one Saturday) at a vintage car or steam rally, can't remember which. On the Friday he played for 6hrs and on the Saturday for 8hrs. He was still buzzing this morning, the gig went so well, and he simply couldn't stop smiling. A little bit of that would do me.

[chris_b]

When I was 17 I expected wealth, fame, the whole lot! It was only right!

Unfortunately I didn't get much of anything, although I was described as "legendary" in the Ealing Blues Festival 2010 web site, so at least one person must have liked something I played.

[TimR]

[quote name='deathpanda' post='905904' date='Jul 26 2010, 03:19 PM']on that note, I would also like to add:

[/quote]

I'm not quite as cynical as that. I prefer to see it as approaching things with an open mind. More of a "I don't know what I'm going to get here rather than this is going to be bad."

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='chris_b' post='905927' date='Jul 26 2010, 03:41 PM']When I was 17 I expected wealth, fame, the whole lot! It was only right!

Unfortunately I didn't get much of anything, although I was described as "legendary" in the Ealing Blues Festival 2010 web site, so at least one person must have liked something I played.[/quote]


I was at that festival, kinda.

[deathpanda]

[quote name='TimR' post='906100' date='Jul 26 2010, 05:39 PM']I'm not quite as cynical as that. I prefer to see it as approaching things with an open mind. More of a "I don't know what I'm going to get here rather than this is going to be bad."[/quote]
ah yeah, I see what you're saying, I wasn't trying to imply you were cynical or anything. I was just adding something that resonated with me.

[TimR]

[quote name='deathpanda' post='906119' date='Jul 26 2010, 05:49 PM']ah yeah, I see what you're saying, I wasn't trying to imply you were cynical or anything. I was just adding something that resonated with me.[/quote]

LOL. I am cynical, just not THAT cynical. I have a thick skin as well so you don't need to worry about implying anything either.

[deathpanda]

[quote name='TimR' post='906243' date='Jul 26 2010, 07:33 PM']LOL. I am cynical, just not THAT cynical. I have a thick skin as well so you don't need to worry about implying anything either.[/quote]

hahaha, noted (:

[redstriper]

Don't deny your ego:

I got my first bass when my girlfriend dumped me, thinking "I'll be a pop star and that'll show her".
That was 35 years ago and I still demand groupies, drugs, money, fame, adoration and free food - why else would I do this ?

[TimR]

[quote name='redstriper' post='906280' date='Jul 26 2010, 08:09 PM']Don't deny your ego:

I got my first bass when my girlfriend dumped me, thinking "I'll be a pop star and that'll show her".
That was 35 years ago and I still demand groupies, drugs, money, fame, adoration and free food - why else would I do this ?[/quote]

Money AND free food - you're a hard man to please!