I forgot how to enjoy playing music.

[sayer]

Been playing music for 15+ years but after trying songwriting for about 8... well I think my brain is messed up.
I don't always feel this way, but I'd appreciate some help for whenever I do.

I don't want to just enjoy new gear..
I don't aspire for fame and fortune..
I have all these ideas for how to make stories and expression with songs but they always seem to fail..


I have been reading "The Mysticism of Sound and Music" by Hazrat Inayat Khan and "Zen Guitar" by Philip Toshio Sudo and they are giving me a deeper meaning and joy in simple sound-making. But does anyone else feel this way and what the heck do you do?

bleh!

[Fingerpicker]

I hear what you're saying bro. Same for me (and a whole lotta other people don't worry). Inspiration for me comes in waves and completely unpredictably. Sometimes I have to force myself to play guitar for a while before something magic happens. Same with piano. It's not always going to be fun. And I hear you when you say: "Isn't playing/writing supposed to be fun?". Well yeah... but sometimes you have to push through to get to somewhere worthwhile being. That's quite ambiguous I know, but it's the only way I can explain it.

I'll go for months without playing something, but then something happens and I'm back in the studio bashing out tunes. And I have to be honest with myself and acknowledge that's the only way it's going to work for me. With instrument playing in particular, there are a series of walls that everybody hits, when you just don't feel like you're getting any better. But play hard enough for long enough and you WILL break those walls down, guaranteed.

Hope it has but fully expect this not to have helped :/

[Skur]

I think every musician feels like this most of the time. Personally i have found its much better for me to keep things simple and spontaneous, i am my own worst critic so if i dwell on ideas for too long i end up thinking they are awful. I sometimes go back to things i gave up on ages ago and realise that they are actually really good. The trick is not to think about it for too long and not to overcomplicate ideas, when your enjoying what your doing songs will write themselves.

[theblue1]

Originally Posted by sayer

Been playing music for 15+ years but after trying songwriting for about 8... well I think my brain is messed up.
I don't always feel this way, but I'd appreciate some help for whenever I do.

I don't want to just enjoy new gear..
I don't aspire for fame and fortune..
I have all these ideas for how to make stories and expression with songs but they always seem to fail..


I have been reading "The Mysticism of Sound and Music" by Hazrat Inayat Khan and "Zen Guitar" by Philip Toshio Sudo and they are giving me a deeper meaning and joy in simple sound-making. But does anyone else feel this way and what the heck do you do?

bleh!

I think we all have phases and cycles.

But, sadly, I have seen a number of my friends -- among them some very fine, highly trained musicians -- who not just walked away from the music biz (which may well be a sensible, self-preserving thing to do in some cases) but who gave up or all but gave up playing music for their own enjoyment.

There seems to be something about beating one's head against the music biz -- not to mention dealing with societal/friend/family expectations (who often seem skeptical about any musical endeavors unless one is raking in cash) -- that wears a person out.

When I got into recording professionally, I went through a commercial music program. If I had any illusions at all left about the music business, that removed the last of them. I decided that, as a musician, the last thing I wanted to do was try to play the music business game, getting ripped off by managers, agents, labels like I saw happen to friends and recording clients.

Many of my friends, who already had a leg up in the biz, plowed ahead, did have tantalizing moments of success, often generated lots of ink in the local and music media, but, at the end, mostly ended up being drained dry.

Which is why I counsel people to get your musical and personal priorities straight in your head and heart before tangling with the music business. Why let the music business ruin your love of making music?

[Jose]

I feel like that very often

Take it easy.

[garymusic]

Music is like planting a crop, you have to do some rotation of the fields in order to harvest the best growth. Joni Mitchell said she would paint. Others, go play baseball. Personally, it comes and goes. Why it comes at all, I haven't got a clue. Same for when it goes. It just does. Human nature.

Now, I don't do music for a living. Never have made enough money at it to pay the bills. So I have a day job. The day job pays enough to pay the bills, buy gear, and create music. I'm lucky, because my day job I enjoy too. Has nothing to do with music, but it is creative.

I have gone for a long time without playing music at all. My life was too busy at one time to fit in the time to do music well so I just didn't do it at all. When I did have the time, then I wrote more songs than I could record. Then it slowed down, stopped, and started up again.

Just relax. Go join a bowling team. It will return when you least expect it. Or take a music vacation. Rent a cabin in the woods and bring your guitar or keyboard and a small portable recorder. Go alone. Play all the time. Something will come if there are no distractions. Just don't beat yourself up if nothing comes of it.

Gary

[sayer]

Thank you all.

I think aspiring to be a rock star as a youth made me set certain goals for myself that made me forget to just enjoy the process.

Even though I am the one asking for help I think the wisest thing I know is that if you don't love playing your songs, you are gonna be faking it when you try to get others to love it.

But please correct me if I'm wrong!

[sventvkg]

Just keep working and working and working. That's how you get good. But you need breaks every once in a while so you don't get burnt. Seems to me it's time for a little break

[janiq]

great thread. when you down you need stuff like that to keep you on toes again .

[Kaoz]

I had basically the same thing happen to me - amazingly when I was studying music at Uni.

It wasn't until I had finished my course that I fell back in love with playing and creating music.

In the end I think I was just thinking too much to enjoy it.

[DavieB]

Originally Posted by sventvkg

Just keep working and working and working. That's how you get good. But you need breaks every once in a while so you don't get burnt. Seems to me it's time for a little break

I think I agree with this. Just keep working at it every day. It helps to record what you play so you can play it back and examine it in better detail. Set objectives like, "I'm gonna write and record a song this week", even if it's woeful you will have at the very least had some practice and maybe discovered a few things along the way. And have a break if it's getting you down or change to a new instrument maybe, which inspires me sometimes.

[DavieB]

Originally Posted by Kaoz

I had basically the same thing happen to me - amazingly when I was studying music at Uni.

It wasn't until I had finished my course that I fell back in love with playing and creating music.

In the end I think I was just thinking too much to enjoy it.

This is really odd, similar thing happened to me.

[Banger]

I, like many musicians, am a more externally driven person. Musicians are sensitive to their surroundings and environment and what you learn from your surroundings is translated into your music/art. Surround yourself with focused, driven, and inspiring people. Unplug the TV and remove it completely from your home. Make your personal space a haven for you concentrate distraction-free. When your wrapped up in your own music its easy to focus only on yourself. Go out and see a concert or movie that inspires you.

I spent a long time being a songwriter because I wanted to get a hit single on an artist that could sell to a wide group of people. I tried to tailor my songs to fit something that people wanted. But that kind of leeches your drive over time. You have to create relevance by being you and putting out only what you really really really want to put out. Don't worry if it will sell, worry about the art. Its a skill largely forgotten these days..

Hope this helps,
Grayson

[Beat Poet]

Taking a break or messing around with a different instrument can make a difference. A change is as good as a holiday. There's nothing wrong with taking a break, everybody needs a break from things that they love. Look at the amount of decent unsigned bands that burn themselves out by just constantly rehearsing, writing and gigging every week.

[benherron.rrr]

Originally Posted by Kaoz

I had basically the same thing happen to me - amazingly when I was studying music at Uni.

It wasn't until I had finished my course that I fell back in love with playing and creating music.

In the end I think I was just thinking too much to enjoy it.

In the same boat as you (except I ain't finished yet)


Just forget about it, If you don't feel like writing don't write, if you don't feel like recording . . . don't record. Don't analyse everything you do, and stop trying to read books to find your problem. Get a playlist made of your favourite songs, maybe some albums you keep meaning to listen to but never get round to it, grab your Ipod/whatever, jump in the car/train/bus and just get out, see some new surroundings for a few hours and listen to some music, don't analyse it don't pick it apart to figure out how it was written/produced just listen to it for what it is and enjoy it. Clear your mind, see something new. It will refresh your mind, at least it works for me when im in a rut

[fremantlerecords]

Call up an old friend and ask them what music they really like lately then buy that record. Listen to it. Write a song. Play it over and over.

[Lenzo]

I always loved to play, but stopped for a few years until I bought my first Taylor. It was kind of a magical guitar to me...it just had something special. I've been very particular about the instruments I buy since then, but have acquired a couple of others that are just a joy to play. As far as writing there is the spontaneous part for me which is pure fun. Then there is the working part, where I finish what I started. I guess I've learned to enjoy both the fun and the work.
L.

[roman manlord]

Perhaps this is worth trying?

I just read about it the other day and had to double check to make sure it wasn't an Onion article. Apparently it's helping people with all sorts of different issues.

[BrennanHickson]

Although I'm only seventeen, I can relate to this as well. I've found that striving against complacency generally resolves apathy in this regard. Part of avoiding contentedness, for me, has involved recognizing that there is and always will be millions of concepts (both musically and non-musically) that I have yet to learn. (Such a realization is, in itself, somewhat disconcerting, but that's not the end of the "strive against complacency" step; instead, I use that realization to better myself by attempting to learn what I don't know, and allowing myself to feel satisfied only with small victories.)

To better visualize how much more I could potentially know, I wrote out a list of a few dozen different fields in which I'm least knowledgable. If I've just had a small victory in the "Music Theory" category, I may attempt to learn about carpentry by watching a home improvement show or signing myself up for a local Habitat for Humanity build. Not everything on my list relates directly to other items on the list, but I've come to find that it's very difficult for me to feel unhappy with myself or with my abilities if I know that I'm actively seeking to improve them.

[Fast Frets]

Originally Posted by roman manlord

Perhaps this is worth trying?

I just read about it the other day and had to double check to make sure it wasn't an Onion article. Apparently it's helping people with all sorts of different issues.

Wow. They don't specify the direction of current flow. If you reverse the anode and cathode, will it make you dumber?

[llihmit]

For me, the key in the past was to play with other musicians. Now that I'm settled down with family not playing out or collaborating in a live setting- I am very challenged to find that zone I'm used to being in. So I too am looking to find inspiration and progress as a songwriter working with only instruments and technology. Deep subject- thanks for starting such a great thread.

[jorshi]

This is a great thread, I don't comment that much but I felt that I should because I really relate to this. I really struggled with not enjoying playing last year. Every time I sat down to write music I would end up feeling really depressed and give up after a short period of time... I was really concerned because this feeling persisted and spent alot of time thinking of when I was younger playing in bands and how much fun that was. I ended up taking a break from writing songs and focussed on maintaining a practice routine (ear training, playing piano, music theory), and listening to my favorite music... And then doing other stuff that I enjoy... Going to the swimming pool, hiking, ...etc. then after a while an opportunity to write came up an it went great... Obviously there are still struggles, but pushing through the rut was really important for my growth as a musician. Hope that helps some

[Kelly Cameron]

Originally Posted by theblue1

I think we all have phases and cycles.

But, sadly, I have seen a number of my friends -- among them some very fine, highly trained musicians -- who not just walked away from the music biz (which may well be a sensible, self-preserving thing to do in some cases) but who gave up or all but gave up playing music for their own enjoyment.

There seems to be something about beating one's head against the music biz -- not to mention dealing with societal/friend/family expectations (who often seem skeptical about any musical endeavors unless one is raking in cash) -- that wears a person out.

When I got into recording professionally, I went through a commercial music program. If I had any illusions at all left about the music business, that removed the last of them. I decided that, as a musician, the last thing I wanted to do was try to play the music business game, getting ripped off by managers, agents, labels like I saw happen to friends and recording clients.

Many of my friends, who already had a leg up in the biz, plowed ahead, did have tantalizing moments of success, often generated lots of ink in the local and music media, but, at the end, mostly ended up being drained dry.

Which is why I counsel people to get your musical and personal priorities straight in your head and heart before tangling with the music business. Why let the music business ruin your love of making music?

Everybody blames the evil music biz, or blames the new paradigm for them giving up or not making it. ALL business is hard because your competing for finite market share, regardless of what type of product your making. Real music is ART. If your trying create wealth with your art, your doing it for the wrong reason, and that's going to influence what you create.

Did Picasso or Jackson Pollock create they're groundbreaking masterpieces because they wanted to make money? No! They reached inside themselves and created, period. Pure expression. They're varying degrees of financial success and public recognition were simply byproducts of they're genius that they allowed to flow unfettered to the canvas. Once people heard about them, saw the works, they started buying it. Same with lots of successful music artists.

Other artsy folk (visual, music) have specifically created products to make money off of. Like graphic artists in advertising, or cheesy pop singing groups assembled by producers to target a specific market genre/demographic. A lot of what comes out of that is regurgitated shit, but it can bring in piles of dough.

Decide what you are: true artist or money maker, and get to work. If you decide your a true ARTIST and happen to make a decent living on your pure, natural unique creations, consider yourself lucky and don't party too much.

And if you don't "make it", don't blame the market and new paradigm that has either rejected what you have done, or has moved on with what people NOW want. The Universe will reward purity and complexity, just don't expect a Ferrari and groupies. Some rewards are more meaningful than others.

[Jose]

Originally Posted by Kelly Cameron

Everybody blames the evil music biz, or blames the new paradigm for them giving up or not making it. ALL business is hard because your competing for finite market share, regardless of what type of product your making. Real music is ART. If your trying create wealth with your art, your doing it for the wrong reason, and that's going to influence what you create.

Did Picasso or Jackson Pollock create they're groundbreaking masterpieces because they wanted to make money? No! They reached inside themselves and created, period. Pure expression. They're varying degrees of financial success and public recognition were simply byproducts of they're genius that they allowed to flow unfettered to the canvas. Once people heard about them, saw the works, they started buying it. Same with lots of successful music artists.

Other artsy folk (visual, music) have specifically created products to make money off of. Like graphic artists in advertising, or cheesy pop singing groups assembled by producers to target a specific market genre/demographic. A lot of what comes out of that is regurgitated shit, but it can bring in piles of dough.

Decide what you are: true artist or money maker, and get to work. If you decide your a true ARTIST and happen to make a decent living on your pure, natural unique creations, consider yourself lucky and don't party too much.

And if you don't "make it", don't blame the market and new paradigm that has either rejected what you have done, or has moved on with what people NOW want. The Universe will reward purity and complexity, just don't expect a Ferrari and groupies. Some rewards are more meaningful than others.

It is funny that you compare painting, probably the most speculative art business, with music.Maybe Picasso didn't think about money but the ones who sell his paintings for 100.000.000$ sure they do.

I get your point but everybody needs money at least to get a new set of strings.