General Music Chat

Okay, so I'm assuming 99% of us here are wanting to be involved in a great band and play great music, but tell us what's your motive, your purpose in music. Let's say you made it, you finally got that record contract, now what? What would you do? How would you keep the audience interested? How long do you think you would want to be in the spotlight?

my response:
It's just a question I ask myself a lot. I've been interested and semi-involved in the music industry my whole life, I know that it's not all fame and fortune and masses throwing themselves at you. There's betrayal, people wanting to change you, deadlines for songs, hey guess what people, it's a JOB! But I tell myself, as long as I get to go on stage and rock out infront of an audience, one hundred, one thousand, or one million people, THAT is what I live for. The greatest pleasure is to hear people singing your song back to you. If I made it big, I'd do everything I could to make sure I get to keep stepping on those stages and pour my music into the room.

I don't have any real purpose. Cause I want to. It's fun. If I didn't want to, I wouldn't. I'm going to sing, wherever that leads me. Any level of success is fine with me. I'm gonna do what I want, the audience can come or not, I'd still be left with a space. I couldn't keep doing the same sh*t over and over again, I get bored, so I'll keep it fun for myself. The fun part of it is asking "How much can I do?", isn't it? Testing your limits.

Isn't creating music the grand purpose in itself?

It puts things simply.

creating music is fun, but its what comes from that that appeals to me. i love being on stage, seeing the crowd enjoying a song that you/your band made. thats what makes it worthwhile for me.

its like...if a tree falls and nobody is around to hear it, does it make a sound? well, if you write a song but there is no crowd to listen, does the song really exist?

sure it "exists," but whats the point of it existing if nobody knows about it.


id rather be known for my music than make a lot of money off of it.

I would want to burn the interest of America's greatest music (folk, r&b, blues, jazz, country) back into the people (especially my generation). Like Quincy Jones said, it's too important an indigenous music to be forgotten. I would only release albums and songs that are top quality, informed, and thoughtful - maybe other groups would follow suit and try to create masterful works themselves. I would try to alleviate the pretension that plagues all of modern popular music. I would try to be an educated performer/idol that's worth looking up to (i.e. a good example). If fame and fortune were reached I'd use it to spread messages of peace, love, anti-bigotry/tyranny, etc. I'd use the fortune to fund ideas that would mitigate poverty and other problems in other countries as well as in the U.S. I'd like to reignite rock and roll and make it fun again - not an array of exclusive sub-genres that only certain people will listen to.

It should be much more than simply 'creating music', Irminsul. Anybody can make music but that doesn't mean it's worth anything...

It should be much more than simply 'creating music', Irminsul. Anybody can make music but that doesn't mean it's worth anything...

Worth anything to whom?

It should be much more than simply 'creating music', Irminsul. Anybody can make music but that doesn't mean it's worth anything...

Worth anything to whom?

i think what he means is that if its only worth anything to the person who makes the music, then it really isnt worth anything.

i agree somewhat in that music should be made in the hopes that others can hear/enjoy it. otherwise its like it never existed.

It's why the definition of 'putting out' and 'making love' are different. What it's worth.

If you don't enjoy it in the first place, all you're passing on is a shallow tune. So I guess the only person who you can guarantee to make your music worth something is yourself. Because fans come and go, they change and move away from you as you change yourself. I've always liked solo artists because they make music to fit themselves. If all you're after is fame, then not everyone in music has the same definition or goal.

If a tree falls and no one's around to hear it, it doesn't make a sound, it only makes vibrations yet to be translated into sound. I would rather have a loyal fan base than a passing crowd who'll pay some attention to me. Even if they missed the fall, they'll just have to come back to the site to know what happened.

i agree somewhat in that music should be made in the hopes that others can hear/enjoy it. otherwise its like it never existed.

I don't agree with that at all. First and foremost the piece has to be worth something to the author - otherwise no energy would have been expended to write it. If others enjoy it past that, it's icing on the cake.

I write for me. Yes I have to peddle some of what I do to pay the bills, but since for me music is joy, if a piece gets written and completed to some degree of satisfaction, it's worth something.

To me, It is just so amazing & confusing, At times, when someone says that. For instance, "Alternative Rock, etc. Is not real music, Just Noise, Not any heart, No talent," But one of the main statements I hear is "A decade of any form or style of music could not contain 'Classic Material'." That is just beyond a correct theory, If not fact. I think people get stuck [which is great] To their favorite style of music, and simply over stress their belief that their style IS THE ONLY STYLE. I am lucky, I like, most all styles of music. Even the ones I dont care to listen to, I respect their influences to music. We should all support anyones contribution & style to music. After all, We're all on the same team. If not always the same page.

i agree somewhat in that music should be made in the hopes that others can hear/enjoy it. otherwise its like it never existed.

I don't agree with that at all. First and foremost the piece has to be worth something to the author - otherwise no energy would have been expended to write it. If others enjoy it past that, it's icing on the cake.

I write for me. Yes I have to peddle some of what I do to pay the bills, but since for me music is joy, if a piece gets written and completed to some degree of satisfaction, it's worth something.

i guess at this point its just a matter of opinion. i really disagree with how you use the word "peddle" here. i think music is made to be heard. if it wasnt, how far along would we be right now, music-wise? you can make music for yourself, but there comes a certain point where i personally would say "whats the point?"

it has nothing to do with money or getting big. in an ideal world, we wouldnt get paid for writing/playing music, because it gives a reason for writing music that has nothing to do with...well..writing or playing music

i guess at this point its just a matter of opinion. i really disagree with how you use the word "peddle" here. i think music is made to be heard. if it wasnt, how far along would we be right now, music-wise? you can make music for yourself, but there comes a certain point where i personally would say "whats the point?"

Peddle is a euphemism for "market" and or "sell". And yes, I do that because I make most of my living from music. All that means is using what you do to make ends meet. No dishonor in that.

Where we disagree is that I see music first and foremost for myself. My original music is my creation and as such, that's its purpose. Now after that point comes a host of possibilities - performances, CD sales, grants, commissions etc....but thats all after the fact.

If you play or write music only to garner approval from others - that's, well, just sad. A real lack of personal esteem (in my opinion, of course).

It should be much more than simply 'creating music', Irminsul. Anybody can make music but that doesn't mean it's worth anything...

Worth anything to whom?

Just because someone chooses to be an 'artist' and create 'music' that doesn't mean it's worth anything... Let's revisit information in the original post:

AustinTatious wrote:
What's your motive, your purpose in music. Let's say you made it, you finally got that record contract, now what? What would you do? How would you keep the audience interested? How long do you think you would want to be in the spotlight?

Most of these people in the spotlight aren't doing anything worthwhile with their image, money, status, etc. You said simply creating music for yourself is good enough. How does that help anyone or prolong the need for you in the spotlight? I think 'selfish' would be a euphemism for your statement, or a dysphemism...

Great Question, and one that each musician should ask themselves once in a while. It's always good to think ahead. Great post.
Ben Anderton