Why do you make music?

[Homz]

I don't know why. I suppose it's the hardest thing I've ever done. I'll never be good enough. I was always good at sports and I'm good at my job. Music; however, is never mastered. I might play a song a hundred times and simple changes in say the timing, change the whole complexity and depth of the song. Music, to me, is the most complex and interesting thing we humans have ever done. EVER!

 

It's what we work for. Art is its own gratification.

[King Matthew]

I just had this conversation with a good buddy of mine last week. My reason for playing music currently is that it is such an odd feeling being at once the most vulnerable and most powerful person in a room. If you are up on stage or in front of friends, you have the power over their emotions and mood. If you are playing something they like, you make them happy, if you play something that bores the bejesus out of them you lose them. At the same time, you are giving a part of yourself that not everyone can or will give. If you are able to play music, you have spent time learning at least the basics, by devoting that time and effort to your music, you become part of it. When you are up on stage, or just in front of your wife or girlfriend, you are giving an intimate part of yourself that could at any second leave you embarrassed or leave everyone in front of you wanting to talk to you or at least meet you. It is also a great buzz.

[James Allen]

It takes me to a better place. When I'm down, pissed, stressed, playing makes me better. Also, I love to challenge myself to become a better player, to learn how to do more.

It is all for me. In fact, it's the ONLY thing I can think of that I do that is ONLY for me.

[FirstMeasure]

Two reasons;

 

1. I love to Entertain.

2. I have to or I'll get Cranky.

[The Mick]

Eye don't know how to do anything else.

[Basshole]

I honestly started playing because bass guitar really interested me. I though it was cool. And seeing how big I am I thought I should shock people by playing a instrument that requires gentleness.

 

 

And I made this thread because fool on a hill was budda rencarnated so I wanted to pick his brains.

[djroge1]

Then and now are two completely different things.

 

I really don't know right at the moment why, I just play. I think right now for me the problem is there is no one near my level to jam with. They are either way behind me or way in front of me and in both cases we have different musical tastes.

 

I learn from them all, but there is still something missing right now. I just don't know why I play, I just play; it's something I do.

[AXE®]

I do it to annoy all of you...

[solacematt]

I played drums first because I wanted to play Smashing Pumpkins songs...and than I had to switch to guitar because the neighbors kept calling the cops I originally just thought it was just fun to play along to an album and play everything note for note. It's a cool feeling and it makes you smile. Than I started playing in bands because I got to play loud and scream like a drill sergeant like Paige Hamilton (Helmet) and Daryl Taberski (Snapcase), hahaha. Than music saved my life, so now I play and write in hopes of getting to one day return the favor.

[rocketman]

I'm pretty much with Rocketman on his... it takes you lands away' date=' it's cheaper than booze and there's no hangover.[/quote']

 

It is very relaxing indeed and keeps me sane, although "sanity calms, but madness is more interesting."

[NeoConMan]

Wow.

I usually don't spend much time in threads like this.

The whole touchy-feely thing starts and then all I read is blah, blah, blah....

 

I'm surprised at how many people here expressed things I feel myself, even a few I wouldn't have considered before.

 

 

 

It gives me a chance to turn off my brain.

I use music to relax my brain.

Great therapy (better than drinking!).

being very reclusive and playing for my own enjoyment.

I rarely play with anybody at the house - not even my wife.

I play for ME' date=' and I might play the same song twenty times to work something out.

I might play the same three chord riff twenty times, then change key and do it again - just to see how it rings.

I might pick up a different guitar and start all over.

 

 

I like music more than anything. It's cathartic. When I have a bad day at work, I can go hammer out some riffs, or listen to a band I like, and all that stupid b.s. just goes away.

Besides maybe sex, is there really anything better than hitting some chords through a cranked half stack? I guess perhaps a full stack.

I can tell you that the half stack is sufficient. When I had two cabs hooked to my JCM-800 it was simply insane.

:-)

 

 

When I reached a certain age' date=' I decided I wanted to be able to make some of these sounds that I love listening to so much. I realized at a fairly young age that the guitar, for me, offered the most expressive and wide variety of sounds/tones.[/quote']When I realized that I could do THAT, it was a very powerful thing indeed.

Big power chord..... let it ring...... a little feedback starts to creep in as it decays...

 

Still affects me the same way.

 

 

a friend who was on the road for years calls himself an entertainer. I call myself a guitar player....

Guitar player here. I'm at my most humble when playing in front of other people.

People who know me from work' date=' or socially (or here) might be surprised at how unpretentious I am with a guitar.

Most players I know can smoke me with little effort.

The few players I know with skills more modest than mine will NEVER see me showing off. I'll teach them what I know...

 

 

It takes me to a better place. When I'm down, pissed, stressed, playing makes me better.

It is all for me. In fact, it's the ONLY thing I can think of that I do that is ONLY for me.

Agreed 100%

 

 

And seeing how big I am I thought I should shock people by playing a instrument that requires gentleness.

Yeah' date=' I don't say this to many people but seeing me play it is often mentioned.

My wife told me that playing an SG onstage wasn't a good idea, I looked silly like a bear with a toy guitar.

 

 

I just don't know why I play' date=' I just play; it's something I do.[/quote']Honestly, I never thought playing guitar was gonna make me rich or famous.

Sure, we all think it would be cool to be a rockstar but I realized I didn't want it to become a J.O.B.

Even playing briefly at my church, it became a chore and a burden. I'll play what I want, when I want to.

 

Never thought it would score chicks for me.

When I'm playing, chicks are the farthest thing from my mind.

Same goes for when I was drag racing. My wife rarely went because it was a guy thing - we prefered it that way.

When I was flying airplanes all the time, I rarely took women up. After a good day flying, then I enjoy female company.

 

I play guitar just because...

 

I didn't get onstage with a guitar until I was 40 years old.

 

 

I do it to annoy all of you...

Guilty on two counts here....

:-)

 

1.

My first wife would start the b!tching and I would tolerate it for awhile.

Finally' date=' I would just plug in and crank it.

Pissed her off GOOD, and she might not talk to me for a week. Win - win, as they say....

 

[b']2.[/b]

I've had a couple of neighbors over the years who were profoundly unaware that nobody wanted to hear their drunken bullsh!t all day or night. If they interrupted my peace and quiet, I would wait until they were asleep for a couple hours and then CRANK the living sh!t out of it for an hour or so.

 

A few days later when they mentioned something like "Hey, sorry about all the noise the other night..." I would simply reply that it was no problem. Usually worked for at least a few weeks.

:-)

[pohatu771]

I don't get all philosophical about it like some people around here like to... I can't play when I'm angry or I get worse... there's no "reality-distortion" when I start to play... it's just something I like to do.

 

I played in the percussion section of the school band from fourth grade until I graduated. I'm now a Music/Business major and use percussion as my primary instrument. I hate it on most days.

 

I started playing guitar because I wanted to write. I had an awful lot of lyrics, but didn't have an instrument to make them into songs.

 

I like writing, and I like performing. I don't make much money from it, but I haven't "launched" a career yet, so I'm not expecting to. I don't really want to be famous... I like the idea of writing and playing smaller shows - the singer-songwriter deal - and hearing other people play them on the radio.

 

The most philosophical I'll get about it is knowing I've accomplished something when someone in the audience smiles. Even if it's only one person. If no one does, what's the point?

[Dub-T-123]

I play music because it gives me something to do. I feels good and it's always fresh and challenging. You can never get good enough so it's a constant growth/progression. And I love writing music. I love it when I can think of something and then execute it perfectly (rare). But when it happens it happens.

 

I don't have a computer just my phone. so I can't post my songs. whenever I can I'd love to show my music to whoevers listening.

[iSoto]

Mainly for my own pleasure. Not for money, not to please others, most people would not like to listen to what I play (or at least, to what I try to play), so I wouldn't earn money and I would get booed off any stage.

 

Impress peers... no, if someone doesn't like you for who you are, then they can find a million reasons to bash you for just about anything.

 

Yes, seeing Malmsteen playing with a lightning fast technique and listening to Blackmore's solos were urges.

 

Harness my skill... to satisfy my desire (perseverance) to get the most out of my hands (technique) and soul (music).

 

Music calms me down and draws my attention. Lately it just feels like something I have to do, it's growing to be something natural and (hopefully in the not so distant future) more spontaneous.

 

One love stars

[cat&mouse]

I make music for several reasons.

 

I make music because there are no words in any dictionary I've ever looked through that describes how I feel. Playing music allows me to express myself freely, without censorship, and by the time it's through, I feel 10,000 times better.

 

I also make music to allow others to relate to the different words I put into songs. Often, my solo work features more deep lyrics that really have a meaning for everyone while the work with the band tends to be more about good times or making fun of yourself.

 

Aside from those reasons, it's just what I do, and I don't see myself doing anything else.

 

I've met lots of great people!