I Think I’m At The Point Where...

BrianC said:
I have gone the opposite direction. A collector most of my life and now in a band in my mid 50's. Played out for the first time at 56!!!

I now find myself limiting my collection more, focusing on "what is a useful tool?".

I still have 5 core gtrs and 2 acoustics!!
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I'm with you Brian. Although I have played in bands before, I quit for 25 years. I've been practicing with a drummer and just got offered today a retirement package so we are getting the band back together!!
 
Hey, nothing wrong with all of us being solipsist together!

I played with people a TON when I was between 18 and about 26 or 27, Some bands, a duo for a while in a ski town (playing for all the beer and pizza we could consume!), and million jam sessions, both public and private. Then a little bit for a few more years. Then I barely played at all for about 30 years (career and family dontcha know) and on the couple of occasions I got together with other folks, I realized how far I'd fallen. I've been way back into it for the past year and a half of so and I'm loving it. But I've barely played with anyone else at all, and don't really care if I do or don't. We have loopers now - I can be my own rhythm player on the fly. There's more instructional stuff online than there was knowledge in the world when I was first learning. I'm getting more versatile and a lot less limited but I don't care about being perfect or tight. I play guitar like I used to play golf. Not to play a great round, but to play for the handful of dead solid perfect shots I'd hit in the course of a round. I might shoot 100, but I'd remember half a dozen shots that I just hit exactly as I wanted to. I'm like that with a guitar - I make lot's of mistakes and burps and farts but I just pass over them until I get to the good stuff. I remember the moments of sheer perfection and forget all the rest. I tried making a short video of myself playing to a rhythm I put down on a looper. Big mistake. Because THEN I heard all the of the goofs and not the great moments. When I'm just playing on my own, my personal filters get rid of the junk and polish up the gems for me. It's a good system I and I have going and I'm not inclined to mess with it...

Solipsism today, solipsism tomorrow, solipsism forever! Hey, who are the rest of youse guys anyway?

-Ray
 
I spent many a decade longing to be in a band but the combination of, like many have mentioned, being an introvert, being socially awkward and a lacking in self confidence kept me from making it happen. But I took part in an adult rock camp 3-4 years ago and hit it off with a couple of guys, it kind of just happened. So at 47 I started my new hobby as a gigging musician. Three years in and I still love it, though there are times I really wonder why. Those gigs where we are playing to two or three people in the place (counting the bartender :D) or there's a good crowd but not one person is paying any attention (I know, I know, but getting attention is what we all started playing for right? At least some level?) are brutal. Really makes it tough to keep up any kind of energy.

I really lucked out too, the core group of guys are a good bunch which is why we're still together and there's no in-band drama, and the one guy in the band is a machine when it comes to marketing and getting gigs.
 
sergiodeblanc said:
... I enjoy guitars more than being in a band.

The sweaty dudes, bass players, tracking drums, band photos, social media likes, artwork, smoke breaks, dinner breaks, hauling gear, planning, unrealistic expectations, grandiose dreams... I mean, it’s not them (the band), it’s me, I’ve been doing it too long, and I’m too cynical. I just can’t get pumped up for the big letdown anymore.

Is it okay if I just enjoy playing guitar by myself? Can I just be geeked about buying a guitar just for the sake of it, without having to do anything productive with it?
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Ugh. Mismatched expectations among band members is the worst! A great gig is probably the most fun you can have in public. But there's the schedules to manage, the schlepping, the practicing, the dragging yourself to rehearsal on time, the realizing you really deep down hate the singer or the bass player, the volume wars... The right level of gratification hasn't been there for a while.

I periodically burn to be doing it again, but every time I go through a band cycle, it takes twice as long to get enthused again. I think I'll be looking for a band in about 8 more years. Maybe that'll coincide with when I retire, come to think of it.

Playing by (and for) yourself, is just so much simpler, you know? Much like...

Um.

You know what? Never mind!
 
sergiodeblanc said:
... I enjoy guitars more than being in a band.

The sweaty dudes, bass players, tracking drums, band photos, social media likes, artwork, smoke breaks, dinner breaks, hauling gear, planning, unrealistic expectations, grandiose dreams... I mean, it’s not them (the band), it’s me, I’ve been doing it too long, and I’m too cynical. I just can’t get pumped up for the big letdown anymore.

Is it okay if I just enjoy playing guitar by myself? Can I just be geeked about buying a guitar just for the sake of it, without having to do anything productive with it?
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“Congratulations! You have just been approved for a free lifetime membership at The Gear Page.”
 
Great thread @sergiodeblanc I have really enjoyed all the points of view, as always.

Beginning my journey not so long ago, remember... I don't know jack. All I do know is, I had no real expectation of what I would end up doing with this new found passion and hopefully set of skills before I checked out someday. I guess it didn't really matter to me. I simply wanted to do something to challenge myself, set some new goals, and pursue a lifelong dream. Since I finally had the time to go all in, it was go time. I also waited because, I was always taught, if you have any respect for a process... you should never disrespect it, by putting anything less than 110% into being the very best you can possibly be at every phase of that process. Kinda like a "any thing worth doing in life is worth over doing"...thing.

It is most definitely the hardest, yet equally rewarding process, I have ever committed to. The "lightbulb" moments are starting to happen more and more often for me, I'm just scratching the surface, but I'm totally hooked on working to discover the next one everyday!

I admire the guys and girls here that gig, tour, perform in front of 1 or 100K people, I equally admire the ones that play and are content and happy in a room alone. For me playing for anyone outside of my two dogs and...errum...well, just my two dogs. Yeah, that doesn't really matter to me. What does really matter is loving the journey, the process, the insanity, having an amazing creative outlet to express myself with(someday) but above all, the best part of this is the friendships I'm making along the way. That brings me peace and good vibes like nothing else. So for me, I can't think of anything better to do for the rest of my days...I really dig the thought of that, a lot. For real.

If being in a band makes you feel happy or more satisfied.. go for it...if sitting in a room full of killer guitars playing to nobody but yourself, is your happy place...go for it. The main thing is, soak it all up, enjoy the ride and find the spot that serves you and your journey best, grab it and hold on to it with all ya got bro...YOLO!
 
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ScottR said:
Great thread @sergiodeblanc I have really enjoyed all the points of view, as always.

Beginning my journey not so long ago, remember... I don't know jack. All I do know is, I had no real expectation of what I would end up doing with this new found passion and hopefully set of skills before I checked out someday. I guess it didn't really matter to me really. I simply wanted to do something to challenge myself, set some new goals, and pursue a lifelong dream. Since I finally had the time to go all in, it was time. I also waited because, I was always taught, if you have any respect for a process... you should never disrespect it, by putting anything less than 110% into being the very best you can possibly be at every phase of the process. Kinda like a "any thing worth doing in life is worth over doing"...thing.

It is most definitely the hardest, yet equally rewarding process, I have ever committed to. The "lightbulb" moments are starting to happen more and more often for me, I'm just scratching the surface, but I'm totally hooked on working to discover the next one everyday!

I admire the guys and girls here that gig, tour, perform in front of 1 or 100K people, I equally admire the ones that play and are content and happy in a room alone. For me playing for anyone outside of my two dogs and...errum...well, just my two dogs. Yeah, that doesn't really matter to me. What does really matter is loving the journey, the process, the insanity, having an amazing creative outlet to express myself with(someday) but above all, the best part of this is the friendships that I am making along the way. That brings me peace and good vibes like nothing else. So for me, I can't think of anything better to do for the rest of my days...I really dig the thought of thate, a lot. For real.

If being in a band makes you feel happy or more satisfied.. go for it...if sitting in a room full of killer guitars playing to nobody but yourself is your happy place...go for it. The main thing is, soak it all up enjoy the ride and find the spot that serves you and your journey best, grab it and hold on to it...YOLO!
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That was a surprisingly thoughtful, heartfelt, and coherent post! And you posted this at almost 2:00 AM??? What the heck has gotten into you? :eek::eek:

Meds kick in? Or wear off? :D
 
I wish there was a way that everyone in this thread could get together and record a cd. Those of us who are just getting back into it or just play at home, I think, could come up with some really great songs and not feel the pressure of performing in front of people, just fellow musicians. I bet Les would be a great producer!
 
Steve's addiction said:
I wish there was a way that everyone in this thread could get together and record a cd. Those of us who are just getting back into it or just play at home, I think, could come up with some really great songs and not feel the pressure of performing in front of people, just fellow musicians. I bet Les would be a great producer!
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I had this idea when I first joined the forum. I invited everyone over to Les’ house for a big recording party. Lots of interest, looked like guys were up for it...But then Les wouldn’t tell us where he lived.
 
I was in a band in my 20's. We split the work up:
- I played bass, sang, and music directed
- the guitarist was a machine at getting gigs
- the keyboard player grumped and refused to practice
- the drummer drank

My kids are early elementary age, and I'm playing more guitar. My main outlet has been thru the local music school - a "band camp" with my neighbor on bass and instructors on drums and 2nd guitar. Pay $250 for about 8wks of rehearsal and a gig or two. I view it as renting space and a drummer; I still always end up getting stuck on vocals and not getting to work on my playing as much.
 
Playing with other musicians is one of my most fav things in life. Playing live with other musicians can be the absolute biggest kick in the pants while keeping the previously mentioned pants on. However, I don’t like the drama that develops due to unrealistic expectations, lack of commitment, lack of common sense/courtesy, or otherwise other flamboyant douchebaggery. When I owned my own company, hiring employees was the most difficult and time consuming task because I refused to allow an incompatible personality to poison the well. Same thing with bands, and my current band is looking like I have to take over the reins if it is to continue. This is where fun turns into business and that might not be what I want to do.

Serg, if you have to compromise values or comfort to make it work, then dump it. Something else will come down the road later in life. And even if it does, it may not stay that way for long because you just can’t keep a good band together. There are other things you can do with your creativity and I may just post about one of my recent experiences.
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
I had this idea when I first joined the forum. I invited everyone over to Les’ house for a big recording party. Lots of interest, looked like guys were up for it...But then Les wouldn’t tell us where he lived.
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You're leaving out the key detail - Les actually did give us an address, but as GPS coordinates. It only took about three days - and the sudden disappearance of a formerly frequent poster - before word got out that the coordinates led to a spot 1,300 miles off the coast of Alaska.

(In fairness, no one really liked the guy who's not around anymore, so no one really cared.)
 
DreamTheaterRules said:
That was a surprisingly thoughtful, heartfelt, and coherent post! And you posted this at almost 2:00 AM??? What the heck has gotten into you? :eek::eek:

Meds kick in? Or wear off? :D
Click to expand...

I have no recollection of posting that...insomnia is like a box of chocolates kind of thing...add Ambien and grab the camera! Oh, and hide the sharp objects...

Thanks for the compliment though...it was rather thoightful I guess...too bad I was blacked out and can't remember writing it:confused:;)
 
alantig said:
You're leaving out the key detail - Les actually did give us an address, but as GPS coordinates. It only took about three days - and the sudden disappearance of a formerly frequent poster - before word got out that the coordinates led to a spot 1,300 miles off the coast of Alaska.

(In fairness, no one really liked the guy who's not around anymore, so no one really cared.)
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Hey, I’m still here, ya know!
 
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