So what are you doing musically? And are you achieving your goals?

Since I started using recording software 6 years ago my goals have drastically changed over the years.  The last 3 years I've actually recorded a lot less than I did when I first got into recording.  I've been taking lessons and improving my skills and lately I've been driving more toward playing live with others, which I had never done in the past.  I know that puts me in a huge minority here, but even at 48 years old, I don't think it's ever too late to do something.  Some of you have done that most of your lives and have moved away from that and toward recording, I believe.  I seem to be doing the opposite.
 
But this is what I am wanting to do and I'm having a blast doing it!  I just hope I can fit some recording time in, too, eventually!
 
so where are you guys/gals? 

im spending too much time dealing with X1 crashes to be productive

@ Maurice!

yorolpal


...although my "stream" is not what it used to be...

There is a medicine for that.  But the medical tests are - uh - well let's say they only appeal to about 10% of the population.  

hey, my ol' pal, I know you're in Ark-ansas, but what part?  One of my sons lives in some town north of Little Rock, right outside the base. 

Bub


My days of playing live are long gone. Nobody wants to hear the music I love and did back in the day anymore. The crowd that danced to Mony Mony are now staying home watching their grandkids while their kids are going out dancing Chingy and the Yo! Yo!'s.

That's what got me in to recording. I missed playing out so much and this kind of filled that void. Plus I have a lot of alone time with my wife traveling for work, and you can only watch TV for so long before you start going out to bars and getting in trouble.

I'm not sure if MM was being sincere or just kidding around, but what he mentioned has completely stopped me dead in my tracks. I've spent so much time trying to make this work since Dec. that I've hardly got anything done at all and now I don't even have the desire. And it's a shame because I have all the free time in the world right now. Honestly, lately I've been seriously considering getting rid of it all, even my guitars, and calling it quits.

That's kind of where I'm at with music at this point.

You're lucky to have found somewhere to fit in to in the music scene being your age Reece. I'm guessing your in a praise band or something similar? Nothing wrong with that at all!

yes, exactly.  I recently moved to a small church which, before I came only had 2 people on the praise team.  the leader and another singer and the leader plays acoustic and runs the sound, too.  and he has created some backing tracks for missing instruments, so the need is great (and therefore I don't have to be!  ).  I'm singing and playing keyboard and I'm loving it!  and we've added a soundman since I started, too!
 
sorry you're having so many problems and are frustrated.  it's not a good thing for the soul to be so downhearted over problems that you want to give up.  I hope you don't.

Beagle


hey, my ol' pal, I know you're in Ark-ansas, but what part?  One of my sons lives in some town north of Little Rock, right outside the base. 

He probably lives in either Jacksonville or Cabot, no?  I'm right here in the capitol city of Little Rock on Main Street. 

yorolpal

Beagle


hey, my ol' pal, I know you're in Ark-ansas, but what part?  One of my sons lives in some town north of Little Rock, right outside the base. 

He probably lives in either Jacksonville or Cabot, no?  I'm right here in the capitol city of Little Rock on Main Street. 

yes, Cabot!  He has moved a couple of times and I forget.  Maybe next time we're through there we'll stop in and check your studio out?

Generally I am achieving my goals musically.

In the mid '70s I dreamed of having my own recording studio in the home.

I never dreamed of having a modest collection of guitars and basses (one bass and one guitar was enough back then) or even a drum set. Now I have more than I ever dreamed of yet it's fully satisfying even though I dod not have enough time in the day, week month or year to fully learn everything I own, I do seem to occasionally finish something.

Gotta go now.. the next mix awaits. 

I moved from playing in a band to recording mostly because, all I really wanted to do was to write and record. My main, unspoken goal, was to be able to be a whole rock band by myself and to do the best I could w/ what I had at my disposal. I started w/ an open reel machine and soon discovered that you could record on a PC.

Moving to computers, I've developed an interest for electronic music and sound itself and a lot of my attention shifted toward engineering/production. It was there, it just developed I guess.

For a few years, I've experimented with, lets say in broad terms, Nine Inch Nails sort of stuff. The one constant being, I always wanted to do it all by myself.

After a 2 years hiatus, I'm getting back to it. My fiancée put me on a job - to come up with songs for her next solo album. While officially I'm only recording demos for the time being, I can't help but try and do as much as I can to bring the project to a place where a lot of that stuff could probably make it onto the album. But then, we have access to great musicians and good studios, so I don't know exactly how it'll turn out. So far, all I can say is that we're both impressed to see how decent those early attempts already are in view of what we/she wanted.

In all those years, the one thing I've always avoided was vocals - I can do pretty much everything else, and bring it to the level where I feel it's good. But I never completely trusted that I'd be able to finish anything beyond instrumental. I knew I'd probably have to do it, but it's the one thing I can't see myself doing even as a one man band.

As such, writing material for her allows me to really push my dream to the next level - I've found the voice for my projects, I no longer have to worry that I might not be up to it vocally.

And it's all coming full-circle. When she first heard the stuff I had been recording for the past few months, she just bursted w/ enthusiasm and asked if I'd be willing to bring that stuff on the stage and maybe tour a bit. 

I guess I could live with that. One of the reasons I hated playing live was that I always ended up at the front of the stage, right in the spotlight, handling both lead vocals and lead guitar. There's no chance of that happening with her by my side - that's what she does, that's where she lives, so I can focus on the music. Which is where I feel I belong. Musical director of some kind - almost like Jimmy Page and Robert Plant...  

It's like all the pieces falling into their right place.   

since moving down from Liverpool and losing the collab stuff i did with my mate Steve i decided to concentrate on the metal stuff...which has led to a fruitful period of around 25 songs in the last 18 months or so. trying to get a cd out to a few labels. playing at various church-based events...starting a new job soon so may have more opportunity to do live stuff...

Good luck to you Reece.  There is no order in how you develop as an artist.

Personally I am relatively happy with being able to have some gear to play with and record. 

The guitar is an ongoing learning experience, for me, which I was denied at the age of ten, "It is just a passing fad he will forget it in a few weeks" was the quote.  Not sure how they would explain the six guitars (seventh in progress) and the one 5 string bass, the seven hardware synths and all the other music making bits I now have.  Could make for an interesting conversation if they were still with us.

I am fortunate to get a reasonable amount of time to use my stuff.  One or two of my guitars are played every day.  If I am lucky I learn something new.

Have fun Reece have fun.

Good topic Reece and I've enjoyed reading the replies.

I'm really glad you are getting to play out much more, aside from the fun you are obviously having, it is the amount of learning and growth that you will have already achieved by doing it.  The instant feedback that an audience is giving you is the ultimate guide and makes it all fun, yet just feeling that 'love' is far more powerful than any formal instruction.

For me there is no substitute for 'doing the do'.

Thanks John!  and thanks for sharing!  I understand the parental thing.  I was a little older, a teen, when I wanted something other than a dirty ol' piano to play on.  man I do wish I hadn't felt that way and had continued playing the piano all those years, tho.  I love this quote:  "There is no order in how you develop as an artist."

Tim - great story, thanks for sharing - it sounds like you're living what you want to do as well.  right now I don't mind lugging the keyboards back and forth.  I don't have to move the keyboard amp tho, it stays at the church, so it's not bad at all really and yes, I'm learning a lot and having fun!

Thanks JB! you're right!  it's incredible getting that feedback from the audience!  very powerful stuff!

mike - that sounds like a blast!  have fun!

My roadie kid (Josh) is commanded to remember my acoustic guitar (cause I forget); I play for fun and desperately try to seize any artistic hook that is beautiful.

A microscopic country church is a regular for me: acoustic guitar and choir (usually in alternating manner); church gigs are strictly for fun.

The home DAW is another animal, equivalent to my portrait painting.  (Unfortunately, I hack at many arts and sciences and get burnt out)

I oft try to collab with 'you all' ... to become new again with passionate productions.  

Curiously, the musical fads, passions, and/or talents change from season to season, they also die and resurrect quite a bit.  Then I lurk here.