When is time to quit?

Czernobog · July 03, 2012, 10:08:37 AM

Stop trying at all to accomplish anything. Just play, or don't play. Everything else is superfluous and gets in the way of the music. Things will flow naturally from there when time is right.

tossom · July 03, 2012, 02:49:03 PM

I have quit for a 2nd time at 28. I burnt out on music at 22 and didn't play, or even listen to much for about 3 years. Was asked for a jam with a band at 26, started playing again and did 1 gig that went pretty well plus we were starting to write some cool stuff. Then I had a knee operation and in the time it took for me to get back on my feet the bassist and drummer had found different bands.

Don't think there is any realistic chance of me being in a band again in the near future so my guitars are just nice looking ornaments I pick up now and then. The only music scenes where I live is folk, which I really am not into, whiteman blues covers and or rock covers (which I am not at all into either). Would rather not play at all than be playing "Highway to Hell" or "Crossroads" again. Chances of finding other people who are open to writing or playing heavy original music here is nil so back to just listening to music. I don't see the point in keeping on writing or practising.

But I got kick ass wireless headphones so I can listen betterer

Lumpy · July 03, 2012, 07:00:06 PM

Quote from: tossom on July 03, 2012, 02:49:03 PMI don't see the point in keeping on writing or practising.

Music should be a life-long activity IMO. When you're 70, you want to be able to sit on your back porch and entertain yourself with some tunes. If you are a killer player due to years of practice, it will be even more fun.

I hate the idea that playing music is only about being in a popular band.

clockwork green · July 03, 2012, 07:10:31 PM

Quote from: fallen on June 25, 2012, 10:06:35 PM
I need to build a shower guitar / recorder. I always seem to get song ideas in there. Must be the water droning in Db or B.

Or maybe I need to buy one of those Indian drone machines like Om has.

There's a really cool iPhone app called iTanpura that does a ton of different Indian drones. It's a little pricey for apps but it does a great job and is highly tweakable.

RacerX · July 03, 2012, 07:15:45 PM

First serious post outta me in this thread:

I agree with Lumpy.

I'm over 50, and I make music primarily for my own enjoyment. Sure, I like playing out, playing with others, writing songs & recording them, but many of my most enjoyable musical moments have been playing alone, without an agenda, with no one listening & no recorded evidence they ever happened.

Playing should be fun if you're doing it right. I'm still having fun.

Submarine · July 03, 2012, 07:41:27 PM

I quit being a musician when being an audio engineer became profitable. Tomorrow I start my first lesson in classical guitar and I am very excited, I have been promising this to myself for far too long and its finally going to happen. If I can play a few pieces with half the technique I had when I had my rock chops I will be very pleased.

dogfood · July 03, 2012, 09:02:41 PM

Sunn, I've found the music comes and goes. I've also found that it comes back which is the most important thing. It will return. You remind me of ....

This one a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away... to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm? What he was doing. Hmph. Adventure. Heh. Excitement. Heh. A Jedi craves not these things.

Leave the house, get laid!

neighbor664 · July 04, 2012, 11:42:07 AM

I am in agreement with Lumpy and Racer.
An analogy of music (and your relationship with it) being much like food is something that resonates with me.

mortlock · July 05, 2012, 11:57:18 PM

energy food..

clockwork green · July 06, 2012, 05:16:13 AM

I was re-reading this thread the other day when it struck me that one of the reasons I hate going to our studio and working on songs by myself is the terrible lighting (thanks Agents for the reminder). I changed a few bulbs out to green and turned off the overhead fluorescents and it's just a much more comfortable and productive place to be. I use my phone to record new riffs and arrangements and usually if I have a good day of writing I'll have 3 new clips but the day I changed the lights I had 8. It's amazing how something so simple and obvious can still make such a big difference. I guess the take home message is that a shitty writing day isn't usually that far from a great writing day...it just takes something to get the ball rolling.

Worthless Willie · July 10, 2012, 11:42:09 PM

White light is a Creativity Crusher, IMO.

Harm · July 11, 2012, 02:52:59 AM

Since the problem isn't people not wanting to jam with you reading this topic, it is merely the distance between musicians. So you should probably focus on solving that. Obviously you don't want to move, so perhaps you could try to form a band through the internet. Maybe you can jam through skype and record what the other is doing.

And quiting? I am way too far to turn back.

clockwork green · July 11, 2012, 03:50:03 AM

Jesus, we're going through a new one. So my the bass player from my old band and I have been trying to start a new project but have had drummer issues. We found a great drummer but he was in too many bands and just way over-committed to work out. Then a few weeks ago we found another really good drummer but he's a package deal with his girlfriend the singer. That seemd to be fine but now they're awol and she pulled a weird thing by taking an hour long business call last practice and never showing back up...he had to take her mic and meet her in the car. I'm not asking for John Bonham, I'm not asking for someone to drop their life, just jam whenever they can. I feel like I'd almost feel better just giving up on others rather than having these promising starts and stops. I guess the moral of the story for me is to always have something going on for myself because I just can't trust others (except the bass player, he's been there for nearly 11 years).

VOLVO))) · July 27, 2012, 05:53:57 PM

Shit, it's happening again. I just spent a couple hours with a bunch of really, really awesome musicians and I feel like a total fucking scrub. I suck compared to all of these dudes... I know you're supposed to hang with dudes who are better so you progress, but these dudes just made me feel like a fucking loser, without even saying a goddamn word about me...

the diddler · July 27, 2012, 06:22:06 PM

Quote from: SunnO))) on July 27, 2012, 05:53:57 PM
Shit, it's happening again. I just spent a couple hours with a bunch of really, really awesome musicians and I feel like a total fucking scrub. I suck compared to all of these dudes... I know you're supposed to hang with dudes who are better so you progress, but these dudes just made me feel like a fucking loser, without even saying a goddamn word about me...

guaranteed you can do/know shit that is out of their realm of experience. bring your shit to the table and if it doesn't mesh with their shit, the shitfeast wasn't meant to happen. but, on the other hand, if they're looking down their pro-hair pro-gear noses at you, burn their houses down and shit on their moms.

The Shocker · July 27, 2012, 07:22:58 PM

Quote from: the diddler on July 27, 2012, 06:22:06 PM
Quote from: SunnO))) on July 27, 2012, 05:53:57 PM
Shit, it's happening again. I just spent a couple hours with a bunch of really, really awesome musicians and I feel like a total fucking scrub. I suck compared to all of these dudes... I know you're supposed to hang with dudes who are better so you progress, but these dudes just made me feel like a fucking loser, without even saying a goddamn word about me...

guaranteed you can do/know shit that is out of their realm of experience. bring your shit to the table and if it doesn't mesh with their shit, the shitfeast wasn't meant to happen. but, on the other hand, if they're looking down their pro-hair pro-gear noses at you, burn their houses down and shit on their moms.

Right on!

liquidsmoke · July 27, 2012, 08:21:31 PM

No quitting!

I'm just saying that because writing music makes me feel high and love life.

If you're playing with some dudes who are way better than you then play rhythm guitar or torture yourself trying to write bass lines to their parts. That's all I got.

everdrone · July 27, 2012, 10:01:19 PM

you can always work on your own stuff and rent a lot of netflix how to play different styles videos for guitar

dont be closed minded to other styles of music

also, read cool books about music http://www.amazon.com/Zen-Guitar-Philip-Toshio-Sudo/dp/068483877X

moose23 · July 28, 2012, 08:07:01 AM

I'd much rather be the weakest player in the room than the best.

everdrone · July 28, 2012, 11:09:43 AM

Quote from: moose23 on July 28, 2012, 08:07:01 AM
I'd much rather be the weakest player in the room than the best.

ya, not a good feeling to be the best if its because the others are really weak...

RacerX · August 04, 2012, 03:25:39 PM

"When is time to quit?"

http://riffrocklives.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=19;sa=showPosts

July 31, 2012?

I,Galactus · August 04, 2012, 04:27:45 PM

Quote from: RacerX on August 04, 2012, 03:25:39 PM
"When is time to quit?"

http://riffrocklives.com/forum/index.php?action=profile;u=19;sa=showPosts

July 31, 2012?

Apparently.

clockwork green · August 04, 2012, 05:46:06 PM

jibberish · August 06, 2012, 02:16:40 AM

Quote from: Lumpy on July 03, 2012, 07:00:06 PM
Quote from: tossom on July 03, 2012, 02:49:03 PMI don't see the point in keeping on writing or practising.

Music should be a life-long activity IMO. When you're 70, you want to be able to sit on your back porch and entertain yourself with some tunes. If you are a killer player due to years of practice, it will be even more fun.

I hate the idea that playing music is only about being in a popular band.

^this is thee key to it all

tombhex · August 06, 2012, 09:57:07 AM

Quote from: SunnO))) on July 27, 2012, 05:53:57 PM
Shit, it's happening again. I just spent a couple hours with a bunch of really, really awesome musicians and I feel like a total fucking scrub. I suck compared to all of these dudes... I know you're supposed to hang with dudes who are better so you progress, but these dudes just made me feel like a fucking loser, without even saying a goddamn word about me...

this is how i feel every time i get out and jam with some great musicians. it's just a reminder of exactly how tight my playing used to be and of the fact that i just don't have the drive to hone my skills again or get better at guitar.

i know a lot of people say that your mid-twenties are that period of constant growth and a great time to get into and experience a bunch of things and play a bunch of places "before it's too late" (job, wife, kids, parents getting older, etc) but i feel like for the most part my twenties have provided me with little more than a whole lot of listlessness.

the most debilitating blow to my drive to get out and meet people to play music with or start a new band is realizing that i'm not the musician i once was and haven't done anything to make the situation any better.