Members Raskolnikovs axe Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 I spent the last 10 years or so gigging in bands and trying to 'make it,' but now I'm going back to school and between that and work I have not time for a band. Not to mention, the lack of rehearsals and not dealing with bandmates is kind of a relief. I'm wondering, for other people who've been through this and given up so to speak, what do you do to stay productive, musically speaking? I've been working on lots of songs, but it's a very different process when you can't just bring your half-finished idea to a band and have everybody else throw their bits in and complete it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrChrisos Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Nah - keep playing! Get recording, and keep writing. Do it because you love it, not to 'make it'. Plus - don't give up. I went solo and have never looked back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Marmoset King Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 I find that discovering new music usually fires me up to do more of my own and keep recording.I was in bands years back but now at 38 i'm happy to just write and record and put things on my Myspace music page for fun.New music always makes me feel excited about playing, i never ever want to be one of those people my age that don't like anything new and say things like 'oh music was better in the 80s' or whatever, i'd hate to be like that.Buying new pedals gives me a boost creatively too ... but then we all suffer from that little addiction around here Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members HeartfeltDawn Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Try a different instrument. I'm going to start piano lessons soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Raskolnikovs axe Posted September 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Nah - keep playing! Get recording, and keep writing. Do it because you love it, not to 'make it'.Plus - don't give up. I went solo and have never looked back. Oh, I definitely agree with this - it's just that the process is so different! Plus, being in a band constrains you creatively in a way that makes it easier to write, for me at least. Since you have some expectation of what the band sounds like, you write to that style, to some degree or another. Now that I'm totally free, I am writing a lot but it's all over the place stylistically. I guess that's good though, just makes it harder to develop at first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Raskolnikovs axe Posted September 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Try a different instrument. I'm going to start piano lessons soon. Yeah this helps. I've been taking drum, piano, and vocal lessons since I quit because now I have to be responsible for all parts of the music Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dr. Goldenglove Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Buy more pedals.But seriously, I try different random tunings, simple acoustic songs with 4-5 chords (which I haven't tried writing till about a month ago), I play on my fretless pretty often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrChrisos Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Oh, I definitely agree with this - it's just that the process is so different! Plus, being in a band constrains you creatively in a way that makes it easier to write, for me at least. Since you have some expectation of what the band sounds like, you write to that style, to some degree or another. Now that I'm totally free, I am writing a lot but it's all over the place stylistically. I guess that's good though, just makes it harder to develop at first. Ah yes, it's totally different! You can do anything now. It's scary at first, but you learn to love it. It's ok to be all over the place stylistically, allow yourself the time to mess with as many styles as possible, eventually you'll find a direction that suits you, probably more than any band you've ever been in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Raskolnikovs axe Posted September 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 I am actually working on an album now, but I have this odd feeling I won't know what to do with it when I'm done. There will be no big CD release show and afterparty, no sales to speak of I'm sure, just appreciation by me and those friends of mine who are still interested in what I do. It doesn't make me want to put any less work into it, but it does feel strange! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Raskolnikovs axe Posted September 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Buy more pedals.But seriously, I try different random tunings, simple acoustic songs with 4-5 chords (which I haven't tried writing till about a month ago), I play on my fretless pretty often. i want to eventually - funny thing is, when i quit, i sold ALL of my pedals. i felt i needed to downsize because I wasn't going to be in a band, so I sold every pedal and got a GT-10 for any effects I need, and used the rest of the money to help buy some other stuff I'd need - a bass, keyboard, mixer, etc. I know, that's blasphemy here...hopefully soon I can afford to start building some BYOC kits though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Buy more pedals.That's been my mode of operation I do write songs still, and probably always will; but I need a new space for recording. I've been house-hunting, so hopefully that will be soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members turnstylepoet Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 I am walking away from a regular weekly gig and I am asking myself the same questions. I am pretty excited as being on my own will allow for more creativity in one sense (not being tied to a genre/purpose) but I am a bit concerned about not having a scheduled reason to practice and play. I think I will have to make and keep a schedule since I have lots of other things that make up my life (wife/kids/job/house/etc...) Good luck on your new journey, and wish me well in mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrChrisos Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 I am walking away from a regular weekly gig and I am asking myself the same questions. I am pretty excited as being on my own will allow for more creativity in one sense (not being tied to a genre/purpose) but I am a bit concerned about not having a scheduled reason to practice and play. I think I will have to make and keep a schedule since I have lots of other things that make up my life (wife/kids/job/house/etc...) Good luck on your new journey, and wish me well in mine. Nah man, it's the other way around. I drove myself nuts trying to get more than one rehearsal a week to take us to the next level, working people's schedules and booking rooms. Now all I have to do is go into my room and pick something up, I can play more often and it's a lot easier to organise around other things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members c+t in b Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 yeah record and write gigging doesnt really = creativity imho. its work and stress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orangesix Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 for me personally...a lot of weed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members royal crxsh johnson Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 make your own stuff. the computer is a godsend for me. i can play with myself all day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dr.Picklebottom Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 play the samething over and over again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hivedestruction Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 For me, since I quit my last band I've basically not even been playing guitar very much at all. Kinda sucks. I haven't even turned my Twin on since sometime in April.. Yea, {censored}ing April. So weak. The past few days I've been playing a bunch more though, as far as creativity goes, I has none right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 123PullOut! Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Sometimes a nice new pedal will inspire new songs. Or maybe play around with different sounds with the equipment you already have. Also, learn to play songs you like. It may introduce you to new chords or patterns you might have not thought of before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 for me personally...a lot of weed.History has shown that this is a very bad long-term plan Show me one lifelong potsmoker who hasn't shown a serious decline in song quality over the years. Just saying Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orangesix Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 History has shown that this is a very bad long-term plan Show me one lifelong potsmoker who hasn't shown a serious decline in song quality over the years. Just saying i had one in mind...but i forgot.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members big_cat Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 History has shown that this is a very bad long-term plan Show me one lifelong potsmoker who hasn't shown a serious decline in song quality over the years. Just saying Show me one lifelong songwriter that hasn't shown a decline in song quality over the years. Weed or not, it's rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orangesix Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Show me one lifelong songwriter that hasn't shown a decline in song quality over the years. Weed or not, it's rare. maybe Tom Waits?Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.? i don't think any of those are big potheads though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Fender&EHX4ever Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 Show me one lifelong songwriter that hasn't shown a decline in song quality over the years. Weed or not, it's rare. Haha, rare indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fruvai Posted September 24, 2009 Members Share Posted September 24, 2009 maybe Tom Waits? Sonic Youth and Dinosaur Jr.? i don't think any of those are big potheads though. I was just about to say Tom Waits Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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