The Confessions Thread

[sonidero]

Color me interested...

And ask away...

[alexa.]

I'm letting all the information settle first, but thanks (:

[behndy]

jebu. IMPRESSIVE. i want to do some time in sensory deprivation tanks, but i'm too hectic in my head to be isolated for more than a few hours.

IMPRESSIVE.

[Achtane]

Psh. PSHHHH.
I'm so pro at not leaving the house, man, I should get paid for this shit.

"Head Over Heels" by Tears for Fears MIXED WITH "Under Pressure" by Queen has been stuck in my head all day. Fuck.
For some reason I really like that guitar thing in the chorus Head Over Heels though. lulz.

[mathias]

Confession: I get really into something (say, playing music with a guitar) and then after a few months, get really discouraged and just stop. I've repeated this cycle since I was about 13 and first tried to play the guitar. Also, hey, I'm back for awhile.

[alexa.]

Stop having expectations and that should never happen again. (If you want to change it that is)
Also, welcome back!

[jfrey]

I always assume that people that smile a lot are either crazy or idiots.

[mathias]

Stop having expectations and that should never happen again. (If you want to change it that is)
Also, welcome back!

For whatever reason, the people I'd always jammed with were more interested in proving that they were better guitarists than helping me learn or whatever. I think it's permanently damaged me.

And I'm my own worst critic. A few months and no progress towards what I hear in my head? Interests suddenly change and I get obsessed with something else. I guess it helps that I have a lot of hobbies; the only downsides to this pattern and this many hobbies that none of them really ever get to mastery, and I find that kind of depressing, too.

[spacelordmother]

Stop having expectations and that should never happen again. (If you want to change it that is)
Also, welcome back!

For whatever reason, the people I'd always jammed with were more interested in proving that they were better guitarists than helping me learn or whatever. I think it's permanently damaged me.

And I'm my own worst critic. A few months and no progress towards what I hear in my head? Interests suddenly change and I get obsessed with something else. I guess it helps that I have a lot of hobbies; the only downsides to this pattern and this many hobbies that none of them really ever get to mastery, and I find that kind of depressing, too.

I know that feel bro. I have way too many expectations and am way too hard on myself. I need to learn to cool it and just enjoy the act of making music, you know?

I also find it hard to move forward in a direction when I have so many interests. Some days I'm a singer/songwriter, some I'm an ambient looper, and some I'm straight up electronic. It kinds of makes my head spin and keeps any of those "mes" from progressing too far in a meaningful direction...

[mathias]

That said, I was inspired last night by this TED Talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46w99bZ3W_M

Mark Applebaum invented the Mouseketeer instrument, and says in the TED Talk: "The best thing about this instrument is, that I'm the best Mouseketeer player in the world."


That's kind of appealing to me.

I thought about going more obscure, to avoid the Jimi Hendrix problem (I'll never be as good as Hendrix, my mind keeps telling me.) The only problem is, look at banjos, cigar box guitars, mandolins, tenor guitars, ukeleles.. the list goes on. There's always going to be someone better than me. It's not that I want to be "the best," it's that I find it really hard and frustrating to not enjoy what music I'm making. (I wouldn't even call the majority of what I've done on the guitar as music.. lots of time spent twiddling knobs on pedals and gauging the sound, but I never had the chops to back it up with a sweet riff.)

And again, I'm my own hardest critic.

[alexa.]

I also find it hard to move forward in a direction when I have so many interests. Some days I'm a singer/songwriter, some I'm an ambient looper, and some I'm straight up electronic. It kinds of makes my head spin and keeps any of those "mes" from progressing too far in a meaningful direction...

SOOOOO MUUUUCH THIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIS

Mah, whatever, we should all stop worrying and PLAY (music).

[Dr. Sherman Sticks M.D.]

it is cool to wear many different hats. one day they will combine intertwining each others fabrics into one super mega awesome hatzilla that u will wear proudly on top of your head.
it takes a strong neck to hold up such a magnificent majestic hat, that u have to build up your muscles over time or your neck will be crushed into oblivion upon wearing it.

dont worry, stop thinking so much, stop being an obstacle in your own way. there are plenty of other ppl out there to do that for you. there are also plenty of ppl out there that might dig what you are doing, but they/you will never know unless u put it out there.

[mathias]

Assumes playing music for myself has proven to be satisfying rather than just frustrating. It's not so much even about sharing my music with others

[Chankgeez]

I get really into something (say, playing music with a guitar) and then after a few months, get really discouraged and just stop. I've repeated this cycle ...

I think this's pretty normal. Happens to me too. Your playing reaches a plateau with no end in sight. Keep at it, you'll eventually ascend higher. I think it helps to incorporate many influences (not even necessarily musical) into your playing. Mixes things up in beneficial ways.

[alexa.]

^yup.

And never forget why you started playing: cuz it's FUN!
If you're not having fun, you're doing it wrong.