Giving up

[Belac]

I have thought of this many times over the years. The biggest problem for me is trying to work around the rest of life, and sometimes it feels almost impossible to actually give music a 100% effort. My local band is a lot of fun but we have so many weaknesses that I go from loving it to hating it on a weekly basis and sometimes the fucked up schedules and roadblocks discourage everyone. I have quit my current band once before because I could not dedicate to it but the weird thing was that after a few months it moved up a few priorities because I missed it and I actually re-arranged other parts of my life to get involved again.

Music is kind of fickle like that, sometimes you want out but then once you are done with it you feel like a part of you is gone with it.

I've found that sometimes I just need a change of pace, to go into different genres of music I love and get inspired to play again. I'm primarily a vocalist, and in the end when I actually sing or growl or whatever I feel awesome, it's almost like releasing a pressure valve. It feels even better when the project comes together and you feel proud of it. I know I'll probably never make much money at this, and so I choose to look at it as something I do for pleasure or more of a hobby.

So I figure that even when I do want to give up I'm not doing myself much good, I'm just closing down something that brings me a bit of happiness. If your live band isn't leaving you fulfilled you could alway focus on solo or studio bands that won't interfere much with your life or creativity. Sometimes the pressures and responsibilities of a live band can make it more stressful than enjoyable but there are other alternatives in music that you can take at your own pace and still enjoy.

 

[scorpio01169]

I gave up playing in bands about 10 years ago. I also gave up recording bands a few years ago. but because I have a lot of friends in bands I often record them at discount prices. I was able to learn to play many instruments over the years and still have them plus my kids play in school band I'm keeping my recording gear so I can record them just for fun.

 

[JeffTD]

Care to elaborate? I figured you were already kind of established in the business? And that Pop Punk band of yours seemed good as well.

I noticed on FB that you got a new job and moved to LA. So what are you up to these days?

Yeah it was a weird, kind of abrupt change. More or less what happened is that while I was in college I developed all my chops and did freelance gigs (and all the editing), and then when I graduated instead of using my degree I teamed up with another engineer, moved into his place, and was set to tag-team productions with him and do it full-time. Work came in slower than expected, we butt-heads on a lot of inane, pointless shit, and I couldn't stand the part of the state the studio was based out of. I ended up getting really depressed, couldn't stand to listen to music let alone work with it, wasn't playing guitar ever, and was high pretty much 24/7 as a coping mechanism for avoiding reality.

I quit, moved back home, and lucked into a gig doing tech writing/diagramming for an oil engineering company. Spent about 5 months living in my hometown, rekindling my love for music and guitar and myself, lost 35 pounds, and grew a beard. Then back in March I was turned onto NationBuilder (thanks again, Egan) and found it to be a perfect fit, and I haven't looked back.

I have so much more free time, energy, and money now and don't have to work 10+ hour days unless I want to (which I frequently do). I'm constantly surrounded by some of the smartest and most ambitious people in the world and I don't have to convince any of them that new strings are more important than Taco Bell and weed.

That band I was in hasn't been active since 2010, though. I tried to keep things up but organizing the rest of the dudes is basically herding cats and I gave up on it. The drummer/singer are doing a folk project now that I'm in the middle of tracking, so we'll see what happens there. I mostly just want to get back into writing my own shit when the creativity sparks, hopefully the Ola Solar I just bought will help with that.

 

[HeadCrusher]

Sounds great, good luck. I didn't quite get what NationBuilder actually is though... Is it some sort of community work?

 

[JeffTD]

Sounds great, good luck. I didn't quite get what NationBuilder actually is though... Is it some sort of community work?

Sortof, it's a platform for organizing communities. The concept of organizing is huge in political/non-profit spheres so that's the bulk of where we focus our efforts but the platform ports itself really well to small businesses, authors, musicians, etc. Here is better explanation of what it is exactly.

 

[Full_Tilt]

Im currently selling off as much music gear as I dare because im just not as active anymore . The gaps between activity just seem to be getting longer . I dont believe in the "give up" attitude you just do it when it feels right and if thats less and less as time goes by then so be it . I got back on the guitar a couple of weeks ago and started writing some pretty good stuff after probably 2 years of nothing and it just sounded better . When I start feeling pissed about it or it just feels like a waste of time , I back off and wait for the hunger . I may eventually just stop altogether but there will always be a few bits of kit stored in my home I cant purposefully end it .
I have to admit Metal my former passion is sounding and looking pretty daft these days , made quite alot from selling my personal cd collection dont miss it at all . I can still play like im vexed when I want to so I dont worry about or think about the end of music . The beast sleeps for long periods . Who gives a shit ? not me .

 

[Via Noctis]

I started doing this because my band went to a studio that recorded to ADAT and it cost an arm and a leg and sounded like shit. I figured there had to be a better way to record, so I started getting some gear and after 7-8 years I had enough mics and channels to record full bands. Took me another 5-6 years on this forum to get good at it, but I eventually started getting a name for myself in the area, by my work and by going to local shows and whoring my work out. I got quite a few full length gigs for a home studio. When I got to the fourth gig, dealing with musicians and editing tracks on my weekends off (I work manufacturing 12hr days) I realized this was bullshit and not nearly worth the effort or money just to see my name on a sleeve. So, now I only track my own band and my close friends stuff.

 

[FrankTheSmith]

My band split up last Novemberish because a couple of them were both having kids/van broke down/everyone was getting old and it was time to get a real job.
I've always been in bands with my brother so it was no big deal, we'll just start something new. Started recording an E.P. when he get an offer to fill in (if it works out be a permanent member) for a bigger out of state band. They tour like 80% of the year so what we've been doing is pretty much on hold for now. Just kinda chillin' now.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Get married, have kids, start your own business. That did it for me. No more music!

I miss doing it, but it's so waaaaay down the priority list now.

I miss the shows and the recording, but I don't miss the pressure you put yourself under to succeed, have people dig your stuff or that feeling at the end of a 4hr rehearsal when you have to load your car full of bass cabs and drive home knackered...

Yeah this is slowly becoming my story. I'm honestly thinking about not doing music in any capacity in the next couple years. The Mrs. wants another children and I have no idea how I would ever find time to do music or recording and float all that shit.

I'm at the point where there is almost no way in any capacity that I would ever want to do recording shit full time anymore.

I have almost no desire to ever be in a band anymore unless it was something chill and it was hassle free. The problem is bands are never hassle free, there is always one shit head to fuck that up correctly.

 

[AD Chaos]

I often think how this internet/''free content'' paradigm of today puts a really heavy strain and takes it's toll on even the most committed -or even talented- independent artist/producer/etc.
Huge blow from every direction, not just financial of course, but on the morale side of things.


Doesn't get mentioned enough imo.