What have you sacrificed or lost through making music?

[Atheory]

Very simply, Ive been sitting in my bedroom for over the last ten years. I have *tried* to maintain a decent life balance, did school and university and threw myself into those things authentically, and those other things (girlfriend, clubbing, drug abuse etc.)

However I realise that now Im no longer a kid with endless time to waste. Ive become really conscious that all the hours I spend hunched over my MIDI keyboard and Nord Lead are hours that others are spending developing their career, playing team sports, going to the gym, strengthening their friendship circles, seeing the world, going out for dinner, etc etc. I've definitely lost friends through repeatedly shutting myself away to work on music. This has become critical distraction from my task of trying to create good music.

It would be ok, I think, if the "gamble" had paid off by now, but in reality Im still refining my sound and never satisfied, meaning ive never sent work out even though I know its there-or-thereabouts.

I wondered if anyone else had any thoughts on this?

The saying goes that sacrifices must be made to create anything worthwhile, and part of me is 100% determined that my life should produce something special, out of the ordinary, even if I lose things in the process.

Im in the same boat

maybe we can create a track each and post it up here...do something about it likes!

thats a great idea, set yourselves a deadline, end of the month. i will throw one up as well. lets do it!!!!!!!!!!!!!


team motivation!!!!!!! and if someone doesnt by the end of the month they have to donate 50bucks to charity, and provide some photographic proof of it.

[Dusk]

Im in the same boat

maybe we can create a track each and post it up here...do something about it likes!

Fair one, like I say Im gonna link up a track on here later. Do the same mate.

[::BLM::]

I finally quit my high paid job last month to give the music thing a proper go. Not really had to sacrifice anything though. The only thing I missed out on was proberly hanging around with mates when I was younger. I decided not to do this and stay in and make music although I am happy now with it and have lots of good mates that found me along the way.

[Ronny Pries]

thats interesting, but i always think the opposite about genre hopping, you know the phrase jack of all trades, master of none. i also feel that mood is better expressed in a genre, rather than with one.

sometimes you really have to "live" a music to make relevant, interesting tracks, techno as a form is only limited by the writers imagination, thats why so much of it is sht, i think.

To dusk. chin up, after 10years im sure your tracks have enough quality. get them out there!!! nobody will savage them as much as you do.

There are certainly many reasons for the amount of mediocre music available and through your lookingglass i'm also with you on the "master" thesis. Also from an objective point of view, i recently learned that one needs around 10.000 hours of practise and excersice before becoming a specialist in anything.

About the genre and mastering it - i like to believe that every music and genre has its own state of mind which is necessary in order to enjoy but also produce it. I claim that it is possible for the open-minded to put oneself into that certain state of mind, mood or whatever and start making something one hasn't done before. Even in a good way, cause it's not just copy & paste work IF one really understood what the target genre is all about.

However, i think both thesis and antithesis are valid and true on their own and are being filled up with artists living the synthesis or whatever (oh my - i hope this isn't getting too cryptic after all).

Dusk,
please put up some music from all styles you have done. I'd love to hear some as well.



Btw, this forum is the first place where i've seen people discuss emotional and personal topics without ending in cockfights as well as sharing experiences on a level beyond the scratching the surface. This rocks!

[mrgreynoise]

Hi Dusk,

5 years of university level composition classes here, followed by a few years of commercial work (videogames and movies). When I was 21, my parents supported my going to music school but always asked me:"How are you going to earn a living?"

Now I'm dedicated 100% to my techno music. My goal right now is 50 tracks in 2008 (17 down, 33 to go). Labels have always ignored me so I'm starting my own label, digital releases only for the first year. I expect the visibility and promotion from the releases to help me get international DJ and live gigs. Studying marketing and branding, working with friends on the visual identity. I've focused on composition rather than performance, I've dropped playing violin and piano. I've now dropped commercial work to focused on artistic stuff.

Techno music is a passion and also a business. I create a product that I love. Rules of business inform me as to how much I MUST focus my sound (genre). I simply can't stray too far, at least not while I'm stilll unknown.

Music is my business.

[MINIMALTECHNOHOUSE]

I love money too much so my career comes first...

My biggest passion in life is still music, but ive worked fucking hard to get where i am and wouldnt waste now...

Just another point of view...

I have a huge amount of respect for anyone who would give up a career to make music though....

[Dusk]

Btw, this forum is the first place where i've seen people discuss emotional and personal topics without ending in cockfights as well as sharing experiences on a level beyond the scratching the surface. This rocks!

Yes, its an unusual experience. Its also very, very rewarding having someone invest an interest in your music, as youve done, so thank you again. It might take 5 minutes to hear a track, but the feedback could inspire you to go on and create something magical. Ill get something posted tonight and of course take time to return the favour, as Ive no doubt you have made some amazing music (although I must admit I fear that experience as well, from an ego's perspective.)

mrgreynoise and BLM, youve clearly both made that necessary firm decision to continue at any cost. I love and admire that, honestly. I needed to hear from others who had also prioritised this "thing" we do, even if it had cost them.

[Opuswerk]

I somehow decided not to sacrifice anything anymore.

I used to overdo working at uni, as an architecture student. Did a few burnouts in 5 years, even though i wasn't doing anything really apart from studying. Almost lost everything by being too focused on one thing, my health, relationship, life wasn't doing good at all for 5 years...
A final blow somehow came and I decided to change all that, taking time to do all i really want to do everyday and not planning to do things in 3 months.

It appears i'm more productive in all the fields i'm interested in, as everytime i switch occupation, from studies to music to spending time with friends, I'm more focused and psyched to be doing it, and more inspired, as I have so much more input.

I guess the key is balance. It's true you need to spend hours and hours in the studio to learn how to make tracks. But going out to a gig, meeting people doing music as well as people who have absolutely nothing to do with music make you do better tracks. The same goes to listening to genre of music you usually never listen to.

This is of course a personal feeling, and I admire people dedicating 100% to what they believe in, i'm simply not sure it works for me.

What i mean is getting diversified actually makes you more focused on each thing you do.