Does making music stress you out?

[sweepstakes]

Also when I was younger and poorer and had less gear I used to worry that I'd become That Guy who has a shitload of gear and never does anything with it. Now I'm pretty much That Guy but I don't feel guilty about it anymore, my GAS is just something I have to feed every so often. Some people drop a lot of coin on gaming or clothing or car payments. I drop coin on things that let me explore rhythm and texture and tones and relationships between them, and it's beautiful having them at arm's length. If some of them are on the shelf for a while, no big deal. I can always loan them out to friends.

 

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks. 

 

#idm4lyf

[GetSquirrely]

 

Everything is less stressful if you let go of expectations. Having achievable goals is one thing, but don't put pressure on yourself for those goals to be met, otherwise life in general will be a living nightmare.

This, fuck the expectations, they are the real bogeyman. 

 

agreed 100%. the tracks that i am most satisfied with are the ones that came from just fucking about with sounds, not the ones where i started them thinking "this MUST sound like x or else it's shit". i always end up hating those once they're out of my system.

[thawkins]

I get stress when I've had half-finished stuff around for a long time, but I end up not finishing the things quickly enough. It's that I remember clearly that the stuff felt so good when I initially recorded it, and I'm afraid of losing that vision because too much time passes. Then I get stress when I have to choose if I continue working on an old idea or start something new.. I guess the solution here is to Start Finishing Stuff.

Then I get stress when I feel the need to program my MIDI remote scripts for Live in Python or build stuff in Pure Data because time spent on that is not time spent on actually making music. But on the other hand it's time I spent on making my workflow easier and I do like tinkering with that stuff, and it's fulfilling to build new functionality to the hardware I already own instead of spending $$$ to buy new flashy thingamajigs. I just wish it wouldn't take so much time. Maybe I have SAS instead of GAS (software acquisition syndrome).

 

I agree with the above point that no matter how stressed I am, the moment when I start playing and record the first loop, everything's bliss and I like making music again. Even the sound doesn't matter, I can be happy with the simplest preset piano patch. :)

Edited May 9, 2017 by thawkins

[Auditor]

I get stress when I've had half-finished stuff around for a long time, but I end up not finishing the things quickly enough. It's that I remember clearly that the stuff felt so good when I initially recorded it, and I'm afraid of losing that vision because too much time passes. Then I get stress when I have to choose if I continue working on an old idea or start something new.. I guess the solution here is to Start Finishing Stuff.

Then I get stress when I feel the need to program my MIDI remote scripts for Live in Python or build stuff in Pure Data because time spent on that is not time spent on actually making music. But on the other hand it's time I spent on making my workflow easier and I do like tinkering with that stuff, and it's fulfilling to build new functionality to the hardware I already own instead of spending $$$ to buy new flashy thingamajigs. I just wish it wouldn't take so much time. Maybe I have SAS instead of GAS (software acquisition syndrome).

 

I agree with the above point that no matter how stressed I am, the moment when I start playing and record the first loop, everything's bliss and I like making music again. Even the sound doesn't matter, I can be happy with the simplest preset piano patch. :)

Regarding your first point, I hate the feeling, too, of having shit half-finished and not wanting to ruin the "magic" that was there when you were jamming by coming back to it and sucking the life out of it. That's why I vowed, about a year ago, to only have 3 main projects going at once (at the most). If I have three sketches, I will stop myself from starting something new until I finish at least one of them, or decide to scrap something. 

[thawkins]

 

I get stress when I've had half-finished stuff around for a long time, but I end up not finishing the things quickly enough. It's that I remember clearly that the stuff felt so good when I initially recorded it, and I'm afraid of losing that vision because too much time passes. Then I get stress when I have to choose if I continue working on an old idea or start something new.. I guess the solution here is to Start Finishing Stuff.

Then I get stress when I feel the need to program my MIDI remote scripts for Live in Python or build stuff in Pure Data because time spent on that is not time spent on actually making music. But on the other hand it's time I spent on making my workflow easier and I do like tinkering with that stuff, and it's fulfilling to build new functionality to the hardware I already own instead of spending $$$ to buy new flashy thingamajigs. I just wish it wouldn't take so much time. Maybe I have SAS instead of GAS (software acquisition syndrome).

 

I agree with the above point that no matter how stressed I am, the moment when I start playing and record the first loop, everything's bliss and I like making music again. Even the sound doesn't matter, I can be happy with the simplest preset piano patch. :)

Regarding your first point, I hate the feeling, too, of having shit half-finished and not wanting to ruin the "magic" that was there when you were jamming by coming back to it and sucking the life out of it. That's why I vowed, about a year ago, to only have 3 main projects going at once (at the most). If I have three sketches, I will stop myself from starting something new until I finish at least one of them, or decide to scrap something. 

 

That's a good idea, I should try something like that.

[QQQ]

 

Give up and make music.

This.

you're not alone. music making is 90% self loathing and stress, 10% enjoyment and relief for me.

You probly just trying too hard

i'm exaggerating, though you are right. i do try hard, but that's because it's so important to me. when i'm not making music i'm thinking about it and dedicating so much energy towards it burns me out. even though it is frustrating and exhausting i love the whole process and it endlessly interests me.

[bendish]

its fing existential

who am i? does this mediocre music define my worth?

Am i repeating myself? is that okay? 

that period in 2013 was better than my tunes now? have i lost it? did i ever have it?

do i have a limit and a curve?

should i learn music theory?

all that bs

conclusion: just keep making music and stop worrying about nothings

[peace 7]

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks. 

 

#idm4lyf

 

Well.....  true IDM is NEVER EVER making boring or shit tracks.  The "shit/boring" determination is something that is settled upon, so one must just never settle there.  Craft everything until it's awesome.

 

Also, being able to put up with the non-euphoric nature of finishing a full track (usually somewhat difficult)- THAT is IDM.  Finishing music or any art takes a lot of discipline, and the more awesome tracks that are finished, the stronger one's IDM lazer becomes.

 

 

 

Has anyone here thought about why one even outputs music?  It might sound like shit and non-underground, but it is 100% for sharing.  Every artist has been blessed with the skills to perceive and create, but they have taken these skills along with the burden of having to complete things.  Completion is divine, and truly IDM.  Any motherfucker can bust out badass loops.  How many people can output albums where every single track is solid?  It's seriously like <.001% of musicians.

 

Think about it doodz and doodettes...  A lot of you are really good at making music and know it.  Didn't you work your fucking ass off for your skills?  You WANTED to be good at making music.  And now you're really fucking good at making music and complaining that you have to make awesome albums?!  Making awesome albums is 100% what you DREAMED ABOUT 5~20+ years ago.  Your skills and understanding of composition, sound design, mixing, dsp fuckery- fucking everything- your skills now have far surpassed what you even knew existed in music when you started.  And now you're going to let yourself down and get stressed out about something you asked yourself for?  FUCK THAT.  Difficult?  Possibly.  Time consuming?  Yes.  Stressful?  No!-- Believe in yourself, because you are obviously good.  Stick to your guns and COMPLETE ALBUMS.

 

Mike P doesn't give a fuck about your sketches.  He wants your albums.  THE PEOPLE want your albums.  You know your skills are sound-- what makes you think thousands of people aren't unknowingly WAITING AND WANTING TO HEAR YOUR MASTERPIECES???!!!!!  Don't let yourself down by being a lazy fool, and don't let humanity down by being afraid of goals that YOU setup.  YOU asked for this.  YOU wanted this.  If you go around life being half-assed about things, you will not accomplish much-- you see, this "not finishing tracks/albums" concept carries through all aspects of life.  If you keep being lazy and never commit to things that YOU WANT, you will find yourself one day, old and crusty, disinterested in all, having a track record of enthusiastically starting new things and quitting them like a little impulsive bitch and crying to proverbial mommy when things got tough, living the life of a poor college student.  Remember those 45 year old dudes who used to randomly be at your college parties?  Fuck that.  That's about the least IDM it gets.

 

The mark of a true Cosmic Warrior, is setting goals, and doing what needs to be done to accomplish them (end result is irrelevant and illusory-- the path walked is what is very, very important).  Being IDM isn't about outputting the best art in the world-- it's about outputting the best art THAT YOU CAN.  It's ultimately about sharing, but fundamentally, you have to realize your potential to yourself.  You know you can do it, so just do it.  YOU WANT IT, or you wouldn't have spent like half your life training for it.

 

Completing albums is not easy, but it is 100% worth it.  Completing things in life is 100% worth it.  You owe it to yourself.  YOU are 100% worth it.

[Squee]

It stresses me out if it's for a job and nothing that I make sounds any good or comes close to what the client has asked for.

 

But making music for myself doesn't "stress" me out anymore. It can annoy me if I've started on something that I really like but have no idea how to finish, but I've gotten fairly patient over the last couple of years so I don't give up as easily as I once did.

[thawkins]

 

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks. 

 

#idm4lyf

 

Well.....  true IDM is NEVER EVER making boring or shit tracks.  The "shit/boring" determination is something that is settled upon, so one must just never settle there.  Craft everything until it's awesome.

 

Also, being able to put up with the non-euphoric nature of finishing a full track (usually somewhat difficult)- THAT is IDM.  Finishing music or any art takes a lot of discipline, and the more awesome tracks that are finished, the stronger one's IDM lazer becomes.

 

 

 

Has anyone here thought about why one even outputs music?  It might sound like shit and non-underground, but it is 100% for sharing.  Every artist has been blessed with the skills to perceive and create, but they have taken these skills along with the burden of having to complete things.  Completion is divine, and truly IDM.  Any motherfucker can bust out badass loops.  How many people can output albums where every single track is solid?  It's seriously like <.001% of musicians.

 

Think about it doodz and doodettes...  A lot of you are really good at making music and know it.  Didn't you work your fucking ass off for your skills?  You WANTED to be good at making music.  And now you're really fucking good at making music and complaining that you have to make awesome albums?!  Making awesome albums is 100% what you DREAMED ABOUT 5~20+ years ago.  Your skills and understanding of composition, sound design, mixing, dsp fuckery- fucking everything- your skills now have far surpassed what you even knew existed in music when you started.  And now you're going to let yourself down and get stressed out about something you asked yourself for?  FUCK THAT.  Difficult?  Possibly.  Time consuming?  Yes.  Stressful?  No!-- Believe in yourself, because you are obviously good.  Stick to your guns and COMPLETE ALBUMS.

 

Mike P doesn't give a fuck about your sketches.  He wants your albums.  THE PEOPLE want your albums.  You know your skills are sound-- what makes you think thousands of people aren't unknowingly WAITING AND WANTING TO HEAR YOUR MASTERPIECES???!!!!!  Don't let yourself down by being a lazy fool, and don't let humanity down by being afraid of goals that YOU setup.  YOU asked for this.  YOU wanted this.  If you go around life being half-assed about things, you will not accomplish much-- you see, this "not finishing tracks/albums" concept carries through all aspects of life.  If you keep being lazy and never commit to things that YOU WANT, you will find yourself one day, old and crusty, disinterested in all, having a track record of enthusiastically starting new things and quitting them like a little impulsive bitch and crying to proverbial mommy when things got tough, living the life of a poor college student.  Remember those 45 year old dudes who used to randomly be at your college parties?  Fuck that.  That's about the least IDM it gets.

 

The mark of a true Cosmic Warrior, is setting goals, and doing what needs to be done to accomplish them (end result is irrelevant and illusory-- the path walked is what is very, very important).  Being IDM isn't about outputting the best art in the world-- it's about outputting the best art THAT YOU CAN.  It's ultimately about sharing, but fundamentally, you have to realize your potential to yourself.  You know you can do it, so just do it.  YOU WANT IT, or you wouldn't have spent like half your life training for it.

 

Completing albums is not easy, but it is 100% worth it.  Completing things in life is 100% worth it.  You owe it to yourself.  YOU are 100% worth it.

 

Can't help myself to be reminded of this: :)

Edited May 9, 2017 by thawkins

[xox]

Peace, thank you! Having ppl around you that remind you about the most important things in life is the greatest value.

[Auditor]

 

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks. 

 

#idm4lyf

 

Well.....  true IDM is NEVER EVER making boring or shit tracks.  The "shit/boring" determination is something that is settled upon, so one must just never settle there.  Craft everything until it's awesome.

 

Also, being able to put up with the non-euphoric nature of finishing a full track (usually somewhat difficult)- THAT is IDM.  Finishing music or any art takes a lot of discipline, and the more awesome tracks that are finished, the stronger one's IDM lazer becomes.

 

 

 

Has anyone here thought about why one even outputs music?  It might sound like shit and non-underground, but it is 100% for sharing.  Every artist has been blessed with the skills to perceive and create, but they have taken these skills along with the burden of having to complete things.  Completion is divine, and truly IDM.  Any motherfucker can bust out badass loops.  How many people can output albums where every single track is solid?  It's seriously like <.001% of musicians.

 

Think about it doodz and doodettes...  A lot of you are really good at making music and know it.  Didn't you work your fucking ass off for your skills?  You WANTED to be good at making music.  And now you're really fucking good at making music and complaining that you have to make awesome albums?!  Making awesome albums is 100% what you DREAMED ABOUT 5~20+ years ago.  Your skills and understanding of composition, sound design, mixing, dsp fuckery- fucking everything- your skills now have far surpassed what you even knew existed in music when you started.  And now you're going to let yourself down and get stressed out about something you asked yourself for?  FUCK THAT.  Difficult?  Possibly.  Time consuming?  Yes.  Stressful?  No!-- Believe in yourself, because you are obviously good.  Stick to your guns and COMPLETE ALBUMS.

 

Mike P doesn't give a fuck about your sketches.  He wants your albums.  THE PEOPLE want your albums.  You know your skills are sound-- what makes you think thousands of people aren't unknowingly WAITING AND WANTING TO HEAR YOUR MASTERPIECES???!!!!!  Don't let yourself down by being a lazy fool, and don't let humanity down by being afraid of goals that YOU setup.  YOU asked for this.  YOU wanted this.  If you go around life being half-assed about things, you will not accomplish much-- you see, this "not finishing tracks/albums" concept carries through all aspects of life.  If you keep being lazy and never commit to things that YOU WANT, you will find yourself one day, old and crusty, disinterested in all, having a track record of enthusiastically starting new things and quitting them like a little impulsive bitch and crying to proverbial mommy when things got tough, living the life of a poor college student.  Remember those 45 year old dudes who used to randomly be at your college parties?  Fuck that.  That's about the least IDM it gets.

 

The mark of a true Cosmic Warrior, is setting goals, and doing what needs to be done to accomplish them (end result is irrelevant and illusory-- the path walked is what is very, very important).  Being IDM isn't about outputting the best art in the world-- it's about outputting the best art THAT YOU CAN.  It's ultimately about sharing, but fundamentally, you have to realize your potential to yourself.  You know you can do it, so just do it.  YOU WANT IT, or you wouldn't have spent like half your life training for it.

 

Completing albums is not easy, but it is 100% worth it.  Completing things in life is 100% worth it.  You owe it to yourself.  YOU are 100% worth it.

 

I'd drink your kool aid

[BCM]

i hate making albums...like, setting out to make an album hampers my enthusiasm for it. i just like making tracks here and there...i should keep them all under wraps i guess then collate them into an album every 8-10 tracks but i get bored and like to put things out on my soundcloud then forget about that track and move on

Edited May 9, 2017 by BCM

[Guest Chesney]

Great post Peace, I always like reading your ramblings.

 

I'd have to disagree partly though. In reality, no one is waiting or wanting to hear your finished albums only if it has been promoted by a respectable source. And, respectable sources don't really want to be spending all their time listening through a whole album so finished albums don't really do anything. Artists completing albums are in a catch 22. You have to really do some leg work to get people to listen to your music which is the horrible stressful bit. I can't do it. I am confident in myself and my music but I am not confident in anyone else actually being into any of it.

This scenario can be totally different though for other people, it depends on so many factors and some can be pure luck.

Truth is, there is so much music out there and our audience are also the people making their own music so it gets to the point where people are just trying to promote themselves and are not looking to be listening to others unless it's a tried and tested influence.

I'm not saying this is wrong particularly just that it's how it's become so I can see why people get so jaded with making music and completing track.

HOWEVER! to answer the initial question... Making music (for me) is a complete de-stresser. I can tinker on whatever and everything else disappears. I can make ideas, loops, sketches, half tracks till the cows come home and it won't matter because the music has done it's job for my brain and inner peace. ha. It is everything to me.

I do like to hear finished tracks though so I am making efforts to complete things and get them out because I enjoy that too but I have to stay grounded, the dream of being on Warp is not a reality ha.

[flacid]

Also when I was younger and poorer and had less gear I used to worry that I'd become That Guy who has a shitload of gear and never does anything with it. Now I'm pretty much That Guy but I don't feel guilty about it anymore, my GAS is just something I have to feed every so often. Some people drop a lot of coin on gaming or clothing or car payments. I drop coin on things that let me explore rhythm and texture and tones and relationships between them, and it's beautiful having them at arm's length. If some of them are on the shelf for a while, no big deal. I can always loan them out to friends.

 

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks. 

 

#idm4lyf

 

 

+1 (except sharing my synths...) 

 

I like your point on making short interesting snippets rather than well structured tracks that have to be over a certain time frame. Might make a short snippet album where every track is under 1 minute long. 

[Auditor]

 

Also when I was younger and poorer and had less gear I used to worry that I'd become That Guy who has a shitload of gear and never does anything with it. Now I'm pretty much That Guy but I don't feel guilty about it anymore, my GAS is just something I have to feed every so often. Some people drop a lot of coin on gaming or clothing or car payments. I drop coin on things that let me explore rhythm and texture and tones and relationships between them, and it's beautiful having them at arm's length. If some of them are on the shelf for a while, no big deal. I can always loan them out to friends.

 

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks. 

 

#idm4lyf

 

 

+1 (except sharing my synths...) 

 

I like your point on making short interesting snippets rather than well structured tracks that have to be over a certain time frame. Might make a short snippet album where every track is under 1 minute long. 

 

Do it! Some of my favorite non-electronic albums are full of short songs (Ween - GodWeenSatan, Wire - Pink Flag, Guided By Voices - lots of stuff)

 

You can be the first (to my knowledge) to do it with bleeps bloops and whooshes

[Lada Laika]

 

Also when I was younger and poorer and had less gear I used to worry that I'd become That Guy who has a shitload of gear and never does anything with it. Now I'm pretty much That Guy but I don't feel guilty about it anymore, my GAS is just something I have to feed every so often. Some people drop a lot of coin on gaming or clothing or car payments. I drop coin on things that let me explore rhythm and texture and tones and relationships between them, and it's beautiful having them at arm's length. If some of them are on the shelf for a while, no big deal. I can always loan them out to friends.

 

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks.

 

#idm4lyf

 

+1 (except sharing my synths...)

 

I like your point on making short interesting snippets rather than well structured tracks that have to be over a certain time frame. Might make a short snippet album where every track is under 1 minute long.

The Residents did this and it was great, would love to hear a braindancey version

 

Although Pistachio Island comes close I guess

[sweepstakes]

 

 

Wire - Pink Flag

Hell yes.

[sweepstakes]

Any motherfucker can bust out badass loops.

I actually don't think this is true and even if it was, I'd rather listen to some sweet ass loops.

 

How many people can output albums where every single track is solid? It's seriously like <.001% of musicians.

In my opinion it's actually 0% lol. I can't think of one album that's 100% great tunes front-to-back.

 

If you keep being lazy and never commit to things that YOU WANT, you will find yourself one day, old and crusty, disinterested in all, having a track record of enthusiastically starting new things and quitting them like a little impulsive bitch and crying to proverbial mommy when things got tough, living the life of a poor college student. Remember those 45 year old dudes who used to randomly be at your college parties? Fuck that. That's about the least IDM it gets.

 

Some of us are closer to 45 than 21 and no disrespect but this way of thinking is just feel-bad bullshit. I'm really not into the worship of youthful heroes. Small implementations of cool ideas are infinitely more interesting to me than large scale, regular implementations of known ones.

 

Being IDM isn't about outputting the best art in the world-- it's about outputting the best art THAT YOU CAN.

I can get behind this but you gotta start somewhere. If sweet loops is that somewhere what's wrong with that? Why feel shitty about it?

 

This feels like the idm equivalent of Facebook vacation pictures. "Feel bad! My life is so much more awesome than yours!"

[Auditor]

 

How many people can output albums where every single track is solid? It's seriously like <.001% of musicians.

In my opinion it's actually 0% lol. I can't think of one album that's 100% great tunes front-to-back.

 

 

 

Naked City - Leng Tch'e

[joshuatxuk]

 

 

Also when I was younger and poorer and had less gear I used to worry that I'd become That Guy who has a shitload of gear and never does anything with it. Now I'm pretty much That Guy but I don't feel guilty about it anymore, my GAS is just something I have to feed every so often. Some people drop a lot of coin on gaming or clothing or car payments. I drop coin on things that let me explore rhythm and texture and tones and relationships between them, and it's beautiful having them at arm's length. If some of them are on the shelf for a while, no big deal. I can always loan them out to friends.

 

And fuck feeling like you have to finish songs too. I would rather make one cool 10-second sound than an album of well-structured, boring tracks.

 

#idm4lyf

 

+1 (except sharing my synths...)

 

I like your point on making short interesting snippets rather than well structured tracks that have to be over a certain time frame. Might make a short snippet album where every track is under 1 minute long.

The Residents did this and it was great, would love to hear a braindancey version

 

Although Pistachio Island comes close I guess

 

 

Short tracks seem pretty common among beat tape / beat scene producers. There was a Ssaliva reissue recently of stuff he put out in 2012, very eccojams like stuff, and it was one of my favorite releases last year.

 

Another method is taking snippets, loops, ideas and putting together songs from them long after the fact. The Chemical Brothers have done this for much of their career: taking their best sketches and ideas and putting the tracks together that way...likewise it lets them do live shows with rearranged stems and loops easily. The band Menomena put together their songs by having each member loop over stuff a click track because they could not work together composing as a group and felt it was more democratic. 

[Psychotronic]

I really love this thread. It's like gay outing, but better.

[peace 7]

 

If you keep being lazy and never commit to things that YOU WANT, you will find yourself one day, old and crusty, disinterested in all, having a track record of enthusiastically starting new things and quitting them like a little impulsive bitch and crying to proverbial mommy when things got tough, living the life of a poor college student. Remember those 45 year old dudes who used to randomly be at your college parties? Fuck that. That's about the least IDM it gets.

Some of us are closer to 45 than 21 and no disrespect but this way of thinking is just feel-bad bullshit. I'm really not into the worship of youthful heroes. Small implementations of cool ideas are infinitely more interesting to me than large scale, regular implementations of known ones.

 

 

Being IDM isn't about outputting the best art in the world-- it's about outputting the best art THAT YOU CAN.

I can get behind this but you gotta start somewhere. If sweet loops is that somewhere what's wrong with that? Why feel shitty about it?

 

This feels like the idm equivalent of Facebook vacation pictures. "Feel bad! My life is so much more awesome than yours!"

 

 

 

 

The point about the 45 year olds hanging out with 19 year olds is that due to self-restraint and being content with trying to perpetually party (like writing tons of unfinished tracks) instead of working on a stronger foundation like a career or trying to improve oneself (manning up and finishing albums), there was no life progression or even solid foundation built by those 40+ dudes.  I'm 35 now, and if I was regularly hanging out with 9 year olds and bumming off their Coca Colas and pocket candy, do you think that'd be a good indication that I had my shit together?  People would think I was borderline mentally retarded.

 

And if anything, my post was about FEEL GOOD BECAUSE YOU'RE WORTH IT (complete what you know you want).  I don't want people to feel bad about themselves.  Embrace one's strengths, and don't be content with one's laziness.  I have known a lot of people who gave up on life, and I want to prevent such things.  Being totally stressed about music and wanting to quit is a very similar attitude to people who hate their jobs.  The point is that if we sign up for something, we should see it through and be strong.  Being negative about one's life and blessings (like being able to make music) is foolish and inhibits one from seeing the true beauty and joy that is life.  It's very hard to have true appreciation for one's own actions, if no goals are set or completed.

 

 

 

 

Great post Peace, I always like reading your ramblings.

 

I'd have to disagree partly though. In reality, no one is waiting or wanting to hear your finished albums only if it has been promoted by a respectable source. And, respectable sources don't really want to be spending all their time listening through a whole album so finished albums don't really do anything. Artists completing albums are in a catch 22. You have to really do some leg work to get people to listen to your music which is the horrible stressful bit. I can't do it. I am confident in myself and my music but I am not confident in anyone else actually being into any of it.

This scenario can be totally different though for other people, it depends on so many factors and some can be pure luck.

Truth is, there is so much music out there and our audience are also the people making their own music so it gets to the point where people are just trying to promote themselves and are not looking to be listening to others unless it's a tried and tested influence.

I'm not saying this is wrong particularly just that it's how it's become so I can see why people get so jaded with making music and completing track.

 

 

A deeper point I was making was that all this "yo let's release music" stuff, this relates to the way one sees life itself.  All the fears about if one's tracks are any good, or getting signed, or ideas about if anyone cares or will like the music- translate that to life itself, and you might recall people who you've met who are very much afraid of life, the same way musicians are afraid of jumping in with both feet and committing.  "There are so many people who are better at life than me, so how can I be happy?"  Much like music- even though labels make it seem like it- it is all NOT a competition.  Using shit like statistical likelihood of getting properly signed to a good label to determine one's actions in sharing music or acting towards making one's IDM music dreams a reality, is absolute bullshit.  This life isn't about choosing what is statistically most likely to succeed; which path is easiest.  That is the path of cowardice!  The path of strength and light is about finding the most harmonious path towards one's sincere desires and committing to that path.  How many fucking times have WE ALL thought things like, "Had I stuck with it, I'd be a pro at it now", "If I didn't quit working out, I'd look amazing now", etc.  All this shit about realizing how we limited ourselves in the past due to laziness and fear, but it's very easy for people to repeat the same weakness loops and let opportunities slip through the fingers time and time again.

 

The world will always be full of people we look up to and possibly feel intimidated by, due to their immense talent.  But again, this is not a competition.  We are very much free to ride along the sides of giants, and the only way there, is through sheer will and determination.  A lot of people focus on Aphex Twin's raw vision and talent, but nobody talks about just how fucking hard he worked to get that good.  He got it, because he wanted it.  He was hardcore feeling certain styles of music, before most people even gave a shit about such sonics.  He just pushed and pushed and pushed.  That is the IDM path-- we can't let anything get us down.  If you want it, fucking DO WHAT IT TAKES TO GET IT (do what it takes to become the best self you can be).

 

I have been sending demos to labels for 20 years, and I'm 35 now.  Do I still want to release an album I can be proud of?  YES.  Do I still have the confidence that it's possible?  YES.  How much am I willing to bet that I will succeed?  My life.  Because that is what it takes to get ANYTHING done.  Fucking anything, you give your life, and never hold yourself back from getting what you want.  So if it took over 20 years JUST to release one album on Planet Mu, would that make me happy?  Fuck, yeah.  20 years is totally worth it.  The time will pass regardless of what I do- might as well spend the time putting effort towards realizing my dreams.

 

 

 

 

 

p.s. edit:  Much love to all~  Thank you.

Edited May 10, 2017 by peace 7

[Lada Laika]

peace you are legitimately inspiring. thank you.

[Psychotronic]

I have been sending demos to labels for 20 years, and I'm 35 now.  Do I still want to release an album I can be proud of?  YES.  Do I still have the confidence that it's possible?  YES.  How much am I willing to bet that I will succeed?  My life.  Because that is what it takes to get ANYTHING done.  Fucking anything, you give your life, and never hold yourself back from getting what you want.  So if it took over 20 years JUST to release one album on Planet Mu, would that make me happy?  Fuck, yeah.  20 years is totally worth it.  The time will pass regardless of what I do- might as well spend the time putting effort towards realizing my dreams.

Explain to me why to release on a label? I never understood this, maybe you can help me with this. Isn't releasing just "making something accessible" in a cool format? Why does anyone need a label in times of bandcamp / soundcloud. The prefiltering mechanisms that labels had, do not work anymore from my point of view. Finding really inspiring dedicated artists is hard work, building a name is even harder.