What's your motivation for recording?

  • Thread starter Thread starter famous beagle
  • Start date Start date

What's your reason for recording?

  • I'm a musician foremost, but I can't afford time in a pro studio

    Votes: 3 6.7%

  • I'm a musician foremost, but I'm a DIY person

    Votes: 9 20.0%

  • I'm a musician, but I also enjoy the recording side of things

    Votes: 27 60.0%

  • I prefer to record (myself or others) rather than play

    Votes: 6 13.3%

  • I'm not a musician at all - just an engineer

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    45
I haven't played a gig in over 15 years. I have no interest in it for the same reasons mentioned above. I love playing alone, although too many years of it have destroyed my sense of tempo. I love putting down layers on a song and hearing the idea start to gel. It's kinda like making a painting to me...the recording is a permanent record and I don't feel the need to perform it in front of anyone. I just show 'em the painting.
 
None of the poll choices fit for me.

I'm a composer and want to hear a more fully-realized version of what I write than just playing it on the piano.
 
It was so much different in the 80s. You could go out and get gigs for your band at most clubs and set up Thursday morning and play four nights 3-5 hours per night. Most of the time, you'd just get the deal where you got 5 musicians and your sound guy (ours was a gal) and you just get free drinks for 8 thrown in. Always got two guys to bring all the gear in and out for us for three or four nights of free drinks. Didn't hurt that they were big fans...
Anyway, my current motivation (as I believe everyone has to evolve their dreams) is just to get what I'm writing to sound the best it can. That's why I'm here and on songwriting sites, taking Coursera free courses, reading all the blogs around the net, watching DIY Musician blogs...etc. I just want my stuff to sound as good as I can get it (for free!) :D
Of course, you could say that time is money, and that I'm spending a fortune on equipment and time, so it's really not free...
 
Greg_L said:
I'd be perfectly fine being in a garage band that never left the garage. I just don't get off on doing it live. My ego doesn't need any stroking in that way, and music money has never been a consideration. I don't feel like I need to be heard or get my music out there. Gigs are just a necessary evil. If I wanna play music in a group, I'm gonna have to do some stupid fucking gigs because pretty much everyone else thinks gigs are the greatest thing ever.
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This about sums up gigging for me. I've always preferred my solo gigs to those with the bands I've played with. Turning up with an acoustic guitar is much easier than lugging amps and shit around with a band. I left my last band because they always book stupid ass gigs that weren't even worth me tuning/turning up for. Weds nights with 2 people watching, etc. I enjoyed a few of the bigger gigs, festivals and all that side of it. But playing for nothing, to know one, was soul destroying. May as well of just had a rehearsal in our room.

My reason for recording is pure enjoyment. Nothing else. I enjoy it all from writing a song, finding new techniques, sounds, to the final .wav bounce down. I only record myself and a friend at present but I'm looking forward to recording other people in the near future.
 
Just writing and recording now as my work has me on call 24/7. Don't miss the hassle of gigging but I occasionally miss the adrenaline rush of playing in a live band.
 
I record things for fun and to see how something that's occurred to me might sound.
I don't post my recordings 'cause I don't do them for anyone other than myself since I am, first and foremost, a live player and that's where I earn my living and also it's what music is all about for me.

But I've always recorded when some musical idea would strike me and I still do.
I just don't care if anyone else likes or even hears it.
 
Greg_L said:
I actually like gigging more now that I'm mixing guitar gigs in with my usual drumming gigs. It's really not the gigs though - I still pretty much hate them. I just like the change of scenery and getting to play with all my new guitar stuff. It's like a fresh mindset.
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I like gigging out BUT ..... I do the hired gun thing so no rehearsals ...... limited set-up involvement.
The reason I like it is that if I'm playing with a good band it's about as big a challenge as there is ..... kinda like session work in the studio but no do-overs.
It has to be right the very first time you play it period.
I really enjoy the challenge and pressure of pulling that off.
When I walk on a stage with some good jazzers and play their complicated originals and fit right in I know I've done something.
Sure .... as soon as it's over it's over but that's also part of what I like.
The immediacy of the whole thing ..... "PLAY ..... play right now and don't ask no questions!"
 
Lt. Bob said:
I like gigging out BUT ..... I do the hired gun thing so no rehearsals ...... limited set-up involvement.
The reason I like it is that if I'm playing with a good band it's about as big a challenge as there is ..... kinda like session work in the studio but no do-overs.
It has to be right the very first time you play it period.
I really enjoy the challenge and pressure of pulling that off.
When I walk on a stage with some good jazzers and play their complicated originals and fit right in I know I've done something.
Sure .... as soon as it's over it's over but that's also part of what I like.
The immediacy of the whole thing ..... "PLAY ..... play right now and don't ask no questions!"
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Now that would be fun I think.
 
DM60 said:
Now that would be fun I think.
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It IS a lot of fun if you're comfortable with it.

I know players that are probably good enough but aren't quite sure enough of themselves to play so they hang back.
But you have to play with conviction or it becomes obvious you're unsure of yourself.


Me? I'm there to take over!! :D
I fully intend that tomorrow they will be talking about that guy that played with them last night ....... good or bad!
Yes, I have to be tasteful but I also want to make sure they can't wait for the next time they need me for something.

I do understand it's not for everyone ...... people that like to rehearse every little detail aren't gonna be suited for it.

But my very favorite thing in the world is playing with people I've never met doing music I've never heard.
I absolutely live for those situations and I'm just grinning ear to ear the whole time.
 
Greg_L said:
Yeah but you're good. Most of the rest of us aren't. :D
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lol ..... you are ..... I always enjoy your playing and, for what it's worth, I don't just give that away.

You and I would have a ball playing together.
 
I suppose first and foremost I love creating music. But I love recording because I can preserve that creation.

I used to get a kick out of hearing my playback from my tapes back in the day. Now I still love hearing my playback from my colorful DAW tracks as the cursor treks across the screen.
 
Lt. Bob said:
lol ..... you are ..... I always enjoy your playing and, for what it's worth, I don't just give that away.

You and I would have a ball playing together.
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Yes indeed. You'd be giving me lessons though. I'm pretty good about learning a song really fast by ear, but I can't just jump in to something I've never heard before and immediately jam it up. I don't know any theory stuff.
 
I'm basically a song writer. I acquired various mediocre playing skills thru the years. My motivation to get into home recording is probably fairly common......in that.......if you want to put sound to your writing and let anyone hear your work.........that road is tough.......unless you do it yourself. So.......here I am. I love it and it's addicting to say the least.
 
Does anyone else feel spread thin by trying to do too many things? For example, the 4 main things that I try to do well are:

Songwriting
Vocals
Guitar (I have to keep up my chops for my job)
Recording

Not to mention I dabble on a few other instruments like bass and keys and have other hobbies too, like electronics (building amps, modifying stuff, etc.), woodworking, etc.

My wife, on the other hand, is an awesome singer. She plays some rhythm guitar too, but it's by no means her focus. But she's not a writer, and she doesn't get into recording at all (I always engineer her). And I think that's probably why she's as good as she is. It's really the only thing to which she devotes the lion's share of her time.

Anyone else struggle with this? The whole "serving more than one master" thing?
 
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