Your measure of success?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Eurythmic
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Eurythmic

Eurythmic

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There's this website, allmusic.com, that's pretty much my Bible. I'm surfing around on it all the time. Looking at the various maps and connections to find a new artist I might like... making sure my facts are correct if I'm preparing to write something... or even just reading reviews. Their main pop reviewer is the only music writer whose opinion means anything to me.

So yesterday I was doing searches on some lesser-known artists, when I discovered that they linked a group I like, the Cruxshadows, to an artist that I'd just found out about that day.

Now, the Cruxshadows aren't exactly major-label, so I was surprised to find them there. I got curious, and typed in the name of another "band"... Smart Apple.

And he's in there! Teddie is in my Bible! There's a little bio, and even an album review.

The point of all that, however funny it may sound, is that I've always thought it would be an extremely cool thing to be able to look myself up in my favorite music reference guide.

And it got me thinking about the ol' Homereccer crowd. What are some of your long-term goals, and measures of success? Why are you here? For those of you who have already gotten there, and I know there are quite a few here who have been very successful in your fields, at what point were you able to step back, look around, and say "Hey, I guess I've made it"?
 
My goal is to be able to write what I got in my head, to be able to play when I want and what I want. And to occasionally have an audience that values my work.

The audience part is ok for now, we get good responses at our concerts, that's all I'll ever ask for...

As for the writing part: studying music theory/composition next year will get me going there... I can easily write down a simple tune now whenever I feel like it, so I just need to broaden that a bit.

And the playing part: that's more something of not being bound to a daytime job that only allows me to listen to music thru headphones every now and then... We'll see what the future brings. I'll quit this job and engineering in a few months, don't know where it'll take me...
 
Success can be a strange and elusive concept.

I've always felt success in life was: 1) being the best person I can be, 2) happiness and a positive attitude, 3) good family and friends, and hopefully 4) the respect of my peers

As a musician I feel success is: 1) a body of work you can take pride in (with due modesty) 2) continued improvement in talent and 3) the respect of the musicians you work with

As Roel said an aprreciative audiance is nice and the ability to support yorself through your talent is a worthy goal - but internal measurement is more important.

After having been a musicain for over 30 years, playing thousands of gigs for thousands of people and being published and placed and having earned thousands of dollars - I feel the most success when I write an intellegent lyric or master a difficult lick or even when I simply know that I've do my best with the talent I have.
 
When I hear "enter in thou good and faithful servant" Then I know, I succeeded.


Peace,
Dennis
 
"Your measure of success? "

When my wife's mother died two years ago (she was a saint), I wrote a little song about her. When I played it for my wife, she cried and said I should record it. Two years later, my father-in-law is visiting - I play it for him....he cries, and tells me that it's the most beautiful song he's ever heard. He asks me for a tape he can play for the family.
Just before Easter I mixed it down and burned some CD's, and sent them to the whole family. Fifty people standing around on Easter Sunday listening to this song and crying, remembering her and thanking me for immortalizing her.
I could get a platinum cut tomorrow and not feel any more successful than this little song made me feel.

Bob
 
Wow!

atomictoyz & Buffalo Bob - very profound responses!!!!
 
Wow, I can't even express how happy I am that I found this place. Those were some great responses. I haven't had the best of luck with message boards but it seems there is a good deal of intelligent and down to Earth people here. Can't ya just feel the love :D



I agree with what most of you have already said. Success to me means continuing to grow musically, in many aspects. To keep learning and to get all of the music that is in my head out into the air. If I do that for as long as I can I'll consider myself successful.

And if I can find a way to pay the bills while doing all of that, that would be great too.
 
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