Music isn't important.

[doc]

Just musing about this to myself as I considered my musical goals. I'll never attain the virtuosity on the instrument that many out there have, and so what if I did. If I were much more fluent, it would only matter if it touched people somehow, and most music these days doesn't seem to. I think music was more important at some periods in the past - the Swing Era, the '60s, etc. I plan to continue my feeble efforts to become "good", but while doing that I plan to come up with some substance contained in the music that is able to really communicate with others. I guess I'm kinda wondering if thats really very doable these days, as in my view the world has changed somehow. When I try to talk to other people about music, its rare to find someone who understands what I'm talking about - to them its just stuff to dance to, to accompany certain events, with no real content of its own, and it generally just isn't important.

[Platypus]

Music will always be important to many people. I have similar issues relating things to most if not all of my friends because they just don't hear (or see for that matter) the same things I do that really make me tick. One of the most amazing feelings is being in an audience where something live is being performed that means so much to you and looking around and without any words or gestures, knowing there are others connected to that same wavelength you're feeling.

It's relative though... I couldn't care less about my car other than the fact that it gets me from point A to point B and has enough storage for my gear. On the other hand, I have friends who obsess about every possible detail. They hear the beauty and uniqueness of the way some engine part sounds in the same way I try to point out the interesting timing or chord choice or a specific tone in a song. We both look at each other like we're nuts.

I think if you make music that moves you and is an expression of yourself then it really doesn't matter how many people like it; 10 or 10,000. I don't personally make music for other people. I understand the feeling though, when someone comes up to you after a gig and says how awesome that was or how it inspired them somehow. That's one of the best feelings in the world when someone can connect to you in that way, but that isn't my motivation when I set out to make something.

This is again my opinion but I firmly believe there is a language in music.. some people can understand the 'words' and some just never will. That's fine with me though, I feel extremely fortunate that I can and I'm glad others derive the same thing from other mediums. I'm also glad that I can create my own music. Will it ever sell out stadiums? Nah, probably not, but it means the world to me that I enjoy it.

[kludge]

Just musing about this to myself as I considered my musical goals. I'll never attain the virtuosity on the instrument that many out there have, and so what if I did. If I were much more fluent, it would only matter if it touched people somehow, and most music these days doesn't seem to. I think music was more important at some periods in the past - the Swing Era, the '60s, etc. I plan to continue my feeble efforts to become "good", but while doing that I plan to come up with some substance contained in the music that is able to really communicate with others. I guess I'm kinda wondering if thats really very doable these days, as in my view the world has changed somehow. When I try to talk to other people about music, its rare to find someone who understands what I'm talking about - to them its just stuff to dance to, to accompany certain events, with no real content of its own, and it generally just isn't important.

It's not about whether it's important... of course it's important. What you're thinking about is whether or not it's popular. One can well argue that bebop was the death of jazz. It became heady intellectual music rather than popular dance music. Rock and roll picked up the "dance music" torch, and jazz retreated into itself (for new stuff) or became a dead-end nostalgia trip (for old stuff).

But so what? Jazz may have lost its standing as the popular form, but it still matters to those who care about it. And rock lost a lot of its sensibility when prog-rock and singer-songwriter whining became dominant. Luckily, the spirit of rock comes back every decade or so and reminds us what it's about (cf Sex Pistols, Nirvana, Strokes, etc). Three chords and a grudge, man. We're about due for it again.

Country music too... the pop country stuff may be dreck today (it's really always been dreck), but we're really in a golden age for country music lovers. Don't confuse all the French models in cowboy hats coming out of Nashville with what modern country music is about!

Music matters. Don't worry that the lack of popularity for your tastes mean music has become irrelevant.

[ScottB]

It's important to me.

[iamdavea]

I get dispirited, because I'm having a harder and harder time finding new music that hits me with the same intensity as the music that mattered so much to me during the period from 1966 to about 1994. There was a time when my life was just flooded with great music that you could devote unlimited amounts of time to; now, when I make a connection with a new artist, it's like finding a nugget of gold in your mining pan. But the upside to this, is that I'm spending much more time playing guitar myself.

[sinner]

Another view: just do music that means something to you, and if by chance some others are deeply moved, you are truly blessed.

You are the test, the litmus, the filter, the whole universe. How could something so meaningful and passionate as your music not move others?

You gotta believe.

[gixxerrock]

This weekend, I played an awesome gig to 400 people! That writhing mass of grinding sweaty flesh on the packed dance floor for every song, tells me music still matters. At least to the people I am privileged to hang with.

[Scott Miller]

Music is just one of those things that makes life good. I am currently listening to some wacked out griot music from Mali. It is the greatest thing in the universe. In about an hour, I will fix myself a Baileys and coffee, at which point, Baileys and coffee will be the greatest thing in the universe.

[atquinn]

...When I try to talk to other people about music, its rare to find someone who understands what I'm talking about - to them its just stuff to dance to, to accompany certain events, with no real content of its own, and it generally just isn't important.

I can't think of any time this hasn't been true when talking about "popular music" regardless of what you might think regarding the way the music has changed over time.

-Austin

[DC1]

I can't think of any time this hasn't been true when talking about "popular music" regardless of what you might think regarding the way the music has changed over time.

-Austin

What's different is that many of us had the shadows of giants looming over us. No matter how slick we got, the old people always nagged and reminded us of about Ellington, Copland, Miles, etc. Because of this, we worked HARD to make music that would move people and stand some scrutiny.

The first Chicago album was so damn good because they knew they would be compared to the jazz greats. Hence, they gave it their very best and set a real standard of musicality.

In the postmodern world, no one cares about any of that.

There's many reasons for that, but it is new. Beyond a doubt, it is not the same ole same ole generational differences and old people nostalgia. I can tell you I am not at all nostalgic. I saw the 60's, sober, and hated almost all of it and I can't stand classic rock radio. There is something new in the air today and it is producing little great art.

Big bright spots here and there? You bet. But that is all, just spots.

dc

[soulohio]

hated the 60's...welll. i learned to crawl then. but i digress...

ya know, i was out in LA 89-93. We all romaed the clubs, talked , lived and breathed music and really lived it up on the sunset strip. I never got anywhere but music was the hamster whell I chose to get there....

now you walk down sunset blvd and it's nothing but pikers. they could be passing out free condoms or taking pictures with the dog faced boy, but music is nowhere near the influence it used to be....

[blood5150]

Just listen to some Radiohead and that may fix your problem.

[DC1]

Hey, I like Coldplay, Keane, and Mute Math. (especially Mute Math!).

We need a lot more.

I see that as a REAL opportunity for we songwriters.


dc