Kind of philosophical question about making music.

LastMantra · March 2023

The "perfect" bit was just a device for a hypothetical question.
I know it can't literally exist.

I suppose what it comes down to is seeking other people's approval or would knowing yourself be enough.

thecolourbox · March 2023

I suppose it depends on how much weight you give you "knowing" it was perfect, I can't always trust my own opinion as to whether I've got my pants on the right way around let alone to ascertain if something is artistically perfect!

LastMantra · March 2023

thecolourbox said:

I suppose it depends on how much weight you give you "knowing" it was perfect, I can't always trust my own opinion as to whether I've got my pants on the right way around let alone to ascertain if something is artistically perfect!

I think in this scenario, and considering there is no such thing, we'd just have to assume you somehow know for sure.

Anyway, thanks for the replies. Some interesting comments.

GoFish · March 2023

2 am's perfecttion can be a vampire - turns to ash when it sees the light of day.

Cranky · March 2023

For a long time I’ve been more of a musical graffiti artist. I have no problem putting something together, hearing it and then walking away from it.

I guess if someone else liked what I made it’d be cool. But that’s not an aspect of making music I think about much. Hell, it was enough for me to just get comfortable playing anything around another human at all — performing is a pretty unsettling idea to me.

roberty · March 2023

It just gives my brain something to chew on so it doesn't chew itself

hollywoodrox · March 2023

LastMantra said:

The "perfect" bit was just a device for a hypothetical question.
I know it can't literally exist.

I suppose what it comes down to is seeking other people's approval or would knowing yourself be enough.

I guess it would but it would be absolutely perplexing not being able to share it . The sad thing is there must be lots of pieces of perfect music out there on hard drives & tapes that have never seen the light

flying_pie · March 2023

I think that in order for a piece of music to be appreciated it helps if an artist is established and with a certain image. Sad but true.

It's almost certain that people would appreciate Yesterday far far less if it had been the Beatles debut single

sev112 · March 2023

Ralph McTell wrote Streets of (Paris) London, and the song is acclaimed and a major hit; still known by many many people the world over 40+ years on.
it is the song that is always asked for at gigs and everyone sings along to.

Yet it caused Ralph lots of stress because he wanted to play blues and ragtime, and even tour with a proper band, yet all the marketing people and music companies wanted was Streets and similar. So a burden, but a source of much income, fame and other good things.

he must hate playing it now, or for many years but he still always does, and always plays it well.

i usually play Ralph songs at open mics that most people have never heard of before.But the few times I play Streets (or The Boxer / I am a Rock / Fire and Rain / etc) everyone ends up joining in and singing along.

I always thought the writers that stressed and focussed on the perfect song were Prog artists, whereas it seems that the simplest pop songs are the most popular

LastMantra · March 2023

Anyone seen searching for sugar man?

I loved that movie.

Cranky · March 2023

LastMantra said:

Anyone seen searching for sugar man?

I loved that movie.

I never did see the movie, but found out about it when I somehow stumbled into Light in the Attic records who got rights to Rodriguez’s albums. Which I got on vinyl now. They are so simple and beautiful and relentlessly insightful in that edgy kinda style. He’s right there with Dylan and Reed.

I will have to see where I can access the movie.

LastMantra · March 2023

Cranky said:

LastMantra said:

Anyone seen searching for sugar man?

I loved that movie.

I never did see the movie, but found out about it when I somehow stumbled into Light in the Attic records who got rights to Rodriguez’s albums. Which I got on vinyl now. They are so simple and beautiful and relentlessly insightful in that edgy kinda style. He’s right there with Dylan and Reed.

I will have to see where I can access the movie.

I highly recommend it. Honestly one of my favourite films ever.
His music was great, very Dylan like.

thing · April 2023

I think if you like your own stuff that's good enough. I've just spent an hour or so listening to old stuff that I did years ago for the guitarist collective (an old collection of guys from the Guitarist forums who used to set each other a task once a month). I've not heard it for years and some of it must be twenty years old. I came away thinkng 'Bloody hell, some of that was shit hot' Coudn't care less if anyone else hears it, it's good to me. Although my greatest accolade came from the late great Jase Morris who thought one of my tracks was 'fucking outstanding'. That'll do me.

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Kind of philosophical question about making music.

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