What makes you a serious musician?

[Polska]

For me, it's caring how the band sounds over how I played. I have always worked on being prepared, being on time, getting along with bandmates and keeping my gear up, but I used to stress about how I'm playing. How correct are my parts, how's my time etc. I work on all those things, sure, but I enjoy playing more over the last 20 years than I did in the past. I don't beat myself up. I just keep practicing, keep playing. If I'm miserable about my performance I shouldn't be doing it anymore. Just my thoughts.

I know a lot of musical geniuses, (Allan Holdsworth comes to mind) couldn't bear to listen to anything they played. Couldn't stand to talk about it. Hated all their performances. Maybe that's the line I needed to cross to be a professional working drummer back in the day, but I didn't and I'm glad. I don't want to reach a level of perfectionism that makes me miserable. Because you'll never achieve it. You'll never satisfy that drive. And maybe that makes them prolific - great. I am "serious" about my playing and how my band sounds, but I'm not so serious that I can't take a compliment (if/when they come), or constructive criticism. I just strive to be the best I can be and hope others will continue to want to work with me.

 

[DanRH]

For me, it's caring how the band sounds over how I played. I have always worked on being prepared, being on time, getting along with bandmates and keeping my gear up, but I used to stress about how I'm playing. How correct are my parts, how's my time etc. I work on all those things, sure, but I enjoy playing more over the last 20 years than I did in the past. I don't beat myself up. I just keep practicing, keep playing. If I'm miserable about my performance I shouldn't be doing it anymore. Just my thoughts.

I know a lot of musical geniuses, (Allan Holdsworth comes to mind) couldn't bear to listen to anything they played. Couldn't stand to talk about it. Hated all their performances. Maybe that's the line I needed to cross to be a professional working drummer back in the day, but I didn't and I'm glad. I don't want to reach a level of perfectionism that makes me miserable. Because you'll never achieve it. You'll never satisfy that drive. And maybe that makes them prolific - great. I am "serious" about my playing and how my band sounds, but I'm not so serious that I can't take a compliment (if/when they come), or constructive criticism. I just strive to be the best I can be and hope others will continue to want to work with me.

Ditto, ditto ditto. I care about all my performances and record everything I do. On top[ of that, I listen to everything, regardless of how painful it is to me. You would think all musicians do BUT it's not the case. What I call loosey goosey performances drive me crazy. If I can't nail something, I work on it or pass. The latest struggle I've been dealing with is Everybody Wants to Rule the World by Tears for Fears played the correct way, with the shuffle on the kick and hi hat being triplets on the upbeat. It's extremely tough but I now think I have it. Once you start thinking about it, YOU ARE DONE FOR. We'll see. We play it tonight.

 

[Whitten]

At the end of the day you need to accept you did the best you could. There are always things I regret in my performances or from a project, but if I've contributed to something that makes people happy I have to accept it as a positive.

 

[Sonar Dave]

I don't laugh at "Dad Jokes"

 

[Houndog]

I will crucify myself listening to recordings .

I take it too serious apparently….

 

[DamnSingerAlsoDrums]

I will crucify myself listening to recordings .

I take it too serious apparently….

Yeah you do Jeff...

We here at the fun police have been monitoring your activity to make sure you get the required amount of fun while playing and lay back on the "beating yourself up" over stuf you feel that isn't yet to your standards.

We're watching...

 

[Tornado]

I will crucify myself listening to recordings .

I take it too serious apparently….

 

[Houndog]

View attachment 585333

I rebuke this /\

 

[komodobob]

I am serious.... I mean dead serious.....about WANTING to be a musician!

Unfortunately, I'm just a neanderthal with a gig here and there......

That pretty much sums it up for me.

 

[langmick]

If you take it seriously do you know if you do or is it just normal to you. It’s an obsession sometimes for me.

 

[Luddite]

I give it my best shot, I try to have a certain level of commitment when I play and try to support and stay out of the way when I need to, but also give it some excitement and forward momentum when needed. I try to be prepared and organized.
Beyond that, I’m a genuine goofball.

 

[Pat A Flafla]

I'm serious about music but I refuse to take myself too seriously.

People who take themselves to seriously seem like hilarious dippy-doos to me. Kind of like cats.

If you deliver the goods, then maybe people will take you seriously if that's what you want. To me, delivering the goods should be the priority.