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Topic: Do you listen to your own music often?, a little paranoid question< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
Sir Mustapha Offline




Group: Musicians
Posts: 2802
Joined: April 2003
Posted: Feb. 14 2004, 12:55

I sometimes worry too much about the way I act about my creations, and if it is a good or a bad thing. I mean, I don't wanna become some sort of self-obsessed bastard, or some self-deprecating moron, or develop some of those illnesses or anything. I used to do quite a bunch of writing (Simpsons fanfiction, evil evil evil! :D ), and I've been taking music quite seriously these last two years, and I already have two albums under my belt. But then, it's not rare for me to find myself listening to these two albums, or even reading some of my past fanfiction. I read several times that Mike doesn't listen to his own music (is that true?), and I wonder... Is it dangerous? Yes, in the past, I used to go through my recordings and saying "hey, that's really good" or "yuck, that sucked!", and it does help for me to enhance and polish my albums further. As I result, I'm fully convinced that "Musics For Highways" is an exceptional album, to my standards (whatever standards these might me, ;) ). But... What do you think? Do you think it's harmful or helpful to listen to your own music so much, with that clinical eye of the artist? At times, I do feel like picking up "Highways" and listening to it for some pure enjoyment, but do you think such a behaviour can become exagerated? Sorry if I sound silly, I just wanna hear your opinions. I think this is a fairly interesting topic to discuss.

And now, excuse me while I'll resist saying something stupid in the lines of "Mike doesn't listen to his music? That's why his latest albums suck so much!" for now. ;)


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Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds.
Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com
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Q! Offline




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Posted: Feb. 14 2004, 18:10

Quote (Sir Mustapha @ Feb. 14 2004, 12:55)
What do you think? Do you think it's harmful or helpful to listen to your own music so much, with that clinical eye of the artist? At times, I do feel like picking up "Highways" and listening to it for some pure enjoyment, but do you think such a behaviour can become exagerated?

naaah, i listen to my music all the time. for pure enjoyment also, might i add. music is music, imo the only difference when listening to your own stuff is that when you find something wrong with it, you can always correct it. :)


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MusicallyInspired Offline




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Posted: Feb. 14 2004, 22:40

I listen to my own music a lot. If onyl to remind myself I can still make music....soemtimes I get discouraged though and think "that's how good I used to be" :D.

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"The beauty in life is in the embracing of the variety of things. If all the world was blue there would be no colour blue."
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Holger Offline




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Posted: Feb. 15 2004, 07:09

Quote (MusicallyInspired @ Feb. 14 2004, 22:40)
I listen to my own music a lot. If onyl to remind myself I can still make music....soemtimes I get discouraged though and think "that's how good I used to be" :D.

Maybe that's the reason Mike doesn't listen to his old stuff...
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BOOsTER Offline




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Posted: Feb. 15 2004, 07:50

Quote (MusicallyInspired @ Feb. 15 2004, 04:40)
I listen to my own music a lot. If onyl to remind myself I can still make music....soemtimes I get discouraged though and think "that's how good I used to be" :D.

but I usually when I am done start to hate my own works...

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dbruce Offline




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Posted: Feb. 15 2004, 09:24

Good topic, and I've been wondering the same about myself recently.

I've recorded two albums of covers, and am about half way through writing and recording originals at the moment. For the first covers album I recorded tracks then hardly listened to them. For that reason, the album pretty much sucked. With the second album, I regularly listened to the mixes I'd done so far in different settings (travelling to uni, in the car, on my hifi, etc) so I could hear what I wanted to do with them. This worked out much better and found that I'm much happier with the final product this time around. Songs took much more 'nurturing', and I found myself 'tweaking' bits four or five months after creating what I'd thought was the final mix of a track.

For my originals, it's much the same procedure I'm using. Some songs I wrote ages ago have been completely re-worked or re-recorded. Strangely, the first original song I wrote, "Why", is probably the only one I've not touched since I recorded it! Unfortunately I'm still waiting on backing vocals for it though!

As for listening to my old stuff now I'm finished with it (ie, the covers), I've only found myself listening to them on the odd occasion. The first album is packed away and probably won't see the light of day until I'm releasing a boxed set of my back catalogue (I wish! :p ), but I still have my second one on me. I've been slagged for listening to myself, but I enjoy it, so why not?!

David
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Sir Mustapha Offline




Group: Musicians
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Joined: April 2003
Posted: Feb. 15 2004, 09:48

Quote
I listen to my own music a lot. If onyl to remind myself I can still make music....soemtimes I get discouraged though and think "that's how good I used to be"


Hee hee. I'm sure that if I hear my very first album again, I'll cringe in disgust. Fortunately, the CD is miles away from here, so I'm pretty safe. :D


--------------
Check out http://ferniecanto.com.br for all my music, including my latest albums: Don't Stay in the City, Making Amends and Builders of Worlds.
Also check my Bandcamp page: http://ferniecanto.bandcamp.com
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Music, the ancient language... Offline




Group: Musicians
Posts: 407
Joined: Jan. 2003
Posted: Feb. 15 2004, 15:05

Mostly, if I want to hear something of myself, I just play it on the piano. :) But regarding midi: I make my music in such a way that I like to listen to it, and that implies I actually do listen to it a lot. It's as simple as that for me. :)

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Read everything I write at own risk.
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Yuval Offline




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Joined: Nov. 2003
Posted: Feb. 18 2004, 09:34

only when I work on it- mixing - rerecording etc.
always prefer listening to new music when i finally have time for it. I just wish other could enjoy my music.. who wouldn't?
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Ugo Offline




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Posted: Feb. 18 2004, 18:54

Since I play all the time but I never record (I don't have any equipment to), and I also rarely compose, I have no time at all to listen to my own music. :)

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Ugo C. - a devoted Amarokian
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Jammer Offline




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Posted: Feb. 19 2004, 06:04

Quote (BOOsTER @ Feb. 15 2004, 12:50)
usually when I am done start to hate my own works...

I am in a similar position, BOOsTER. The reason I don't write that much is because I'm not happy with the end result :(

I find that if I listen to my stuff it could always be better in some way. This makes my music seem inadequate. Best thing for me is to leave the finished works as they are without fiddling. Bruckner did this with many of his symphonies which is why you see lots of different revisions of the same work
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