If there’s one place on earth where joy eclipses toil and grief, it’s music.
But there’s an endangered tribe running through the bliss fields, prone to miss the magic. You guessed it - musicians.
Recently I heard Judy Collins describe her struggle with depression, alcohol and drugs from early on. If a singing angel yearns for joy in the midst of plenty, what’s to become of the rest of us?
Many people tell me they love music. Some of them are musicians. Most of them are connoisseurs, curators of their music collections, fans of bands and troubadours. At least that’s how it seems to me, but of course I’m biased because I’m a musician endangered by the making of music.
Music can be a buffer against the cares of the world. A friend of mine had a tough childhood. Hank Williams on the radio at night was his refuge and salvation.
But it’s hard to find joy in a craft you love that also says ‘get out there for the world to hear.’ Getting it out there is more than hooking up some mics and amps and letting ‘er rip. It’s a rowdy expertise we call ‘marketing’ which has a tendency to leak frustration, doubt and a certain crass materialism into the pure realm of music euphoria.
Imagine a winged creature at home on the wind, suddenly forced to truck around bird ads on her skinny legs and spritely feathers. You think we’d expect her to sing too?
I haven’t figured out how to avoid the derangement of the market place. Yes, I do love music. But I’m hopelessly inept at sales. ‘Swoop with me into the wild blue yawn?’ I might as well tell you to get religion (my religion), which won’t be happening anytime soon.
See what I mean? Hopeless.
Painting Margret Hofheinz-Döring, Meeting of Birds Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0
- Susan Weber's blog
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Creativity is growing!
I know that your post is differently focused, but it reminded me a little bit about a lot of the concern with success and solvency that's been going around regarding the "decline" of print journalism and media, and the availability of free content. The theory is out there that we will lose out on quality because of the way content is developing.
I often am moved to respond (as I have previously on the internets) that it is my understanding that most creators of content create because they are moved to do so. The analysis here is produced in the spare time of the writers because they care and are interested. The same is true of the artwork here and the literature here and works of all types in many other places.
Wil Wheaton, in his excellent book, Just A Geek (which I highly encourage you all to run out and purchase immediately. What are you waiting for?), examines multiple times advice given (by Patrick Stewart) about acting, which is essentially that you shouldn't pursue it seriously unless you love it enough to make the downsides worthwhile - the continual rejection, the uncertainty of income, the struggling and starving with no guarantees. Essentially, Patrick says, you should do it only if you can't not do it. I've heard the same about writing, and many other forms of art. People who create, for the most part, seem to do so because they are compelled to. And I think that this will be true for many regardless of their success. Because, I think for many creators, success - financial or otherwise - really just isn't that important. (Another great example is the author Alfred Wight, better known as James Herriot - in a biography written by his son, it's clear that hopes for success had little to do with the creation of the James Herriot books).
I do wish that more success were available for the many brilliant and dedicated creators who are out there. But I cannot believe that we will have access to less amazing art, music, and all kinds of things, because success and recognition are hard to come by. I believe that as humanity goes along, we are getting even more creativity and wonderment, because creation is ineffable, and not compelled by success.
I hope that you can take courage and hope from that idea, too!
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'Everybody has a secret world inside of them. All of the people of the world, I mean everybody. No matter how dull and boring they are on the outside, inside them they've all got unimaginable, magnificent, wonderful, stupid, amazing worlds. Not just one world. Hundreds of them. Thousands maybe.'
Neil Gaiman, Sandman
Feedback fuels the muse
Thanks for the links, mccn - it’s fun to be inspired. It reminds me of another challenge of the artist - the urge to fling oneself in many different, interesting directions. Each area of expertise could take a lifetime to develop, so it’s a good idea to stay focused rather than dabble here and there, unless that’s what a person’s after.
On the other hand, different creative experiences can feed the muse in one’s own area. And if you happen to be Cory Doctorow, you might have the intellect, discipline and stamina to pursue multiple passions with much success.
As for needing an audience, or financial success - these are measures of the capacity of an artist to create things that move others. A song may serve me well in the confines of my music room, but I also want to create songs of meaning and value to others.
Finding that elusive audience then becomes an important component of the art. So I guess what I’m really saying is that when I fail at sales (drawing listeners to my songs) I also fail at creating the essential feedback that fuels the art. Marketing, an art form in itself, swallows huge chunks of time, especially now, with endless social networking sites out there.
I’ve reserved ‘Just a Geek’ and look forward to reading. Gotta love Ensign Crusher!
Some thoughts on "Swoop"
It is true that most musicians will never make it in the profession of music because they don't go all the way to do what is necessary to make it. And some who do go all the way don't make it either.
I think it is a myth that today's technology can make stars of the humble stay-at-homes who toil in their basement studios. I haven't seen it happen yet, except very occasionally -- just like in the old model.
This sounds pessimistic, perhaps, but as you point out, Susan, it has little to do with music. Music is in the musician's blood. Like all art, it's a compulsive thing. It hurts if it doesn't come out.
Maybe that's why open stages are popular now that regular musician jobs have dried up. In the old days, musicians could work for money because many jobs were available. Now many have to play free or almost free if they want to get up on a stage. It's not nice, and it's not pretty. It's definitely not good for self-esteem. But it's the way it is.
Some of us choose to drop out of public music, rather than endure the pain of the return to amateurism. It hurts, though, to drop out.
I love painting, and I love making music. None of that will ever change.
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Water Color Visions
How to succeed in music while really trying
In his recent post, Derik Sivers, offers tips on the dos and don'ts of music success.
You can love and love and love. You have to work and work and work. No guarantees whatsoever.