has anyone else lost interest in playing?

[rocknroll41]

Has this ever happened to anyone? I used to identify myself almost exclusively with guitar and rock music when I was an adolescent. Refusing to cut my hair and all that crap. 

Now here I am. Working a steady job. Feeling the desire to cut my hair all the time. i rarely pick up the guitar nowadays, and when I do, I just play a few riffs and put it back down. Haven't had the energy to get through a full song in ages. It's a chore for me now. 

as a kid I would fantasize all the time about making a living in music, and now the very though of it just makes me cringe and shudder.

what happened? How did I go from releasing an album and two EPs this past year to now this? Is it just an age thing? Have I simply "grown out of it"? I feel like it might be partially that, and partially the fact that music as a whole has gotten so fucked up lately with all the pop garbage, indie garbage, soundcloud garbage, edm garbage, record industry politics, vanity...all of that has made me pretty disillusioned, I think.

thoughts? Does anyone else relate or am I just being a negative nancy?

EDIT: I forgot that there was already a thread like this. Sorry. Mods, feel free to merge.

Edited November 8, 2017 by rocknroll41

[ZoSoRose]

No it happens sometimes. If you truly love it itll return soon

[soon]

Actually the last thread like this seems to have jinxed me!!  I had good routines to keep me going through thick and thin for over a decade until that thread, lol!

But when you say "music as a whole has gotten so fucked up lately with all the pop garbage, indie garbage, soundcloud garbage, edm garbage, record industry politics, vanity...all of that has made me pretty disillusioned, I think." That resonates with me.  If we are songwriters and recording artists we are typically seeking an audience, and with uncultured and ungifted "artists" getting respect and potentially dumbing down the music listening audience, we can easily find our selves unfulfilled.  

It'll be back though!

[Silverburst80]

Yeah as the other guys have said it'll come back. My longest stretch not playing was 10 yrs! (17 to 27), selling my gear at the time was probably one of my biggest regrets too. If you love playing guitar you just get random spurts of inspiration whether it's listening to an old album you love or a riff that pops in your head, agree there isn't much out there right now to inspire.

[Sosso]

I haven't picked up the bass guitar since I left my band. I was just frustated enough to have zero motivation. 

But motivation came back earlier this year because I started to play the keyboard. It's a fascinating intrstrument for me. I also started to play a couple of percussion instruments because it's fun to play them. 

Edited November 8, 2017 by Sosso

[SoundOfAGun]

I had about 5 years where I didn't write, just played acoustic guitar here and there. It is a battle at the moment because I have a 10 week old daughter, but I am persevering.

I think the throwaway attitude towards music consumption devalues the medium and leaves even major artists hesitant to release tracks. They also have engineers, production teams and distribution channels; most of us write, record, mix, master and promote ourselves. It is a lot of effort for no one to give a fuck. 

I view it as a hobby now, which takes the pressure off "having to get music out", the proliferation of affordable recording methods and ways to share the results has led to saturation and no real way of knowing what is worth listening to. I still love doing it, but I can understand how you feel. The fire will return!

[soon]

On November 8, 2017 at 11:24 PM, SoundOfAGun said:

I had about 5 years where I didn't write, just played acoustic guitar here and there. It is a battle at the moment because I have a 10 week old daughter, but I am persevering.

I think the throwaway attitude towards music consumption devalues the medium and leaves even major artists hesitant to release tracks. They also have engineers, production teams and distribution channels; most of us write, record, mix, master and promote ourselves. It is a lot of effort for no one to give a fuck. 

I view it as a hobby now, which takes the pressure off "having to get music out", the proliferation of affordable recording methods and ways to share the results has led to saturation and no real way of knowing what is worth listening to. I still love doing it, but I can understand how you feel. The fire will return!

A lot of good points there.  Congratulations on the baby!  Keep the tracks coming!

[rocknroll41]

On November 8, 2017 at 11:24 PM, SoundOfAGun said:

I had about 5 years where I didn't write, just played acoustic guitar here and there. It is a battle at the moment because I have a 10 week old daughter, but I am persevering.

I think the throwaway attitude towards music consumption devalues the medium and leaves even major artists hesitant to release tracks. They also have engineers, production teams and distribution channels; most of us write, record, mix, master and promote ourselves. It is a lot of effort for no one to give a fuck. 

I view it as a hobby now, which takes the pressure off "having to get music out", the proliferation of affordable recording methods and ways to share the results has led to saturation and no real way of knowing what is worth listening to. I still love doing it, but I can understand how you feel. The fire will return!

Thanks for insight and congrats on having a daughter now! Best of luck with both your music as well as your parenthood

also thanks to everyone else who provided insight on this thread so far. I'm fully focused on writing my book now, so I still don't think I'll ever go back to music. Last time I recorded a full song was March, and the last time I recorded any new riffs was April. I guess that's not too long ago in the grand scheme of things, so you never know, but writing books is starting to feel like my new "bug" now, actually.

Edited November 13, 2017 by rocknroll41

[SoundOfAGun]

Thanks for the congrats, it is our second one and I am actually writing music much quicker than I was after the fist one was born, I expected it to be the other way around.

I have a plan to put out an EP next year and then I think I will retire the Sound Of A Gun name and do things under my own name. I will still do rock, but have lots of other things I want to try musically and the idea of a band name/style feels like a constraint to the genre. Most importantly, rock is normally at it's best when it is made and performed by angry young men, I am not either of those things any more! That said, I will also be working through earlier stuff to re-record them and recording songs from my band days that never got put to "tape", so I'll be putting out rock among everything else for a few years yet.

Glad you've found a new artistic medium, I look forward to reading your stuff. Be proud of what you achieved as well; most people would love to be able to write a song, you have put out two EPs and an album, that is a massive accomplishment!

[rocknroll41]

3 hours ago, SoundOfAGun said:

Thanks for the congrats, it is our second one and I am actually writing music much quicker than I was after the fist one was born, I expected it to be the other way around.

I have a plan to put out an EP next year and then I think I will retire the Sound Of A Gun name and do things under my own name. I will still do rock, but have lots of other things I want to try musically and the idea of a band name/style feels like a constraint to the genre. Most importantly, rock is normally at it's best when it is made and performed by angry young men, I am not either of those things any more! That said, I will also be working through earlier stuff to re-record them and recording songs from my band days that never got put to "tape", so I'll be putting out rock among everything else for a few years yet.

Glad you've found a new artistic medium, I look forward to reading your stuff. Be proud of what you achieved as well; most people would love to be able to write a song, you have put out two EPs and an album, that is a massive accomplishment!

Thanks, I really appreciate it!

Yeah I relate to the "going solo" thing. After awhile, using a band name didn't feel right when I was left to do everything all on my own.

congrats again on all you got going on! Looking forward to hearing your new stuff.

[EvanG]

Especially when you have a full time job it can be hard to find inspiration and motivation to make music because you're simply too tired all the time. It will come back... there are periods that I barely touch my guitar because I'm too busy or tired, but a few months later I can be playing almost every day again when I find a cool song to play or have written something that I really like.

Edited November 24, 2017 by EvanG

[31illusions]

I had dreams of becoming a Professional drummer. I joined/created several bands for 15 years. Had fun, but it never went anywhere. Other band members can be difficult to rely on, as they must have the same vision as you. Work took over a lot of my time. There's little to no money to be had at the beginning. Getting older I realized music should be played for enjoyment. It's so difficult to "make it big" without committing 100% and even then it's no guarantee of going anywhere. I sold my drums, but I'm still am a drummer at heart. The dreams of becoming a famous musician are long gone. So yeah it happens. Getting older, living life, priorities change.  All part of growing up.