What if nobody could hear?

hasben
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Sat Dec 26, 2009 9:58 am

Good question Tovo! Interesting. Looking back years ago, I did play before friends, but I think any appreciation was influenced more by... hm... their "state of mind" than by my talent.

These days, I am tempted to say I play for my enjoyment only. However, if and when I master Classical Gas, I feel certain the extrovert part of me would want to share it with the world, probably ad nauseum. I guess over the years I have learned just how limited I am as a musician and at this point I am having a blast entertaining just me.


mmmbldo
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Sat Dec 26, 2009 12:59 pm

Easy answer......I play for my own enjoyment. If no one wants to listen...then cool.... I'll just keep on playing for myself. Which is 90% of what I do anyway. I play and sing for the joy of it, not for anyone's approval. I have played many, many times in front of people, church, small show's, open mic....ect. But, if I never play again for anyone but myself, I would still play and sing to my hearts content.


wadestar
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Sat Dec 26, 2009 2:03 pm

I play alone ya with nobody else, you know when I play alone I prefer to be by myself. lol


tovo
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Thu Oct 14, 2010 3:38 pm

I wanted to recycle this thread, because I still think it's an interesting question and there are many new members and others who may have further thoughts on the issue.

I guess for me the topic stems from trying to balance the desire for improvement, the enjoyment of playing and the joy of sharing.

So if you couldn't share...how would that affect your desire to play? That is the question.


frybaby
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Sat Oct 16, 2010 9:32 am

I am generally ask to go play where no one can hear me.


jayswett
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Sat Oct 16, 2010 11:37 am

reiver wrote:
I absolutely and totally play for myself. Until I joined this site no-one else had heard me play for about 25 years. I do not enjoy playing in front of others now - that's one of the things that makes going into a music shop and picking up a guitar very difficult for me. My parents are in their 80s and have never heard me play.

r
Just curious. Have you played for them yet? I agree with Andy that you should. Not just because you are a talented guitarist, but mostly because they would certainly love it. I think I can say that with a reasonable degree of certainty without having met them.


jayswett
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Sat Oct 16, 2010 11:46 am

I almost never play for anyone other than my immediate family, and that's only when they just happen to be in the room with me. Having said that, it would be dishonest for me to say that I am satisified with that. I do have a guitar playing fantasy or two. Some day, I would love to play in front of an audience of friends, then move on to an open mic situation, and perhaps even be a rhythm player in a band. At the age of 43, I recognize that the latter is not likely to happen, but I think with a few more years of work, the first of those is a reasonable goal, as it is for everyone on TG. The open mic night, as has been encouraged by others, is something to consider as well, but that takes more courage than I can muster at this point. To answer your question, though, if nobody could hear, I would certainly continue to play my guitar and enjoy every moment of it.


tombo1230
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Sat Oct 16, 2010 1:12 pm

Great question Tovo. To be honest I don't usually play in front of anyone except my immediate family, but recently a colleague who's in a band brought his Taylor to work and offered me a shot of it, well how could I resist? so I started playing 'Here Comes The Sun,' which I have been learning recently and a young woman came in as I was playing and said, 'oh my that's really beautiful!' I have to admit I felt really good after that, as her reaction was genuine.

Years ago I had a teacher who was a very good player, but he never played in front of anyone but his students, he said he couldn't because he got stage fright and would make mistakes. So I suppose different people have different reasons for playing or not playing in front of an audience.


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