Depressed By Music?

[ernstinen]

Hey All,

Do you guys ever get depressed by listening to music?

I do. I think "Why didn't I write that?" Or, "I should have written that." Etc. etc.

It's getting to the point that it's making me mentally unstable.

I've had over 50 songs signed by music libraries, but now I don't know what to do. I'm not 25 anymore.

Most of my latest pieces have been rejected by Taxi screeners. How long do you hold on until you "pop" a good tune?

Is it worth trying anymore?

So depressed,

Ern

[ottlukk]

Hey Ern: I have had three songs accepted for one Taxi listing, for one music library. Never heard back. You got 50? Maybe it just takes time. You have good stuff, don't give up. Just one person who hears you at the right time can make all the difference. Ott

[marcblack30]

Ern, sorry to hear you're feeling down, but you will come out of it for sure. I get irritated by music often, especially top 40, 20, whatever the popular stuff is, I'm always super annoyed by radio, Spotify & Pandora, no matter what station I pick, the songs suck or don't suit my mood. I tend to gravitate towards classic rock, and even some of it still is irritating I can always count on AC/DC to make me feel better, Jailbreak... yeah!
Maybe if i could figure out Spotify I could make a mix to lift your spirits, or i could give you the list and you could Grooveshark it. Let me come up with a list for ya, could be fun.

We had a free trial of SiriusXM and it was truly amazing, our trial ended about a month ago and I'm jonesing for it big time. I was hooked on the classic rock station and they played songs that you wouldn't normally hear on regular classic rock stations, deeper cuts i think was the difference because Chicago's Classic Rock stations just don't compare.

50 songs signed to libraries is great so definitely keep it up (twss!), maybe just take a break from what you normally do and create something different, do some short 1-2 minute instrumentals, play around with a piece of software. i recently bought the $.99 app FIGURE and it's been fun to goof around with, thinking of submitting some of my creations!

Taking a break form music can help too, do some different things, paint, photography, exercise, read, home improvements , honey doos etc.

Anyways, let me get a playlist together to share with you, stay tuned!

Marc

[Kolstad]

If it's getting an end in itself to produce tracks to pitch, it can get really boring to be in the studio so often.
+1 to what Marc said, why not try to challenge yourself with something fun or meaningful to you?

This year I've set myself a goal to become better at modal composing, so I work much more in advance of recording with planning the track, figuring out how to work out modal progressions, and what mood they can portrait ect. And spend a lot of recording time, practicing my ear for modes. As a blues guy, the more classical sound from working with modes is really challenging, but it is FUN, and helping me to become a better musician. Will the tracks be pitchable.. maybe not, certainly not the first few I've worked out, but eventually I hope some of them can pass through the filters.

So immense yourself in a project of some kind, of your own making. It can be very rewarding!
When you like classic rock ect, another one could be to conceptualize instrumental albums, and write instrumentals for the ALBUM, and not only track by track. The old records were done as albums, where each song had a reason to be on, there's no reason instrumental albums (evn for music libraries) couldn't be the same.

It's about making music meaningful, Ern. Fight back!

[mikeymike2000]

So a horse walks into a bar and the bartender says “why the long face?”

Sorry, just trying to lighten to mood. That is what the judge did earlier this week when I went in to see if the Chip would show up for my cell phone ticket. He did, I lost. I digress…

Seriously though, Ern,

I think everyone goes through this. I know I have. Ya know what though, I only have 2 forwards and don’t even have 50 songs to my name yet. So... You are way farther along than I.

When I get down I do one of two things: write something or walk away from writing for a few days and get out in nature. I start out by listening to music that accentuates the mood. If I am sad, I listen to sad songs, if I am angry I listen to Ozzy. Let it all out and then write a piece of music that encapsulates those feelings. That is all music is, emotion in sonic form.

Maybe nothing comes out. Then it is time to go to the forest or the desert or the beach to admire the beauty that we often forget is all around us.

A friend of mine recently said “80 is the new 50”. He is right! So you’re not 25 anymore. The average life expectancy for us now is about 100. So, plenty of time to do stuff.

I also agree with the suggestion of trying out a new genre.

Hang in there. “Stay hungry, stay foolish” (Steve Jobs) and “Don’t take any shit from anybody” (Billy Joel)

[cardell]

I'm always super annoyed by radio, Spotify & Pandora, no matter what station I pick, the songs suck or don't suit my mood. I tend to gravitate towards classic rock, and even some of it still is irritating

Grumpy old men thread...me included.

Is it worth trying anymore?

Ern my friend, music is only a part of our lives, not our entire lives.

Stuart

[SANDPEARL]

Hey All,

Do you guys ever get depressed by listening to music?

I do. I think "Why didn't I write that?" Or, "I should have written that." Etc. etc.

It's getting to the point that it's making me mentally unstable.

I've had over 50 songs signed by music libraries, but now I don't know what to do. I'm not 25 anymore.

Most of my latest pieces have been rejected by Taxi screeners. How long do you hold on until you "pop" a good tune?

Is it worth trying anymore?



So depressed,

Ern

first of all 50 songs in libraries really isn't going to get you too far...if all you're doing is Taxi you need to get serious about the MANY other places to put your music...this business moves slow and if you're not at it daily (in one way or another) you'll get no where fast...not trying to be a jerk...just saying you can't sit on your hands - I write/record/submit/tweak metadata or promote daily...wrote something pretty good just yesterday but wrote a piece of garbage last week...look at the lousy songs as an exercise in creativity but most importantly WRITE and write all the time..I got aggressive with my music and in 5 years i'm at the point where I can eek out a living from it..I'm almost 50 and am now writing and recording better songs than I ever thought possible...I focus all my energy on that aspect of it and no longer waste time playing live to 25 people in a bar (or even with a band)...Taxi works for some but didn't for me as I can't write for listings and very rarely had anything that fit the listings YMMV...I had 1 forward and many rejections...I now have around 45 placements in tv & indie film and that number grows all the time...I also crank out songs monthly in a very bare bones home studio (no Pro Tools)...

if you have music in libraries IT IS worth trying because you're at a level above most..don't forget that...and be aware of what's going on in music but take it with a grain of salt (and just do what you do)..there's some great new stuff out there but I think most of it's pretty mediocre (my opinion of course) - now I need to take my own advice and turn the tv off and get recording...good luck

[feaker66]

Ern

I truly believe that the quality of your recordings is some of the best I have ever heard on this forum.

It has been tough for me knowing I can never achieve that. (but still happy for you)

I am also in a downward spiral. I get less and less excited about a new song each time. My last one, not one person commented.

I am side-stepping and going back to having the guys come over and play live for awhile. Might help?

I guess the question I put to you is do you still like creating the music? Can we change our goals as we get older?

I feel bad when a friend is down. I wish I lived closer, I would come give you a big hug. (Michiganders can do that)

Sincerely

Paul

[CHuckmott]

Take care of yourself meaning walk away from it from a few days if need be. Again if you are opposed to writing for other Taxi pitches with 50 songs in libraries you could write specifically to those (or other libraries). I like writing classic rock as well, it and the pop of the day is what I've played most of my music career. Rethink giving todays music a chance....learn another instrument. Learn another style. Write a dubstep instrumental for you ears only (maybe) just for grins. In short make it fun again. Remember in the end we do this because we love it - the love of music is in the writingr/performing, the business end of the stick is pretty much everything else. SOunds like though you may be burned out by the whole process, complicated by the fact that you are getting these returns. Keep pluggin'. In general depression will make everthing look hopeless. DOn't know you but I do work in the field of mental health, so in generall I tell people who suffer from depression: DO things differently. Write anyway and work through it. Look to see if you are depressed enough that other parts of your life are suffering. If doing anything seems impossible consider the temporary use of a low dose medication . In general depression is either chronic - periodic but constant bouts of it or situational (exactly what it sounds like , usually to do with a loss of some sort). WHich is it for you?

[ernstinen]

Thanks everyone!

Lots of great ideas here. I appreciate them!

Guess WHAT? I just got a nice check from ASCAP today! Yippee, now I'm rich heheh.

Best Regards,

Ern