Hollow feeling on nailing a cover

[champbassist]

I find this a bit difficult to put to words but here I go. I saw this wonderful (and 100% exact) cover of the Tool song "Disposition" by a guy called TOOLbassplayer on youtube. The guy had a Wal bass and a Digitech Whammy and (I presume) everything needed to totally nail that song.

While I thought it was great, I felt that if I did manage to make an identical cover of a song I liked AND it was more because of the effects etc. involved more than the skill factor, I would feel nice at the achievement but, in the end, I would have a Schopenhauerian moment. I would feel somewhat hollow at being 100% accurate.
In simple words, I would miss the journey I made in trying to be totally accurate. If the thing is, say, 98% accurate and there is still something to be achieved, the hunger will still be there.

Do you guys feel the same? You might say that nailing it was my ultimate aim but, if you know what I mean, you'll probably understand that hollow feeling.

Also, I am talking only of covers, that is, any situation where you know and hear what your aim is. And also a situation where acquiring effects is a more important part of the process of achieving something than maybe developing your skills (in which case the feeling of dissatisfaction will probably not be there). This maybe a case of subconscious "grapes are sour" on my part.

Schopenhauer was a German philospher who proposed that human will/desire can never be fulfilled totally.

[Rocker949]

Although he was brilliant, I quit reading Schopenhauer years ago. If I wanted to be that pessimistic, I think I could do it on my own without anyone's help. As for effects and skills, developing skills is what I tend to focus on.

[project_c]

You're describing a similar feeling to the hollowness of completing a video game. The difference with nailing a technically challenging part is that you ought to feel a sense of achievement from having improved your skills.
If your achievement on the other hand is a result of buying some new equipment, then the satisfaction you're getting is really only the same thing that people get when they buy stuff they don't really need - it's a short lived buzz and has no longievity or real meaning.
I'm not saying buying new gear is without merits, I love doing it as much as everyone else here, so I understand exactly where you're coming from, but deep down, we all know that overcoming a technical, mental or physical challenge is a genuine achievement, whereas buying more stuff ultimately ends up being just that - just more stuff.

[RobertPaulson]

Of course you do, now start working on some originals!

[MNAirHead]

Of course you do ---

I've had producers not allow us out of the practice warehouse until we were bored and could play a tune for 3-4 hours straight.

Maybe what you're experiencing is avoiding the fact that few folks care about music as much as you.

[champbassist]

Originally Posted by RobertPaulson

Of course you do, now start working on some originals!

Ironically, I am not a covers person at all. Just that I love the tone and sounds on the song.

My point: the satisfaction I obtained when I finished Scarified was infinitely more than the satisfaction I'd get if I did fully get Disposition spot on. The limitations of means and money would probably never allow me to get a Wal bass and a Digitech whammy but would I take them if I had the chance? If it were only for that one cover, no. For own creations, sure.

[Skunk11]

Just sounds like you enjoy the journey more than arriving at the destination.

Time to go on another journey!

[Pilgrim]

Almost everything I play is a cover. In no case do I play it 100% as the original was played. If I can't throw in a note of my own here and there, I see no point in playing. I enjoy the music, but it's mine to play.