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Do you like playing music you don't like?
- Thread starter pklima
- Start date
Never understood that logic. What if your audience isn't tired of it and wants to hear it? Do you tell them to F off? Seems awfully alienating for a band to do drop songs because they're tired of them if the audience isn't. I used to work in a band with a guy who did that a long time ago...people would request stuff and he'd refuse to play it because "we've grown since then." I ended up having to move on because it was too much drama for a cover band that did a handful of originals. And what's worse is every time we'd write a new song, he'd want to drop an old one, so we never had any more than 4 originals to play at any one time. Just insane.
I guess it's all about whether you want to play music for fun or make a living at it. Making a living means playing music you may not like unless you're a rock star. I guess that's OK to be choosy abotu what you play but I have a family to support.
I do it a lot and enjoy the challenge.
It is part of the job.
Depending on who is involved, it can be fun.
I don't play covers and I don't play music for a living.
It would be unusual for an audience to have a strong preference about a specific original tune from a local band, but if they did and we weren't playing it, obviously I wouldn't tell them to F off. We would just play whatever other tune we were going to play. The audience would probably like that one too, if they like the band.
Audiences can respond positively when they are challenged or otherwise not pandered to. I assume they find it refreshing. Maybe this is not true for other styles of music, but it is for all of mine.
It's nice when the audience is into it, but ultimately I don't make music for them, or their way. This ain't Burger King. The music is what it is and they are welcome to come along if they like. I have chosen non lucrative music very consistently over the years. It's a good time. I'm planning on continuing pretty much that way for the rest of my days.
- Nov 8, 2010
- 1,391
- 9
- Disclosures
- Unofficial Endorser: Ibanez, D'Addario, Zoom
It really depends on the song more than the genre; a lot of genres I don't listen to that much but there are some great songs out there that I enjoy playing/listening to.
Yep! Although it's always been original music I can shred to, which makes it fun/enjoyable for me. If I were in a cover band and played songs I didn't like, which would inevitably happen, I'd probably hate it.
Whenever I play a song, I try and find something I dig about it, whether it's the bassline or the pocket or an interesting chord or a catchy vocal melody. For me, the performance is the most important thing. I'd always rather play a song that I'm personally lukewarm about in a really hot band than a song I absolutely love with a garbage band.
I find this mindset hysterical because it's completely unrealistic for anyone who wants to do anything more than play music on their front porch. If you play for any amount of time, you're going to be called upon to play stuff you don't always like. I've played both covers AND ORIGINALS that I didn't really personally care for. But I did what I was called on to do and did it with enthusiasm for the situation.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying join a project that plays nothing that you like. However, if someone thinks they can play music in any sort of situation beyond their front porch and only play songs they like, they're in for a rude awakening.
I find this mindset hysterical because it's completely unrealistic for anyone who wants to do anything more than play music on their front porch. If you play for any amount of time, you're going to be called upon to play stuff you don't always like. I've played both covers AND ORIGINALS that I didn't really personally care for. But I did what I was called on to do and did it with enthusiasm for the situation.
Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying join a project that plays nothing that you like. However, if someone thinks they can play music in any sort of situation beyond their front porch and only play songs they like, they're in for a rude awakening.
Yeah, except when they aren't.
I have, in fact, played a couple hundred or so shows over the past couple of decades while only playing songs (or free improvisations) that I like.
Being the bandleader and/or the chief or co-writer of the tunes, or otherwise being irreplaceable, particularly in a small band, gives you leverage beyond what you might expect in other situations.
In my world, vetoing a song is not that big of a deal. Anybody in the band can do it. If I disagreed with another person's veto, and it meant that much to me, I could always play it with another band, or replace them, or leave myself. It's never happened. Songs come and go.
People don't get paid enough in original music in a local scene to be motivated by anything other than the music itself, and I wouldn't want anybody else to play something they didn't want to play, either. That doesn't sound like a positive, sustainable situation to me, and it needs to be positive and sustainable to justify all the time and effort for $10 or $50.
Sometimes a song needs to be retired or changed. Occasionally they can come back from retirement. Why would it be any other way ?
That's just plain not true. There are plenty of other motivators, and the biggest one that comes immediately to mind is sex.
If people dance and I get paid well enough, absolutely.
Most of the music I play in my party band, if it came on the radio I would change the station.
Now, my classic country band is a different story. That one's for me.
Hell yeah... if it pays, I'll play. I've been in Irish, jewish and Latino bands, and I never listen to that stuff (although I do like Latino music).
I generally find (no offense intended) that most original music I hear is substandard. Most guys that write stuff do not have a firm grasp of songwriting skills, and do not have a grasp on how to retain a listener's interest.
Covers? I'll play ém all night long, no problem.
I generally find (no offense intended) that most original music I hear is substandard. Most guys that write stuff do not have a firm grasp of songwriting skills, and do not have a grasp on how to retain a listener's interest.
Covers? I'll play ém all night long, no problem.
For me, it's more about enjoying the musicians I'm playing with than it is enjoying the genre or type of music. If I'm playing with musicians I like I don't give a crap what I'm playing because it's going to sound good and be enjoyable.
Ok, that's got nothing to do with it for me but I could see that for other people; let's just say that money alone in that scenario is not enough of a motivation, because it's always a money losing proposition if you figure in the cost of your gear.
Well, I'll give you an example of a song I hate. Brown Eyed Girl. Can't stand it. I'll change the station when I hear that first note. I'll go outside if I hear a band start playing it or I'll hide in the bathroom. I have escaped having to play that song for twenty years until recently.
My first show with my new band had that on the list. It was literally the last song of sixty that I sat down to learn and the one I practiced the least. But, when we started to play it and the dance floor filled, it suddenly became O.K. for me. Boobs bouncing and butts wiggling overrode my instinct to throw up in my mouth.
Funny how that works.
Yeah, I'll play it if they want it.
My first show with my new band had that on the list. It was literally the last song of sixty that I sat down to learn and the one I practiced the least. But, when we started to play it and the dance floor filled, it suddenly became O.K. for me. Boobs bouncing and butts wiggling overrode my instinct to throw up in my mouth.
Funny how that works.
Yeah, I'll play it if they want it.
Ha, the exact same thing happened to me. I use to love metal. These days I can't stand to play it or even listen to it for more than a few songs.
I still don't really care for jam music, but I love playing it. It's like jazz, but to a lesser extent. It allows me to challenge myself while still remaining more in my comfort zone.
