Where do you stand ...

[Styxx]

with your work? Your music and work there of, in, out, over, and in any position? Where do you think you stand? In the middle, nearing your peak, or still struggling with the beginnings? I've been hanging around this forum (probably way too long) for some time now and wondered just where everyone thinks their respective musical compositional professional abilities are today?
Mine, well ... I never thought learning would take so long. :D
I was curious; I mean ... I was just wondering. I mean, I was just asking. Ya know? Man.
So, who cares right? :D Hey! Maybe I enjoy seeing others grow in potential and take pride in showing off your work to other's! Heck, ya never know! ;)

[Styxx]

PAY NO ATTENTION TO THAT MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN! :D

[Richard N.]

To answer your first post...

Sometimes I feel I am top of my game, and everything works (me, the computer, the music) just how I want it to and I surprise myself at some of the successes I have had.

Other days I feel like a complete beginner, with no music coming from my head, or my DAW - or what does come sounds rubbish.

My learning tends to come in fits and starts - I struggled for ages to comprehend how synth racks work in Sonar, then one day everything clicked and I couldn't understand how stupid I had been with all my other attempts.

I guess everyone has good and bad days.

:)

[thesoundsmith]

Most of my music is jazz improvisation on-stage. Performance-wise, I am past my peak (actually, a botched neck surgery has messed with my reflexes and timing is not as tight as it once was, articulation has definietly suffered) - but my compositional and improvisational skills have greatly increased as a result. I can't play fast, and I can't play accurately, so I have to make up for it by playing more melodically, and the extra time (playing eighth notes rather than 16th/32nd, etc.) gives me time to make more lyrical decisions. he end result: it's not as much fun to play as it used to be, but it's more intellectually satisfying.

To quote my drummer: "The older I get, the better I used to be!" :D

[southportJim]

Most definitely at the beginning. Over the past year I've discovered that I had forgotten a lot of what I once knew about harmony (so dove back into the basic harmony books, in addition to counterpoint and orchestration) and then discovered a whole lot more about sequencing/midi that I never knew in the first place. And I had the same battle as Richard with the synth rack in Sonar (how did that EVER seem so hard and confusing?).

Maybe by this time NEXT year I'll be posting demos...

;-)

...It's really frustrating at times, especially when you hear such great stuff here, but it sure beats wasting all my spare time playing "European Air War" or "IL2 Sturmovik". (Life32 is a different story, though).

[SeanHannifin]

I'm always at the beginning, because there is no end! :)

[Rhap2]

Theory, composition, sequencing--no problem. Using a sample library, mixing audio tracks and final mixdown--still climbing the hill, but I'm at a steady learning pace. It's frustrating when you can't climb any higher without a revelation or someone to help you, but I have been fortunate so far in that I have been able to steadily improve, with the help of gifted people on this list, in the audio-mixing arena.

It's interesting that our community members are all at DIFFERENT stages of development along the musical continuum. I think almost everyone has a little weakness in some area and that's why we are continually counting on each other and helping each other to overcome our diversity.

I used to stay in the background when I really needed help because I didn't want to appear stupid. Then, I realized one day that I would never achieve what I wanted to if I maintained that position. Luckily, on this list, no question is "stupid." Audio computer-music is a challenge to produce and there are many problem areas associated with it, but once on that mountain-top, the view is BEAUTIFUL. Let's all keep learning and helping each other.

Jack

[Cobalt Katze]

I'll agree with aspects of both what Sean said and what Jack said.

I'm always improving, and will continue to do so until the last note I write :D At the same time, I have my basic musical knowledge down: theory, rhythm, compositional techniques that work for me. Always improving and altering, of course, but the primary hinderance in getting my work to sound nice is the aspect of making it live digitally, especially since I most likely will never have the opportunity to work with an orchestra on every single one of my pieces.

[jmc]

I feel like I'm an alright composer. Better than some, worse than many. I would classify myself as pro/am, but I have too many distractions at the moment to consider myself more than that. I'm just happy that I have been working on things lately, in music and in life that help me feel as though I'm getting ahead.

It's not easy, though. Some days I'm in a really good mood and others I will find myself in a crippling state of depression. Paralyzed; unable to write a single note. But I don't feel like I'm passed my peak; I still have a ways to go before I get there. So that is encouraging.

My current quest is to find a balance between work and life. If I had to choose between writing music and anything else in my life, I would definitely choose music. I just have to try and find a focus point, where no matter how dark it is I can always find my way out of it and keep going on the journey.

I just have so much yet to learn! The mountain is very high.

[BlueMax]

You could say I'm stuck in the process of "rebooting". I am (was?) an accomplished composer with some award-winning pieces, but after a devastating blow I seem to have put it on the back burner for .... 6 years now. Wow...

I've owned GPO for a year now and only recently have I even installed it - mostly due to a weak computer, but also because of.... something else - apathy? Distracted by games? Fear of another critical failure? I'm not sure.

I've still got new music in my head just bursting to come out, but I still don't have all the equipment to truly do it (the only thing missing now is a half-decent MIDI controller, though that may just be more procrastication...)

Somehow I gotta' get kicked in the pants hard enough to REALLY get going... a project that's worth doing, a contest worth entering.... something GOOD! :) Maybe the next big Garritan Compose-Off!

[Aziraphal]

In the middle, nearing your peak, or still struggling with the beginnings?

Azi's Axiom:
When you believe you reached the peak, it's a sure sign it's time you got your backpack on again and started climbing. :)

[Fabio]

I'm happy and frustrated in the mean time, by the same reason.

I make music just for fun. It's my hobby. I will never be annoyed by making music because nobody is pressing me to do it.:)

But because I studied as a professional, to be nothing, nobody, and compressed in the limits of my home studio and my friends or family, it's quite frustrating.:(

This is the reason to love the community, to teach free talented friends, and accept sometime little challenges in music software development or composition, just to keep my knowledge alive, and make it better and better.

Then you all help me to avoid some mental truble...or not? Ehm, well to be honest...I'not really sure...I'm not certain to be sane...or insane...or... :D :p :o :confused:

[dewdman42]

Oh man.. what a question. Funny you should mention it though since I've been going through a lot of mental head-tripping on this issue lately. Here I sit, 40 years old. Never finished that music degree way back when and ended up in a computer career. I've felt for so long that I sold myself short and promised myself for over a decade that I would get back to it, including the degree. Now at 40 I'm finally thinking about school again but I'm starting to realize that my reasons for going back to school are more about trying to feel like I finished something. The reality for me is that I have not developed my musical skills like I always wished I had. So, in that sense I am still climbing the mountain, always feeling like I'm missing out on some key pieces of information that once I get them will catapult me into a state of genius or something.

The reality is that I will probably not go back to school because the more I have investigated it recently, the more I realize how expensive it is, and how much of an interruption it would be to my life at my age. What a great adventure for a 25 year old. But now, as fun as it would be, it would also be a pain in the butt and I would sacrifice many other factors which have come to represent my "balanced" life.

That being said, I have mentally committed to getting a lot more aggressive about pursuing private studies (as opposed to waiting for the day when I can go back to school) and furthermore I am going to start getting a lot more assertive about pursuing film scoring opportunites. Sink or swim as they say. Its now or never. I have much to learn, but I've learned much too and really..I need to get going on it rather than sitting around waiting for the pearls of knowledge which I think I don't know. Maybe I know enough already. There will always be more to learn anyway. I recently acquired the Joseph Schillinger books for example. Good grief, it'll take me a decade to grok that stuff. Always something.

One thing for certain, I am sick and tired of the computer industry, come hell or high water I am getting out of this rat race even if it means opening a friggin' sandwich shop to do it.

[Stephanie Pray]

hmmm...Most of the time I feel optimistic like "hey, I'm starting to get the hang of it" and then there are times that I wonder what the heck I'm doing thinking that I've even got a shot at anything.

[trentpmcd]

I am at the very beginning. If I had to place myself today, I would say I am an incoming Freshman. I hope to grow quickly to a more mature style, but I am sure I will never stop learning and growing.

Currently I am taking composition, trumpet and piano lessons at a local music school. I am also reading a lot on my one, listening to lessons on CD, doing ear-training work on the computer, going to concerts, etc. A few years at this pace and will either be burned out or beginning to actual be able to write something worth listening to.

[Robert M]

Where do you think you stand? In the middle, nearing your peak, or still struggling with the beginnings?

"Hey, Rocky! Watch me pull a rabbit outta my hat! Nuthin' up my sleeve! Presto!!"

I think that kinda sums up where I'm at; that is, just at the beginning and not as in control of the tools as I'd like to be.

For the last couple of years, I've been working on "electronic music" pieces for fun, and early this year finished an album's worth of tunes. I gave a copy to a friend, and she said she could hear it played on "real" instruments; and was so adamant about it that she paid for my copy of the library during the group buy (yes, that was unbelievably generous of her.)

Since then, I've honestly been a little intimidated by all those instruments and learning how to get them to sound just right. Simple things seem like major revelations like, "oh yeah... that's a wind instrument... I suppose the player should stop to take a breath every now and then..."

As far as music training goes, I took one class back in high school, but that was some time ago... (overheard from that time: "Hey! Listen to this 8-track I just bought! It's by this new band called "Boston"...)

So it looks like a pretty big hill to climb at this point, and hopefully there will be a wheelchair assist once I get closer to the top, because it looks like it could still be a while till I get there.

[Styxx]

There seems to be a mutual trend going on here.
I've been head strong in studying today's generations’ music styles. My son's and daughters have become real excited and involved in showing me what is hip today (as apposed to that olden days music :D). Pretty interesting for the majority but I've notice a plethora of similarities to three chord "60" style rock progressions.
Well, that can be another subject later.
I've gone back to composition books (a couple Poolman had suggested) in an attempt to find out WHAT THE HECK HAPPENED TO THE MUSIC INSIDE OF ME THAT I LOVE? :D
Great replies people!

[Ray Lindsley]

I always feel that I'm just beginning, although I have been making music for about 18 years now. The problem is that my tastes and interests in music are too eclectic and I get bored with a specific style of music or instrument, so it seems that by the time I get proficient with a particular style or instrument, I feel the need to move on to something else. I sometimes feel like a person with ADS! Bottom line, though, is that I'm having a great deal of fun!

[Styxx]

I always feel that I'm just beginning, although I have been making music for about 18 years now. The problem is that my tastes and interests in music are too eclectic and I get bored with a specific style of music or instrument, so it seems that by the time I get proficient with a particular style or instrument, I feel the need to move on to something else. I sometimes feel like a person with ADS! Bottom line, though, is that I'm having a great deal of fun!
Ray this sounds positive to me! Just think of the accumulative knowledge you are gaining here. I don't think anyone seriously contemplating a career in this business can be too "eclectic". Sounds like a plan. ;)

[Ray Lindsley]

Ray this sounds positive to me! Just think of the accumulative knowledge you are gaining here. I don't think anyone seriously contemplating a career in this business can be too "eclectic". Sounds like a plan. ;)
I guess what I wish I could do better is to assimilate all of these various styles and sounds into a something truly unique and original. Hopefully, someday this will happen.

[Styxx]

I guess what I wish I could do better is to assimilate all of these various styles and sounds into a something truly unique and original. Hopefully, someday this will happen.
Resistance is futile! You will assimilate. Prepare your next composition! :D