01010111 wrote:Cosmicevan hit the nail on the head. It’s all about the purpose of the recording. If it’s purely for your own enjoyment, then why do you need to record anything? What do you get from having the recording? Listening to your own recordings always feels a little self fellatiatory. If it’s just for your own enjoyment, then why is it important to share with others?
The only reason I record anymore is to have recorded something. I wrote a song this year. It was the first actual “song” I’ve written in at least five years. It was also the worst musical output I’ve made in an even longer time. I’m going to try and learn something from how bad that song turned out. But what’s the point of making those “improvements” If it’s just for me? All that should matter is that I’m enjoying myself. The “quality” of my output is irrelevant, so, why not just have fun and not worry about recording.
I know that through the recording process you’re able to accomplish things that aren’t possible through real-time recording, and that recording in itself can be its own type of art form. So, recording for those reasons really can turn music into something that’s more similar to painting or sculpting.
Personally, because sound is so fleeting and ephemeral, and what I enjoy is mainly improvisation, recording feels like an exercise in vanity. So, I don’t record anything as a general rule. If I keep getting stuck on an idea I’ll record something just so I can move on. But other than that, I really don’t like the recording process.
cosmicevan wrote:well, when you stop and think about it...it's kinda like a musical selfie. so pause for a second and think what you think about people and their selfies...then realize those people think that when you ask them to check out your new song.
I only "announce" my new albums on Twitter these days so as not to endlessly spam forums, FB etc. as I'm not after a huge audience or trying to make money from what I do.
As my creativity includes what I do with what I record it does allow me to have a product to upload to Bandcamp, but while I will look every now and again to see if anyone is listening I don't need to see big numbers to continue. I have no desire to try and do any of it live, so if anyone is going to hear it then online is the only way.
I liken what I do as the audio equivalent of work by Rothko, Pollock et al. but I use them as examples because people might have heard of them, not because I see myself as at their level*.
Having said all of that, I could just as happily keep everything on my computer and not upload it anywhere, though it is nice to have someone say positive about something I've made and it helps justify the huge amount of money I've spent on gear
*I am though.
