wanna bet?

@op: Well, I know I'm not. I do it for my own enjoyment and I'm not worried what others think.

Erm...have you seen a top 10 chart lately?

I don't think being able to "live off it" is any indication at all (I think that was the point K-bee was making?? )

I always had to wait tables or some shit when playing music, and I assure you, though I wasn't a good lead vocalist, I was a pretty f'n good bassist/backing vocalist

Anyways, people have positively commented on things here on KVR and I still feel I suck at all this. I think sometimes maybe your expectations are too high (like feeling you have to make money to be "good" )

It's harder than it was in my time. There are so many more stigmas placed on things.

...and cue Ira Glass...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BI23U7U2aUY

'creativity isn't something you give to to others first. its a gift that you give to yourself' Wise words:)

Life is about how you use the seconds, minutes, hours, days, months and years that you are alive, and although it seems like a contradiction 'Timelessness' is the state we all try to attain, those moments when time ceases to exist and you become 'fanfare'.... IMMORTAL. Time disappears when you are doing something engaging and making music like sport. reading, sex or a great party can be timeless, where time spent is time spent to its fullest. These are the moments we should aspire to. Make music because the hours that you spend creating/arranging/playing are hours filled with joy (even the frustrating ones) and you will have loads of moments that you can look back to and think "Wow!". How many times have you said to yourself "Man! The time flew by." or "Is that the time? It seems like we only just started." They are always the most memorable... the 'Elvis Years'. That's the place we wanna be... isn't it?
I spend quite a lot of time with young artists and there are some who are so into the idea of success that they don't have the peace of mind to enjoy the journey, and even though the process is fun and creative, they seem to idealize themselves out of their lives and make the experience a negative one. Being frustrated with your life is only cool if you are a masochist

I just fcuking know


Alpha baby

First, you have to define what "good" means. So why do you make music? I guess you do it because it's fun. Than means your music is good as long as you have fun making it. Don't care about what others say. As soon as you start to change your style because some don't like your music you are going down a very dangerous route since you are censoring yourself and that's never a good thing for creativity.

Just do your own thing and have fun while you do it

"Good" is really entirely subjective. Many, many people think Justin Biebers music is good. I don't like it at all

Cheers
Dennis

They are not people.

I feel the same way about myself. That hasn't stopped me from making more music, though

All I'm saying is that it's a very good indicator that you're doing it right. If you can provide for yourself and your family, and live a stable, comfy life, obviously you know what you're doing, regardless of what others think is "good" (which indeed is entirely subjective).

Is there a truly objective definition of good... Like beauty it's once again in the eye of the beholder. Or as Hink says...

Firstly I don't get why it's popular to hate on commercial music, it's an artform in itself, the succint soundset, instantly accessible hooks etc etc I challenge anyone to do something as polished as what's in the charts.

That aside, you are own best judge, if you don't like it and are not invested it's not reasonable to expect other people to be. All the best music in any genre was done for the passion and love of it, so make it amazing and do it as well as you are able. If you get those things in place then the whole 'people liking it' thing will come (or it may not, many great artists are not recognised in their own lifetime) but the important thing you will have a great piece of music.....

.....and that's what it's all about.

If you consider music making as a job, a way of living in order to have a steady income the answer is yes. In my opinion it should go hand in hand with music as an artform ultimately opening the eyes of it's listeners. Living a stable comfy life doesn't proof you know what you're doing. It proves you're doing what the majority wants. If you agree with that from an artistic point of view, fine. If you do not you have no musical integrity and might just as well work in a mall imo. The "50 mio Elvis fans can't be wrong" formula never applied to these ears
I chose to be a amateur with a day job doing the money bit for one obvious reason. I wouldn't be able to earn S**t with the music I do but the good thing about just that is the fact that I, because of the lack of pressure, can concentrate on doing EXACTLY what I feel like making. (+ I really do like my day job)

Good or bad are just labels that we put to things. If you love what you do then you wont give a flying d!ck about what others think.

To compare you with other would be silly, because of course you are the only you.
So to compare your music with other is the same.
Technically you can learn how to mix and all this stuff, but your music is always yours and you can't compare it with other music at all.

You would just loose yourself:)