Sharing your music.... When it's not very good

[robogone]

I agree Mike and I dont agree, a blanketed statement like "I don't like your music" serves no purpose. "I don't like this song" followed by explanations is of course helpful. Personally I'm not looking for praise anymore, by the time my music gets heard (which it's been several years since I finished a song) the song has already accomplished what I wanted from it.

That's actually what I was trying to get over. I think that constructive criticism is a good thing, but referring to the majority of pieces in the Music Cafe as 'crap' really does serve no purpose.

I'm all for helping someone out with pointing out where things can be improved, but I don't think I would ever tell someone their music was 'crap' and leave it at that.

[eduardo_b]

I wonder if the emphasis on self-esteem in schools over the last decade plus hasn't resulted in younger people who have far more self confidence than talent and ability to back it up.

and what evidence would justify making this fairly random hypothesis?

Oh no...does it fail as a truism?

[Hink]

I agree Mike and I dont agree, a blanketed statement like "I don't like your music" serves no purpose. "I don't like this song" followed by explanations is of course helpful. Personally I'm not looking for praise anymore, by the time my music gets heard (which it's been several years since I finished a song) the song has already accomplished what I wanted from it.

That's actually what I was trying to get over. I think that constructive criticism is a good thing, but referring to the majority of pieces in the Music Cafe as 'crap' really does serve no purpose.

I'm all for helping someone out with pointing out where things can be improved, but I don't think I would ever tell someone their music was 'crap' and leave it at that.

I should name my next song "crap"

[Chuck E. Jesus]

I think that constructive criticism is a good thing, but referring to the majority of pieces in the Music Cafe as 'crap' really does serve no purpose.

i'd rather someone come right out and tell me "i think your music is crap" than the vague insults some seem to aim at Music Cafe content...imo it takes guts just to let the world hear one's stuff...

[deaf dunderkwac]

I'm a little overwhelmed by the amount of amateur music on the net and sometimes think some people could really use a huge dose of self-criticism\self-censorship especially if their mouth is bigger than their talent, but am fully supportive and in awe of the freedom people have these days to create and share things like music and art.

I wonder if the emphasis on self-esteem in schools over the last decade plus hasn't resulted in younger people who have far more self confidence than talent and ability to back it up.

This could very well be. The fact that they never have to 'back it up' is kind of dangerous in my opinion; by which I mean there is no way to self assess when everything is "good".
"When everyone is special, no one is"

I don't get this statement.
Songwriting and musicianship are very seperate qualities.
Some of the best songwriters I ever met or had the pleasure to work with started mainly as crap musicians barely able to tune or play their instruments. Unlike the more common highly accomplished musician playing at the local wedding, they went on and made major achievements/money/whatever you measure success by because of their songwriting. In most cases (lol-not all) they also became accomplished musicians... but it took someone like me to hear that sometimes elusive quality within the, what you refer to as crap and provide the encouragement/empowerment for them to move forward.
In the bad old days it was difficult to get heard by someone who might care... In the bad new days it's impossible to get any heard over the din of disdain.

[eduardo_b]

I'm a little overwhelmed by the amount of amateur music on the net and sometimes think some people could really use a huge dose of self-criticism\self-censorship especially if their mouth is bigger than their talent, but am fully supportive and in awe of the freedom people have these days to create and share things like music and art.

I wonder if the emphasis on self-esteem in schools over the last decade plus hasn't resulted in younger people who have far more self confidence than talent and ability to back it up.

isnt that what pop music has always been?
elvis for example, far more about looking good, being cool than being anything special musically.

Back in the day, the media was a tightly controlled entity, so the gatekeepers could and would decide who might make money for them as musicians/entertainers. Now, anyone can and does post their music. No filters, no controls. Among these are people who feel deserving without earning it. They famously get hired for day jobs, spend their days texting and listening to music, and then want to know why they're not getting a promotion and a raise. Don't know about the UK but this is a pretty common story here (at least pre-GFC). They really think they're special. They're also busy posting their music...good, bad or indifferent.

[whyterabbyt]

I wonder if the emphasis on self-esteem in schools over the last decade plus hasn't resulted in younger people who have far more self confidence than talent and ability to back it up.

and what evidence would justify making this fairly random hypothesis?

Oh no...does it fail as a truism?

it fails, full stop. like so many other things you 'wonder' about.

[eduardo_b]

Songwriting and musicianship are very seperate qualities.

Without songwriters, would we even need musicians?




Kidding.

[generalstargazer]

it's too bad most people are afraid to voice their critical opinion on the crap that's released in the Music Cafe forum daily.

There's a lot of crap being released in this thread right now. I kind of thought that there was unspoken agreement to give constructive criticism or praise, but I don't think there's any place to just voice your dislike for other people's music. It achieves nothing.

Go to any music blog where you can leave comments.

People are too thin skinned nowadays.

No, some people are just generally more inclined to be assholes nowadays since they can hide behind the anonymity and physical safety of the internet.

Just making negative comments to someone simply because their endeavours don't fit your tastes serves little purpose (aside from trolling). I dislike alot of shit too, but if I don't like it I just ignore it. I don't have the need to tell them they suck or they are shit just because I personally don't like it.

I'd rather have really bad nonconstructive criticism than complete silence. Then at least I know the person gave the song a listen out of the millions of mp3s released daily.

[eduardo_b]

I wonder if the emphasis on self-esteem in schools over the last decade plus hasn't resulted in younger people who have far more self confidence than talent and ability to back it up.

and what evidence would justify making this fairly random hypothesis?

Oh no...does it fail as a truism?

it fails, full stop. like so many other things you 'wonder' about.

That's what we have you for...to tell us the "truth" as you see it.

[whyterabbyt]

Now, anyone can and does post their music. No filters, no controls. Among these are people who feel deserving without earning it. They famously get hired for day jobs, spend their days texting and listening to music, and then want to know why they're not getting a promotion and a raise. Don't know about the UK but this is a pretty common story here (at least pre-GFC). They really think they're special. They're also busy posting their music...good, bad or indifferent.

so many sweeping claims, so little point.

[Hink]

imo one of the biggest misconceptions in the arts is about expression, music is imo about expression. Somehow that becomes synonymous with communication, as if you have to be expressing something to another, but that simply is not always the case.

If I watch a show by myself and laugh I am expressing myself, but not to anyone but myself. Art for me is expression, others who try to receive that expression as communication are perceiving what the art says to them, or simply put...interpretation. Which of course may or may not be what the artist was expressing. Interpretation and perception are not going to be the same thing to each person. That's what makes art so special, it often means different things to different people.

[eduardo_b]

Now, anyone can and does post their music. No filters, no controls. Among these are people who feel deserving without earning it. They famously get hired for day jobs, spend their days texting and listening to music, and then want to know why they're not getting a promotion and a raise. Don't know about the UK but this is a pretty common story here (at least pre-GFC). They really think they're special. They're also busy posting their music...good, bad or indifferent.

so many sweeping claims, so little point.

Seemingly the motivation for your posts.

[whyterabbyt]

That's what we have you for...to tell us the "truth" as you see it.

Not really my thing. More interested in pointing out the glaring flaws in the tired old rhetoric of seething bores like yourself.

[whyterabbyt]

Seemingly the motivation for your posts.

perhaps to someone with the intellectual capacity and wit of a lawnmower.