ROMAN[US]
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 13:53
Indi,
I'm not sure I believe this is your first time you sit down and wrote music write?
I'm not very keen on singer-songwriter stuff with folky guitars, but I have to say, I'm very impressed by your work if this is your first time!!
holly crap.....great arrangements!! very good work..
bravo
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Indi
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 17:06
17string wrote:
...for the rest of the population it's about as interesting as stamp collecting -- they're not familiar with what goes on behind the curtain and they just DON'T COMPREHEND. Not their failing, they simply have never seen what's involved; cannot imagine what goes into the process. So much of modern media is 'musical furniture' and people don't get excited when a woodworker tries to tell them the passion it took to make a porch swing  or some other somewhat functional piece of furniture.
Yeah, come to think of it they really didn't want to hear about my stamp collection either.
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Indi
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 17:11
ROMAN[US] wrote:
Indi,
I'm not sure I believe this is your first time you sit down and wrote music write?
I'm not very keen on singer-songwriter stuff with folky guitars, but I have to say, I'm very impressed by your work if this is your first time!!
holly crap.....great arrangements!! very good work..
bravo
This is not at all the first time I've sat down to write music, this is the first time I've recorded and shared it with the world though. Keep in mind, Farrell did all the music, I did the lyrics/singing. So the arrangements are all him, the production is all him, the awesome-sauce, that's pretty much me 
Oh, and you've listened to it?! Does that mean it was received? I'm guessing you work at RPM and have listened to it before it was even uploaded. Cheater!
Post edited by: Indi, at: 2007/03/05 16:56
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Gumbo
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 17:12
17string wrote:
tries to tell them the passion it took to make a porch swing
Wow - I'd love to be able to make a porch swing - that must be some heavy petting 
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Indi
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 17:43
bicurious wrote:
Well, wait a minute, folks. Let's keep in mind that "come see my band" can be right up there with "come to my reading" in terms of teeth-grinding misery.
Generally speaking, if I hear that someone threw together a record in 4 weeks, I don't expect to be impressed (although, come to think of it, most local bands record their records inside a month). And with all the self-deprecating-ness on this thread, can you blame people? "Hey, I have no idea what I'm doing! Wanna listen?"
Now: if it rules, that's another story! But it's hard to make a record that people actually want to hear. It's hard to write a poem, write a song, write a story, etc, etc, that anyone will LIKE!
People are scared it's gonna suck, so they're (understandably, I think ) wary.
I mean, anyone can yell into a tape recorder for 35 minures. It doesn't make it listenable. "I made a record really fast" doesn't sound like a recipe for good music. To the uninitiated.
Seriously, put yourself in their shoes. What if someone from work brought in the quilt they worked really hard on? Or the gun they restored? Or the meat from the deer they shot? Or the christmas ornaments they made? Or the bible verses they decopaged onto a bread box?
Would you be supportive? Or scared? Hmm?
I guess my point is: if you like what you made, share it with your friends! And the internet world! We (our band) love what we did, and we want EVERYONE to listen to it and love it! And if people aren't interested IT'S THEIR LOSS!!!
I mean, if someone you worked with was really enthusiastic, and took it home for the weekend, and than came in Monday and said, "Oh my GOD! That SUCKED!" Would you feel better?
Most people are trying to avoid that sort of thing. I'm sorry, I hate 99.9% of the music I hear. That .1% is what makes it all worth it. So, yes, all my RPM firends, I'm scared to get too excited about your new record!
But PROVE ME WRONG!
Erik (not Nova)
Good points. Everyone on the thread has made really good points. I don't expect everyone to like my music, nor do I expect I will like everyone's music here. In any thread I've ever read about 'the best band/song ever' you will NEVER get everyone to agree. In fact, most of the time one person's best ever is another's most hated. So, hopefully if it's not our favorite music ever, we'll be able to appreciate the effort. There are some genres (such as super hardcore heavy metal) that I just can't get into and probably won't give much feedback on. But I imagine those bands wouldn't get much from my music either, that's okay. I'm still proud of those bands, even if I personally don't connect to their style.
As other people have said in the thread, all those who tried and especially those who finished and wrote 10 songs in 28 days have every right to be damned proud of their accomplishment. Yay to all RPMers!
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ROMAN[US]
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 17:57
Indi,
I heard your music on your my space page..
to which, I requested to be a friend, BTW..
I'm friends with the WIRE dudes, but I'm not that close!
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Indi
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 18:00
I don't have a myspace page...at least not that I know of. Link?
Post edited by: Indi, at: 2007/03/05 17:01
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tuesday
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 19:10
as far as feedback goes...
i got 2 "i'm proud of you"s from friends, not family.
and 1 "i'm glad you don't suck" from one of those same friends.
and 1 "if you don't keep doing music i will hate you forever" from the other of those friends.
and of course i've gotten tons of support from you all.
i'm basically just proud of myself for doing this, and that's good enough for me right now.
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Jacksioni
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 19:15
I got several "what's wrong?"s, a few "shit you look tired"s, and an "Is this for a video game?"
Who cares. Its in the post. Collective backslapping. We done good. I KNOW for a fact that "muso" mates of mine are steering clear of this in case ive done something in a month they havent done in their band's existence. This isnt the case, but its nice to see em running scared.
Im actually more excited about these listening party things. The fact that my stuff may randomly soundtrack a drunken night deep in the US makes it all worthwhile!
Go us.
Love, The ZX81s
Post edited by: Jacksioni, at: 2007/03/05 18:16
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My Imaginary Life
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 19:24
You know, when I was describing the RPM challenge to others, I think the thing that seemed to confuse people the most was the fact that the challenge is not a competition... which personally was my favorite aspect of the challenge!
I don't think I would have let myself take musical risks or do more interesting things if I was worried about 'winning' or comparing to others...I know my album would have turned out worse had I been thinking about this being a competition.
But they couldn't seem to wrap their head around the fact that this was just for the sake of doing it....just a personal challenge...!
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tuesday
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 19:27
My Imaginary Life wrote:
You know, when I was describing the RPM challenge to others, I think the thing that seemed to confuse people the most was the fact that the challenge is not a competition... which personally was my favorite aspect of the challenge!
I don't think I would have let myself take musical risks or do more interesting things if I was worried about 'winning' or comparing to others...I know my album would have turned out worse had I been thinking about this being a competition.
But they couldn't seem to wrap their head around the fact that this was just for the sake of doing it....just a personal challenge...!
yeah, i think it was my mom who asked me, "so what happens after you send it in?" i think i said, "well, everyone listens to everything, then i go back and do more."
pretty sure she simply replied, "oh."
lol.  *sigh* oh parents.
Post edited by: tuesday, at: 2007/03/05 18:28
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Scott McBride
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 19:29
I guess I'm maybe lucky in some regard, but every friend, co-worker, family member I've told about it or let listen to it has been very supportive and excited.
There are certain people I don't tell, sure, but everyone's response thus far has been really great. They do seem confused though, generally, when I would tell them I was writing 14 songs and recording them all in February for "challenges." They all seem to ask "what do you win?" Uh, we don't win anything except I get to show off my pretty new album!
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ROMAN[US]
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 19:31
You know, when I was describing the RPM challenge to others, I think the thing that seemed to confuse people the most was the fact that the challenge is not a competition... which personally was my favorite aspect of the challenge!
I don't think I would have let myself take musical risks or do more interesting things if I was worried about 'winning' or comparing to others...I know my album would have turned out worse had I been thinking about this being a competition.
well in a society driven by greed and material achievements, such as this, shall come as no surprise that's the reaction some people or most of them get.
what ???no prize????
you're crazy!!!
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SiameseDrummers
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 20:28
tuesday wrote:
yeah, i think it was my mom who asked me, "so what happens after you send it in?" i think i said, "well, everyone listens to everything, then i go back and do more."
pretty sure she simply replied, "oh."
<br><br>Post edited by: tuesday, at: 2007/03/05 18:28
Thank you, these have been my experiences.
And that's why we're here, right?
To keep doing and riding that push or wave or what it might be in your mind that tunes you into RPM.
Remember that feeling when you decided to go for the challenge?
That feeling is probably transmitting itself into your whole life and the ones involved in it. The certain wish for acknowledgement and the lack of it might make days blue, and that's what it's there for: to make us question what it is we're doing and what for
and realising that you're taking control over your life by doing your own thing.
And that's what matters.
Stay brave.
(AND WHY CAN'T I QUOTE PROPERLY )
Post edited by: SiameseDrummers, at: 2007/03/05 19:29
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Raleigh
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/05 21:05
I believe it was Dubstar's song "Stars" that went "Is it asking to much of all my friends to take these songs for real."
My husband listened to the whole cd at least twice with me. He was honest enough to say "I don't hear anything I hate, and I heard some things I liked." And, I'm mature enough to realize that we have very different taste in music. He listens to Phish and I listen to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, y'know?
His favorite song was one I did while noodling that I called "Lo Mein." I finished it in less than 10 minutes unlike the previous track that went through days of work.
Ultimately, if other people express an interest in my work: I will burn them a cd. Otherwise, I am very proud of my accomplishment. We should all feel that way to some degree.
[edit] my coworkers, even those in a band, thought this was a contest
Post edited by: Raleigh, at: 2007/03/05 20:10
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Mosfet
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Re:Unimpressed - 2007/03/06 00:15
Raleigh wrote:
I I listen to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark,
Oh god! I can't WAIT to hear your CD! 
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tatt2wand
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 07:33
Whilst eating a quite lovingly prepared dinner, I played for my sons (yes ... my two sons) my completed RPM submission. My oldest made some snarcky comments initially, listened for a bit, liked some, then commented "Did they send it back stamped FAIL". Harsh, maybe, but perhaps not to his liking. My youngest son, who by the by has perfect pitch, enjoyed it a lot. I take both comments as they were meant. Both valid. Both signposts as to what I should and shouldn't be doing. The hardest hit however came from my ex wife, a very good technical piano player as long as she has sheet music in front of her, as well as a very pleasing singing voice ... I digress. She inquired about my RPM experience as I was removing a bathroom sink for her. Here is me, elbow deep in plumbing, a few sentences into soul baring expostulation, says "thats nice" and walks out. Ouch. OK. To paraphrase Kurt, my response was, "Oh well' whatever, nevermind." Sure sometimes it hurts, sometimes its alright, sometimes it just is. Its still all OK.
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navonski
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 08:43
I think another factor is the perception people have of whether or not something is "serious" music. They have this idea that it has to be made in a big studio somewhere and bought at a store or it somehow isn't valid. They're like; "you made this on your computer, huh?" How can a computer make those guitar sounds? Is there a guitar button on your software? You should try recording yourself playing, that would be interesting." I actually got this comment and I was floored. They really have no clue. Years ago I was in a band on a label and we made a studio recording and family members and friends actually bought it at best buy. That album was a real piece of crap in every sense, bet they still think it was so great because of the whole "retail, label, "professionally recorded" thing. I played my RPM project that was infinitely superior in every way and and they pretty much ignored it. Went on talking about something else like there wasn't even anything on the stereo. When I asked what they thought, I had to really pull the response from them which was a resounding "ho-hum". I just don't understand. These are the same people that beam with pride while watching my bar band slog through "Sweet Home Alabama" for the millionth time every weekend. But can't be bothered with a "home recording" It just doesn't make any sense, and I guess it never will...... DAMN! 
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Mosfet
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 14:22
I have to say that this is my favorite thread:
1. because it doesn't involve me giving any updates on anything
2. I can relate to EVERY one of your posts 100%
I work at an 'interactive/animation/vfx studio' surrounded by designers, animators and other very talented folks.. but it's taken me 3 years for them to actually take my efforts even seriously.. the biggest thing has been that I've finally got a few people there who've started actually listening to the CDs on occasion in their iTunes rotation and also coming to my shows in January..
The funny part about this - is that the people who have become my 'fans at work' are all in non-creative account, project mgt and sales positions.
One thing too is - as all you NH Seacoast people know - it's actually a very supportive community around here, so I've been to some pretty scary live performances (with flinging poo and all) and I've actually been well received in live shows despite the stigma of "all you do is hit 'play'?"
Crap was this reply even on topic?
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bkoz
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 15:14
To say the least I am impressed with everyone's 'unimpressed' thoughts
It's also nice to know that all my fellow RPM'r have the same thoughts as me.
I WANT PEOPLE TO LIKE WHAT I DID AND TELL ME I"M F$%ING GREAT!!!!!
Sorry had to get that off my chest. I would also rather someone tell they didn't like it if they did not rather than get the 'oh, it was nice ' with that blank stare on their face. I put a blurb in our company newsletter about the RPM challenge and what I was doing and why and, you guessed it, no response.
I did the challenge last year and told my office manager about it, all I got was a grunt. That's always good for the ego.
Yeah I feel great for getting the challenge done but to me its the same as the old 'if a tree falls in a forest and no one hears it, did it make a sound' thing. If I record 10 songs and no one listens to them are they really there? Feedback whether it be 'Man thats great' or 'I cannot believe you write such tripe' is good.
by the way I think ya'll are Great!!! 
Oz
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jimtyrrell
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 15:30
When I tell people I just recorded an album of drinking songs, they almost always quip, "well, you gotta go with what you know".
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lyman
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 16:01
it's easy to get caught up in your own bubble and forget that things outside your sphere are very different. chances are you have friends and maybe family who are musicians and maybe some who are involved in other creative pursuits. and there are plenty of connections you can make via online creative communities for sure. so it's easy to overestimate how appreciative people are when it comes to the arts, especially when you've surrounded by like-minded folks. so don't get discouraged when somebody doesn't "get it." just be more selective about who you share your creativity with, don't go into it expecting to win a fan, but be grateful when they do acknowledge what you've done.
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Raleigh
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 16:29
This year, my friends and coworkers were more supportive (even if they tried hard to look interested as a bitched and moaned about the creative process). My mistake last year was in never actually finishing the album. I kept tweaking it and so forth... this year, I'm bringing in a finished, professional-looking product.
Husband: kept wanting me to go all techno with crashing drums and 160-bpm songs. Um, no...
Friend: "It's more beat-driven and less ambient than last year." Honest, helped me with the genre-slection thingy.
Everyone I know "Oh, I liked that one!" Great, it was recorded in March.
Still, feedback is feedback. I wrote the kind of album I want to listen to without sounding too much like my heroes: Goldfrapp, OMD, Depeche Mode, etc.
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Joshua Wentz
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 17:36
ACL writes:
Or to quote the Tao Te Ching:
Care about people's approval
and you will be their prisoner.
So true, and yet so hard to escape.
I go through this feeling on at least a quarterly basis, because I produce a quarterly zine.
There are a lot of hurdles to clear to be in a creative field, and most of them have to do with confidence. The confidence to hear your own voice on tape, to send your hard work out into the world, etc. Most of all, you need the confidence to be happy with what you did, even if you never hear a word of praise.
I'm not saying that I have that final level of confidence. I still get depressed when I spend a lot of time working on something I don't hear anything back, positive or negative. I'm working on it, though.
A couple of quotes, from designer/artist Stefan Sagmeister:
1. "Trying to look good limits my life."
2. "Having guts always works out for me."
You know what... when I do get praise for something I've done, I either doubt its honesty or am embarrassed to be publicly lauded. So I guess I can't win. 
Post edited by: Joshua Wentz, at: 2008/03/07 17:50
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room34
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 18:06
Joshua Wentz wrote:
You know what... when I do get praise for something I've done, I either doubt its honesty or am embarrassed to be publicly lauded. So I guess I can't win.
I hear you on this. After years of my music being ignored or reluctantly listened to (once) by the people in my life, my wife has finally been won over (largely because the quality of my music HAS gotten a lot better, I think). But I find that whenever she praises my music, I have a knee-jerk reaction to undercut her comments. I don't know why. She actually likes the music (to the point that she will listen to it on her own without my prodding) and yet I find that hard to accept, almost harder than the indifference I'm used to from everyone else.
On that note -- it's not just non-musicians. Even amongst my musician friends -- who are often in the same boat -- it's hard to get them to listen to my stuff, and vice versa.
I think the trick now is to get your music out there on the Internet and just promote promote promote. You've got an audience out there somewhere, you just need to find them.
(On that note, yesterday someone became the first buyer of my RPM album on INDISTR. Thanks, whoever you are! I suspect it's another RPMer.)
Post edited by: room34, at: 2008/03/07 18:24
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Josie
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 18:14
In the past I haven't even had the confidence to ask for feedback, because it was too scary to think what you all might say. This project, both years that I've done it, has given me that. I've never had confidence before, and it's cool. Especially since I couldn't agree more about the family and general public not getting it. My dad once asked me if it wouldn't be better if we play music that people know so they know if we're any good. To make matters worse we're an instrumental band, so we always get the background music gigs. They pay great, but not very gratifying. So to have that confidence rather than sitting wondering what everyone else thinks rocks!
I can honestly say that I like most of my tunes this year. I'd love some feedback, because I think I can take it!
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Joshua Wentz
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 18:14
(On that note, yesterday someone became the first buyer of my RPM album on INDISTR. Thanks, whoever you are! I suspect it's another RPMer.
You know, I've mentioned to INDISTR that it would be helpful to know who is buying what from my page... I'd like to know that it's not just my dad buying my albums
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WindUpBirds
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 18:22
Indie,
Yeah, I got the same sort of reaction -- or lack of reaction from folks. I emailed off my page here and got nary a reaction. I didn't get a negative reaction. I got almost no reaction, save for a couple of musician friends.
And I'm sort of in the same boat as you. I never recorded anything before and expected at least a few responses in the vain of "hey, that's great you're doing this."
It's quite possible my stuff is "that bad," but I also wonder if it's just that people don't really get what an undertaking this is... that tree in a forest thing that Bkoz was talking about resonates over here.
If it makes you feel any better, a witchy friend of mine said it had something to do with the moon and eclipses and other weird stuff going on with the stars. Not sure if I believe that totally, but when my first reaction is thinking my stuff is just plain horrible I try to subscribe to that train of though. Makes me feel better .
J
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agedmachine
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 18:25
Music is like any other art. It's up to the person hearing it or viewing it to interpret it how they will. You might create it, but you're not responsible for how it will be received.
I put last year's RPM album out on iTunes about six months after the fact.
The most popular song, the one most purchased and streamed, is one that I reluctantly placed on the album being unsure if I felt it was good enough to be there.
The 'star' tracks, according to me, the ones I felt were best, technically or 'cool factor' or whatever - are not even in the top 5 of what 'the public' has enjoyed.
I just don't take it personally, and I'm stoked that people have paid for music I've written.... I enjoyed doing it, someone else enjoyed it enough to pay for it, hey.. cool.
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Joshua Wentz
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Re:Unimpressed - 2008/03/07 18:29
Your witchy friend is half right.. maybe the moon and the stars are involved somehow, but really, there is something going around— apathy, self-importance, and entitlement. People just can't be bothered with something that isn't affecting their "now". It's pretty sad.
If anyone hears "Promise Me" and doesn't say it's fantastic, they aren't worth your time. That song is utterly fantastic.
Post edited by: Joshua Wentz, at: 2008/03/07 18:30
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