The Golden Egg

[talasiga]

Can we discuss this seeing as we're in the pub? Where else could we discuss it?
Mmm? (Oh, just some orange juice with a dash of sparlking water for me thanks.)

Now! What is it with some people? Some of the musicians I jam with want to up and make a commercial recording every time we meet. They otherwise feel a deficit if there isn't an audience involved. Audiences, particularly interactive ones are blissful things but, hey, whats wrong with gestational music sessions in the intimacy of fellow musos only?

(And no! I do not suffer from stage fright. I do admit though that I do find mikes a little too phallic for my liking)

What am I missing out here other than a teeny bopper apprehension of success or a mature dose of infamy?

Seriously inebriated pub patrons are discouraged from participating in this topic and will be reported to the topless hotelier. You have been warned.

[SteveShaw]

For a brief moment there I thought you'd started an alternative aubergine thread!

I agree. There's room for music with an audience, or with a couple of mates with no-one else around, or just on your own. I enjoy the latter as much as the others. Ten years ago I wouldn't play if I thought anyone could hear me. Now I just love to be heard, and I don't know what stage fright is. I think it's all a very subjective thing, and what I've said is just me.

Steve

[Jack]

For a brief moment there I thought you'd started an alternative aubergine thread!

Everybody should do that.

[emmline]

Now! What is it with some people? Some of the musicians I jam with want to up and make a commercial recording every time we meet. They otherwise feel a deficit if there isn't an audience involved. Audiences, particularly interactive ones are blissful things but, hey, whats wrong with gestational music sessions in the intimacy of fellow musos only?

Perhaps your friends, as am I, are suffering from the doomful feelings of impending agedness with no recorded legacy.
Personally, I'm trying to get a little more Buddhist about it, but perhaps they aren't.

[djm]

Self-image thing, perhaps? Some people make music to make music, some see it as an activity they can do with others, some do it to attract attention to themsleves (like making a commercial recording). Lots of people. Lots of personal agendas. If you enjoy making music with them, what does it matter? (just make sure you get your cut of the proceeds )

djm

[Cynth]

The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs
Aesop
A man and his wife had the good fortune to possess a goose which laid a golden egg every day. Lucky though they were, they soon began to think they were not getting rich fast enough, and, imagining the bird must be made of gold inside, they decided to kill it in order to secure the whole store of precious metal at once. But when they cut it open they found it was just like any other goose. Thus, they neither got rich all at once, as they had hoped, nor enjoyed any longer the daily addition to their wealth.

Much wants more and loses all.

Okay, I'm not understanding why this problem is called the Golden Egg.

Is it that your friends think they are laying golden eggs (their music) and they want to get rich so they are going to destroy the music by turning it into a big deal every time you play?

I don't know why they want to make commercial recordings. I could understand recording things if they wanted to listen to themselves and thereby improve. But if that isn't the reason, I guess they just think you guys are really hot. And now days everyone can make CD's. Some people are really into planning and arranging. They might just think it is fun. But I wouldn't think it was at all strange if someone just wanted to play music and not mess with all the other stuff.

[Doug_Tipple]

Now! What is it with some people? Some of the musicians I jam with want to up and make a commercial recording every time we meet. They otherwise feel a deficit if there isn't an audience involved. Audiences, particularly interactive ones are blissful things but, hey, whats wrong with gestational music sessions in the intimacy of fellow musos only?

Perhaps your friends, as am I, are suffering from the doomful feelings of impending agedness with no recorded legacy.
Personally, I'm trying to get a little more Buddhist about it, but perhaps they aren't.

Forgive me, Emmline, but I am seeing you on the street in Annapolis with your violin or flute, whichever you prefer. I know that your husband wouldn't approve, and your children would be aghast (if they knew), but what the heck, you can do it. It might be nice to get out of the house for a couple of hours in the afternoon before the kids come home from school.

[BillChin]

Now! What is it with some people? Some of the musicians I jam with want to up and make a commercial recording every time we meet. They otherwise feel a deficit if there isn't an audience involved. Audiences, particularly interactive ones are blissful things but, hey, whats wrong with gestational music sessions in the intimacy of fellow musos only?

(And no! I do not suffer from stage fright. I do admit though that I do find mikes a little too phallic for my liking)

What am I missing out here other than a teeny bopper apprehension of success or a mature dose of infamy?
...

Some people like to perform. Some people like to noodle around. Some people enjoy either or both. Many people feel time pressure and want to make good use of their time. Some people have all the time in the world and hate being pressured or being put on the spot. Some people love being the center of attention. Others are happiest if no one notices them.

There is no right or wrong with any of this. If your mates have other musical goals, they are not wrong, neither are you. It is perhaps just not a good match and each should seek out other venues or other people.

There is a chance that the real issue may go deeper than musical goals. It is often about who has the power, who makes the decisions, who is the alpha-male, or alpha-female. If it is just about casual music there is no need to make a big deal out of it, no need to spend more time with unpleasant people.

Me, I want to find the golden goose, you guys can keep the egg .

[Flyingcursor]

Perhaps your friends, as am I, are suffering from the doomful feelings of impending agedness with no recorded legacy.
Personally, I'm trying to get a little more Buddhist about it, but perhaps they aren't.

Amen. At least you've published a book. All I've published is a bunch of technical and training documents within the confines of a single department of a single corporation.

[emmline]

Forgive me, Emmline, but I am seeing you on the street in Annapolis with your violin or flute, whichever you prefer.

Oh no Doug...that would scare people, and they'd toss me coins out of pity! My musical "talents" are best shared with my dog, who howls in solidarity.

I'm suggesting that Talasiga's friends urge to record may be analogous to my urge to get published and also get paid a bit to establish credibility.
The mental image you evoked, though, was very entertaining!

[talasiga]

.....
Some people like to perform. Some people like to noodle around.
.................
If your mates have other musical goals, they are not wrong, neither are you.
............
If it is just about casual music there is no need to make a big deal out of it, no need to spend more time with unpleasant people.

Me, I want to find the golden goose, you guys can keep the egg .

It appears that you have typified that which is not aimed for premature performance as noodling, not goal oriented and casual.

To find gold one must fossick .......

[djm]

Definitions of fossick on the Web:

* the word comes from British dialect where it meant, to obtain by asking, to ferret out. On the goldfields it had two meanings: to search for gold on the surface, sometimes in a desultory or unsystematic way and to steal gold from other diggers, especially from an unattended claim. The second meaning was transferred from literal gold-seeking early on. Thus in 1853 we find: ‘If a man were to take a log of fire-wood from a neighbour's heap … ...
www.artistwd.com/joyzine/australia/strine/f-3.php

djm

[SteveShaw]

If a man were to take a log of fire-wood from a neighbour's heap …

djm

...then that neighbour would doubtless sing "Do not fossick me oh my darling..."

(Or, being Australia, should that be "Do not fossick me, Murray Darling?")

Steve

[dwinterfield]

Now! What is it with some people? Some of the musicians I jam with want to up and make a commercial recording every time we meet. They otherwise feel a deficit if there isn't an audience involved. Audiences, particularly interactive ones are blissful things but, hey, whats wrong with gestational music sessions in the intimacy of fellow musos only?

(And no! I do not suffer from stage fright. I do admit though that I do find mikes a little too phallic for my liking)

What am I missing out here other than a teeny bopper apprehension of success or a mature dose of infamy?
...

Some people like to perform. Some people like to noodle around. Some people enjoy either or both. Many people feel time pressure and want to make good use of their time. Some people have all the time in the world and hate being pressured or being put on the spot. Some people love being the center of attention. Others are happiest if no one notices them.

There is no right or wrong with any of this. If your mates have other musical goals, they are not wrong, neither are you. It is perhaps just not a good match and each should seek out other venues or other people.

There is a chance that the real issue may go deeper than musical goals. It is often about who has the power, who makes the decisions, who is the alpha-male, or alpha-female. If it is just about casual music there is no need to make a big deal out of it, no need to spend more time with unpleasant people.

Me, I want to find the golden goose, you guys can keep the egg .

This is the same discussion sports fans have all the time. Does "chemistry" between players matter on a team or is it only talent that matters? My own opinion is that it matters a lot. It's why we often hear "They're not the most talented team, but they're champions because they play so well together."

Seems like the same would apply to sessions. I think maybe talent, skill, experience, level all matter, but willingness and emotional ability to play together matter more.

[talasiga]

................
This is the same discussion sports fans have all the time. Does "chemistry" between players matter on a team or is it only talent that matters? My own opinion is that it matters a lot. It's why we often hear "They're not the most talented team, but they're champions because they play so well together."

Seems like the same would apply to sessions. I think maybe talent, skill, experience, level all matter, but willingness and emotional ability to play together matter more.

I do believe you have egged the goose right properly on the head!
Brava!