Talent is best served with a ton balls, imho. To be "really good", you gotta know you are. Definitely true with the successful artists i've worked with.
I read years ago that "the art of making good music is mainly the ability to sift through one's own garbage". Don't show anything until it is absolutely finished, and only put stuff out that you know is hot. That's how I sorta go with it at least. I avoid putting myself in a position to doubt myself when I'm presenting my goods. And I don't feel shitty about all the garbage I made and sifted to flesh it out. Anyway, let it be known that my garbage to hot ratio is about 50:1 Much better than it used to be.
Work hard, big balls = $
Do any of you actually have any real musical talent?
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corygilbert
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corygilbert
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I like this band, there are a lot of this style of band, in the south of the usa.cacti wrote:guitarist in this band: http://www.myspace.com/thegreatbigno
check it out. its trance rock.
This is a very good example of some very talented young guys.
Not my bag, but a good example of talent vs taste.
I've been writing electronic music since the age of 13, i've always liked my music more than nearly everything out there, probably because it sounds like how i like music to sound, as for anyone else, who knows, if they dont like it then meh, if they do then fabulous. As long as you write the music you like thats enough. As long as you dont actually want to make any money. I dont make any money off my music but i hope i'm still using ableton live 56 when i'm old and grey to write whatever is in my head.
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snakedogman
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talent is overrated anyway 
ok seriously though, hard work and perseverance is just as important as something as elusive as "talent". I've been making music as a hobby for about 8 years now and if you listened to my first "tracks" you probably wouldn't say "hey this guy's got talent".
But I kept on it and got better, and only just last week I made the first track that I would feel completely happy about releasing on a label and playing in a club.
I know I would be making better music, or would have gotten to this point fast if I'd put more dedicated time into actually making music. As it is though, I'm pretty happy (and proud) to have gotten this far at all.
Does talent mean you've got some magical in-born ability to write good music? Or does it mean you have the drive to persevere and push yourself to get better even when you think you suck?
It's probably a bit of both. Obviously some people can spend a lot of time doing something and still not be very good at it, so I guess that's where the talent difference comes in.
ok seriously though, hard work and perseverance is just as important as something as elusive as "talent". I've been making music as a hobby for about 8 years now and if you listened to my first "tracks" you probably wouldn't say "hey this guy's got talent".
But I kept on it and got better, and only just last week I made the first track that I would feel completely happy about releasing on a label and playing in a club.
I know I would be making better music, or would have gotten to this point fast if I'd put more dedicated time into actually making music. As it is though, I'm pretty happy (and proud) to have gotten this far at all.
Does talent mean you've got some magical in-born ability to write good music? Or does it mean you have the drive to persevere and push yourself to get better even when you think you suck?
It's probably a bit of both. Obviously some people can spend a lot of time doing something and still not be very good at it, so I guess that's where the talent difference comes in.
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dj superflat
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a lot of the comments here are of the "i could've gotten straights A too, just didn't do the work variety." hate to be contrary but, in my experience, real talent rarely goes unrecognized. doesn't mean talent gets paid the most, works the most, etc. and real talent is often an impediment to making the junk much of the market wants. but i've known few truly talented musicians who didn't obtain recognition on some fairly significant level, and almost all were able to make it their job.
i think the issue is that music is one of the great human hobbies, but we now have a cult of creativity where performance used to be enough. that is, back in the day, you didn't have to write the songs, you just had to sing them, play them on piano, or whatever, to be considered musical. these days, everyone wants to be considered creative, rather than just play covers, perform as entertainment for friends, whatever.
that's part of why, much as i look down on dj culture, i think it's a healthy thing. more people can remix than write, more people have enough taste to select from options than to create good options (and i also like the focus on the music/dancing, rather than just standing there and staring at some alt rock band while they play).
i think the issue is that music is one of the great human hobbies, but we now have a cult of creativity where performance used to be enough. that is, back in the day, you didn't have to write the songs, you just had to sing them, play them on piano, or whatever, to be considered musical. these days, everyone wants to be considered creative, rather than just play covers, perform as entertainment for friends, whatever.
that's part of why, much as i look down on dj culture, i think it's a healthy thing. more people can remix than write, more people have enough taste to select from options than to create good options (and i also like the focus on the music/dancing, rather than just standing there and staring at some alt rock band while they play).
I agree the thought of watching 4 privileged white guys bouncing around on stage like they matter, no longer interest me either.dj superflat wrote: that's part of why, much as i look down on dj culture, i think it's a healthy thing. more people can remix than write, more people have enough taste to select from options than to create good options (and i also like the focus on the music/dancing, rather than just standing there and staring at some alt rock band while they play).
http://soundcloud.com/aislingbeing
Live, Reason, Moog sub phatty, Moog sub 37, Ozone 6, guitars, Pedals, proper ergonomic sitting posture, french pressed coffee with a pinch of cardamon.
Live, Reason, Moog sub phatty, Moog sub 37, Ozone 6, guitars, Pedals, proper ergonomic sitting posture, french pressed coffee with a pinch of cardamon.
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thumperjack
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dj superflat wrote:a lot of the comments here are of the "i could've gotten straights A too, just didn't do the work variety." hate to be contrary but, in my experience, real talent rarely goes unrecognized. .
I had to read back all the comments to check, but I'm not sure where you get that from. I spotted one guy saying he has talent and everyone else questioning what it means or posting a LOLcat. Where are you getting the idea that people are saying " I could easily be great", because that is not correct. please post a quote to illustrate "a lot of the comments"
as far as
I stated in my post that talent goes unrewarded by mainstream capitalist culture as in 'pop cuilture' because a main component of the original topic wasreal talent rarely goes unrecognized
now, I agree that Julian Bream's talent is recognized, but I think I am correct in saying that he has not added anything to mainstream pop culture. I'm sure that the pop masses are unaware who he is. Sure, he is recognized in a large circle of afficinados, but if we are talking about mainstream pop culture then no, I think not.do you actually add something to pop culture?
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audio.android
- Posts: 57
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In terms of being GREAT:
I don't think talent is as big as people think it is. I think it's mainly about working REALLY REALLY hard. Raw talent will only get you so far.
Lance Armstrong once said "I'm the only person who bikes 8 hours a day, 365 days a year."
Mozart lived and breathed the piano since he was 2. His dad made him a music machine. As a result Mozart was a very depressed person, his life sucked. I think there are a good number of people on this forum who could have been Mozart, had their dad been as crazy as his. But who would want that?
At a certain point, the question is, are you willing to make that sacrifice? Most people aren't, which isn't a bad thing. Who wants to be a machine? Sometimes I find myself working so hard on my music, that I lose my sense of humanity. My brain is only thinking about making better music. The fact that it's a beautiful day outside completely passes me by.
I think in order to be great you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of "beautiful days". And for most of us, it's just not worth it.
I don't think talent is as big as people think it is. I think it's mainly about working REALLY REALLY hard. Raw talent will only get you so far.
Lance Armstrong once said "I'm the only person who bikes 8 hours a day, 365 days a year."
Mozart lived and breathed the piano since he was 2. His dad made him a music machine. As a result Mozart was a very depressed person, his life sucked. I think there are a good number of people on this forum who could have been Mozart, had their dad been as crazy as his. But who would want that?
At a certain point, the question is, are you willing to make that sacrifice? Most people aren't, which isn't a bad thing. Who wants to be a machine? Sometimes I find myself working so hard on my music, that I lose my sense of humanity. My brain is only thinking about making better music. The fact that it's a beautiful day outside completely passes me by.
I think in order to be great you have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of "beautiful days". And for most of us, it's just not worth it.
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silverlulu
- Posts: 357
- Joined: Sat Jan 14, 2006 1:07 am
i'm glad you started this thread because i question this all the time. some of you have been saying talent is relative which is true, but it's not any real consolation when you are trapped in self doubt.
i write lyrics and make my own music. sometimes i write something so good that it literally brings a tear to my eye. sometimes i make a song that i am so impressed with that i have to leave the room and jump around my flat with elation. the next day i can come back to it and think... that's shit. somethings i still love, and these are the songs where there is something in them that if i heard it in a different song from an outsider, i would embrace. i think that is when you know if you have talent. if you can objectively look at your songs and say. that song is alright. it's structure is nice. the melody is average. that song is ok. but also allow yourself you recognise that some songs you make are truely good.
but most of the time i struggle with making music. i hear people that i respect and feel so helplessly inferior that i wonder why i bother making music. people close to me tell me i have talent but can you really beleive what they say? no not really. it's nice to hear, and maybe it's true but you would need to get independant critique. basically i don't know you, or owe you anything so i could review it. although, who am i to judge you? maybe i wouldn't appreciate it depending on the style you make.
i wonder if someone who has spent the same time as me writing and learnin how to make music etc... would have made something better than i have done. for example, a friend of mine who doesn't play or make music and doesnt write lyrics may make something a lot better than me in the same time frame if he had the same dedication.
i think in the end, talent is a very small part of making a career from music. i am not expecting to have number one albums or anything stupid but i do want to get signed and live off being an artist. some people that influence my style are jimmy eat world, dj shadow, massive attack and third eye blind. nothing i have made is anywhere near as good as them so i question my talent non-stop. i lie awake in bed for hour upon hour worrying that i am wasting my time, in fact it's a common theme in some of my songs.
i do know one thing tho, and this may be what you need to hear... if you don't let that selfdoubt stop you, then you can succeed. selfdoubt is the gift and the curse. maybe it's the reason you make music, because you question things, you are senstive to the world and emotions and you can replicate them in your music. it might the reason your music is good.
but on the other hand. self doubt could be holding you back. the thing stopping you finish that track that you love but can't seem to finish and put on a demo to get you signed. stopping you asking for gigs, stopping you being the success you want to be.
my advice (which i would do well to listen to as well) is push through that and try as hard as you can to finish your songs and take them where you want them to go.
i write lyrics and make my own music. sometimes i write something so good that it literally brings a tear to my eye. sometimes i make a song that i am so impressed with that i have to leave the room and jump around my flat with elation. the next day i can come back to it and think... that's shit. somethings i still love, and these are the songs where there is something in them that if i heard it in a different song from an outsider, i would embrace. i think that is when you know if you have talent. if you can objectively look at your songs and say. that song is alright. it's structure is nice. the melody is average. that song is ok. but also allow yourself you recognise that some songs you make are truely good.
but most of the time i struggle with making music. i hear people that i respect and feel so helplessly inferior that i wonder why i bother making music. people close to me tell me i have talent but can you really beleive what they say? no not really. it's nice to hear, and maybe it's true but you would need to get independant critique. basically i don't know you, or owe you anything so i could review it. although, who am i to judge you? maybe i wouldn't appreciate it depending on the style you make.
i wonder if someone who has spent the same time as me writing and learnin how to make music etc... would have made something better than i have done. for example, a friend of mine who doesn't play or make music and doesnt write lyrics may make something a lot better than me in the same time frame if he had the same dedication.
i think in the end, talent is a very small part of making a career from music. i am not expecting to have number one albums or anything stupid but i do want to get signed and live off being an artist. some people that influence my style are jimmy eat world, dj shadow, massive attack and third eye blind. nothing i have made is anywhere near as good as them so i question my talent non-stop. i lie awake in bed for hour upon hour worrying that i am wasting my time, in fact it's a common theme in some of my songs.
i do know one thing tho, and this may be what you need to hear... if you don't let that selfdoubt stop you, then you can succeed. selfdoubt is the gift and the curse. maybe it's the reason you make music, because you question things, you are senstive to the world and emotions and you can replicate them in your music. it might the reason your music is good.
but on the other hand. self doubt could be holding you back. the thing stopping you finish that track that you love but can't seem to finish and put on a demo to get you signed. stopping you asking for gigs, stopping you being the success you want to be.
my advice (which i would do well to listen to as well) is push through that and try as hard as you can to finish your songs and take them where you want them to go.
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audio.android
- Posts: 57
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word.silverlulu wrote:selfdoubt is the gift and the curse. maybe it's the reason you make music, because you question things, on the other hand, self doubt could be holding you back. the thing stopping you finish that track that you love but can't seem to finish.
my advice (which i would do well to listen to as well) is push through that and try as hard as you can to finish your songs and take them where you want them to go.