The downsides of being older and wiser

ficelles

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... well not sure I'm any wiser, but one of the downsides of being older and playing with other older musicians is rehearsals get cancelled over the slightest sniffle as no-one wants to end up catching something bad. It's that time of year and my entire weekend's music is blown due to sickness. Doesn't help that one lineup includes a GP who mixes with sick people all day at work. So getting older seems to result in fewer diva-style tantrums stopping music but more people baling to avoid the plague.

I'd better see what's in the medicine cabinet just in case the grocery delivery guy was contagious...
 
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ponchonlefty

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Another downside is that the hurts hurt even more. The wisdom part is great but along with it comes grief from the knowledge of all the dumb shit you've done in your life that can't be undone. 🥺
its better to not worry so much. mistakes happen, it what makes us who we are. now if it were possible to keep what i learned and give another go at it that would be cool.
 

BearGFR

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well its nice to see you man. you do much live playing? i remember you saying grand funk was your jam.
I wish.... It's something I've wanted to do for many years but for some reason, just never really worked out. A good while back (like close to 10 years now) I hooked up with some guys who all knew each other and had been playing together since high school - I was the "outsider". They were all pretty talented, the bassist had a really good blues voice, the lead guitar could flat play, the other guy mostly played rhythm, could sing ok, and was the defacto "leader". Problem was, bassist was an alky so you never really knew what kind of shape he was going to be in, and the 'leader' wanted everything we played to be note for note "like the record" (which was boring as hell for me) plus thought he knew more about playing drums than I did and on top of that, he and the drunk were best buds. I'm no pro by any means - if I was, I'd be doing that instead of messing with software - but I do know a little and people tell me I'm decent. In short, they made my life miserable and sucked every drop of 'fun' out of the whole thing, but I stuck it out because of how badly I wanted to play out live and get that feedback from an audience. We actually got invited to OPEN for Grand Funk once -- but at the last minute mister drunk flaked out and killed it. That was the last straw for me.

Since then, especially after we moved out of the DFW metro-mess out here to the sticks, all I've gotten to do has been the occasional jam when we have a party out here or something. It's still something I want to do, but I'm coming to terms with the idea it's just not going to be.
 

BearGFR

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There is however something I did with two friends back in 1998 out on YouTube. Two friends who are also big GFR friends. The bassist had an idea to put together a GFR Tribute CD. They both are in Northern California, I'm in Texas. We met in 1998 for the first time ever, jammed together one night, and we clicked so well that the very next night we rented some studio time and recorded this:

Bear and Paul and Paul <- youtube link

I guess that kinda ruined me, how well we clicked from the very beginning, because in my mind I was thinking "Well, makes sense - we like the same or similar music, are all close to the same age, so it's natural that we'd play well together". I had no idea at the time how special that really was. I found out though, once I got home and started trying to find people to recreate that with. Ugh... In the what... 20+ years since I've been able to go back and visit with those two guys probably 3-4 times - in 20 years. We always get together and play, and it's always like we've been together the entire time. Magic.
 
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ponchonlefty

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I wish.... It's something I've wanted to do for many years but for some reason, just never really worked out. A good while back (like close to 10 years now) I hooked up with some guys who all knew each other and had been playing together since high school - I was the "outsider". They were all pretty talented, the bassist had a really good blues voice, the lead guitar could flat play, the other guy mostly played rhythm, could sing ok, and was the defacto "leader". Problem was, bassist was an alky so you never really knew what kind of shape he was going to be in, and the 'leader' wanted everything we played to be note for note "like the record" (which was boring as hell for me) plus thought he knew more about playing drums than I did and on top of that, he and the drunk were best buds. I'm no pro by any means - if I was, I'd be doing that instead of messing with software - but I do know a little and people tell me I'm decent. In short, they made my life miserable and sucked every drop of 'fun' out of the whole thing, but I stuck it out because of how badly I wanted to play out live and get that feedback from an audience. We actually got invited to OPEN for Grand Funk once -- but at the last minute mister drunk flaked out and killed it. That was the last straw for me.

Since then, especially after we moved out of the DFW metro-mess out here to the sticks, all I've gotten to do has been the occasional jam when we have a party out here or something. It's still something I want to do, but I'm coming to terms with the idea it's just not going to be.
this seems to be a common thing. im not really a musician, i just played along with cds. not good and need better hands and lots of practice. i liked to play but want freedom to improvise. note for note is cool when trying to learn the song but boring playing the same thing every time. its too bad people that just love to play cant get together. having to deal with drama all the time sucks i agree.
 

Sethdusith

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this seems to be a common thing. im not really a musician, i just played along with cds. not good and need better hands and lots of practice. i liked to play but want freedom to improvise. note for note is cool when trying to learn the song but boring playing the same thing every time. its too bad people that just love to play cant get together. having to deal with drama all the time sucks i agree.
People tell me I'm good. But I have only really been considered "good" in the last year or so and I been playing since I was 12 (30s now). Up until now, i have just been dicking around, "serving the song" and that's all that ever mattered to me.

I just got sick of hearing "wow, considering how long you been playing, I thought you'd be better than that" so I been practicing like a mad dog lately


Plus since I quit drinkng I need to vent my extra energy into something

But even these days, serving the song is always most important. Melody, catchiness. Technique is only to impress fellow musicians who aren't likely to wanna hear your music anyway (in real life anyway)
 

ponchonlefty

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People tell me I'm good. But I have only really been considered "good" in the last year or so and I been playing since I was 12 (30s now). Up until now, i have just been dicking around, "serving the song" and that's all that ever mattered to me.

I just got sick of hearing "wow, considering how long you been playing, I thought you'd be better than that" so I been practicing like a mad dog lately


Plus since I quit drinkng I need to vent my extra energy into something

But even these days, serving the song is always most important. Melody, catchiness. Technique is only to impress fellow musicians who aren't likely to wanna hear your music anyway (in real life anyway)
use their criticism to fuel your passion. even if they're wrong. it really comes down to hard work. it used to stress me out when others judged my work,now i don't care as much. but i do pay attention to what feedback i get. never let it discourage you use it.
 

soulman

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its better to not worry so much. mistakes happen, it what makes us who we are. now if it were possible to keep what i learned and give another go at it that would be cool.
According to Einstein the past, present, and future all exist simultaneously but in different dimensions separated by time. If someone like Jeff Genzler can build a 350w bass amp that only weighs 3.5 lbs surely a time machine it just around the corner. 🥳
 
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