... i play to find a new world...

..."Do We Need To Do Better"? Well yes and no. Maybe you do and maybe you don't.

Do you see it, the problem? It's the space of mind that dithers. The part of ourselves that
takes two steps forward and then retreats. "Retreats from what"? From the light and
the responsibility of taking your desires seriously... "What do you want?".

This is the private side of it. The look your self in the mirror and come to terms, and if the terms that are presented are something like "well I know I will never be really very good at playing The Stick but I enjoy it anyway". Fine, argue for your limitations and you will get to keep them. I say; Renegotiate. Don't
accept mediocre terms. Anyone can become a better player in a day, an hour or the time it takes
to decide to pick up your instrument and play. This is true. This is the personal stuff. By yourself.

I think the question here that Bret is asking " do we need to get better?". The answer is probably no.
"Need" is not the right word for this. I have had two little sayings at the bottom of each post that
interchange: "Desire is the engine of the Universe" which is my own idea and "Dreams are set
to blossom courage"
. a lyric from the forth side of Tales From Topographic Oceans. Both sayings are like
little keys to the conundrum of self accomplishment...You can do it? Of course you can.

Can we get better? If we ask the question like this the answer is yes and here is a possible
way. First a little dragon must be slain. If everything that anyone plays and puts out on the forum is considered great and given praise and encouragement which pretty much that is how it is
we need to be very carful not to damage the precious safe place for creative germination
that we have created on the internet. Really we should pat ourselves on the back for making something that is almost non existent on any other music forum.

But we need the other part too that is not so comfortable. We need a place that can use the
vast musical potential that resides here and not have it in the context of didacticism.
We "need" to be able to say 'this is not so good, and here is how it can be improved'.
We need to be able to say that something sucks without the PC police coming down
on you for being cruel and we need to be able to hear the criticism with out being wounded.
Yes?
A new forum category could be created with a warning "Enter at your own risk" with the express purpose of getting creative criticism with the sincere intention of using the insights gained to improve.
So the two sides are the personal side between you and you (the most important). And our
collective side where we challenge ourselves, with permission, but also protecting what we have already created.
...

We need a place that can use the
vast musical potential that resides here and not have it in the context of didacticism.
We "need" to be able to say 'this is not so good, and here is how it can be improved'.
We need to be able to say that something sucks without the PC police coming down
on you for being cruel and we need to be able to hear the criticism with out being wounded.
Yes?
A new forum category could be created with a warning "Enter at your own risk" with the express purpose of getting creative criticism with the sincere intention of using the insights gained to improve.

I got to go through this and see if I can still do it! However, I would actually argue that it's more relevant to be a proficient songwriter and have deep knowledge of software and production abilities in the pursuit of becoming a mainstream artist in today's musical world than it is to focus entirely on instrumental and theoretical virtuosity. And i'm saying thos as someone that pursued virtuosity in those two elements of music.

Edit: unless you trying to get into film score

Dude, I miss you .

jRj
*j*
.~

I got to go through this and see if I can still do it! However, I would actually argue that it's more relevant to be a proficient songwriter and have deep knowledge of software and production abilities in the pursuit of becoming a mainstream artist in today's musical world than it is to focus entirely on instrumental and theoretical virtuosity.