Why do we play?

I just don't really like being quiet.

Being new to the process of creating music . . . heck, even being able to duplicate already created music . . . I was struck by something Arjen pointed out in one of his posts . . . that music is wired into our brains. Well, he didn't say it that way . . . certain chord or note progressions sound pleasing whereas others don't . . . is what he said.
Now, why would that be so? How can stuff like that be encoded in DNA?
Maybe music transcends “this mortal existence”.
Maybe we connect at a level beyond . . . and will take what we learn here . . . with us.
Maybe I've had one too many beers with my submarine sandwich.

it is not one-way. music also rewires our brains. continuously, I'll say.

I have only one thing to add to my previous post.

A wise man once said, "If you make your living doing something that you would do for free, you will never work a day in your life." (or something like that).

Other than a few straight gigs I've had (to test the waters), I've never worked a day in my life, and I'm approaching senior-citizen-dom.

Not to say that the business of music is for everyone. There are no paid vacations, no sick leave, no employer paid health plan, no employer paid pension, no paid holidays and the never-ending search for new gigs. But if you are like me and you absolutely have to play music, there isn't a finer profession to be found anywhere.

Insights and incites by Notes

A wise man once said, "If you make your living doing something that you would do for free, you will never work a day in your life." (or something like that).
Great quote, Notes! I could apply it to my work, too.

I play because it is fun. As Vic I love the music. I am always listening music, all the styles (obviously I have my preferences). I feel many different things when I listen the first note that a symphonic orchestra musicians play altogether, when I listen a guitar solo or when I listen a folk song singed a capella or just with some traditional percussion instruments (like in my last trip with -empty- wine bottles and oil cans).

I also want to have fun like an "actor", not only like a "passive element" in the system. Probably I will never play like [the-best-guitar/bass/keyboard-player], that it is not my goal, my goal is to have fun every minute I play an instrument and I'm achieving it!

I like to create. I've designed products for a living, artwork occasionally and instruments plus musical equipment for fun and use. making music is one of the most immediately accessible creative processes. and it's the one I can count upon to provide both instant and long lasting gratification.

it's fun.

+1 Well put. :)

When I look at why I keep going (rather than trying to work out why others seem to have stopped) I think Gnease has nailed it with his insightful post. I've spent a lot of my working life (and leisure time) either creating things or solving problems. Music provides endless opportunities for creating, problem solving and communicating. Plus just plain old fun. All my favourite things to do really....
I just don't really like being quiet.

And there is that too! :mrgreen: It gives my endless internal mental chatter something to focus on, and a soundtrack while it prattles on.... and I do like the noises that music makes too.... :note1: :note2:

Cheers,

Chris

Ludo ergo sum - I play, therefore I am.

:D :D :D

Vic

I love the sound of the guitar . I love to make that sound , so I play . That's it in a nutshell .

I would say my reasons are very similar to Diceman I always loved the sound of a guitar especially cranked up and loud, but now it's more of an internal competition to see if I can ever be a decent player so the motivation to improve is what keeps me going.

And yes it's fun but to me that's a relative term. I mean I love to play golf but if I'm not playing well it's frustrating and painful. I'm not the type to just enjoy a day on the course to marvel at the scenary if I'm playing like dog doo doo I'd rather be at work.

I would have to say my goal as a guitar player would be to be able to play lead guitar well, maybe not at shredder speeds but close to that and seeing that I'm NO where near that now I have a long way to go.

So I may not ever reach that goal but hopefully there will be enough incentive to continue playing anyway, so far losing interest has not been a problem but my growth has expanded more horizontally than vertically.

Contrary to the old stereotype of playing the blues because you've got 'em, when I'm really stressed and unhappy I can't play a thing. I wonder how many musicians have gotten strung out on drugs because they had similar issues, and the show had to go on? (Not my issue, I can let the show go off.)

Contrary to the old stereotype of playing the blues because you've got 'em, when I'm really stressed and unhappy I can't play a thing.

Hmm, not me. When I'm feeling stressed, angry, unhappy - in a nutshell, when I've got the blues - I find it helps to take my frustrations out on my guitar. Seem to write better in those situations, too - must be just my way of getting those frustrations out of my system and releasing my inner monster!

:D :D :D

Vic

I'm more like Ric in that if I'm stressed I don't turn to the guitar for relief I'm more likely to put it down in those situations than play.

But I can understand where Vic is coming from I can see where that may help spark your creative juices.

I play because I like to rock!

But seriously, its like I have nothing else to do anymore, my summer days are going away between being in the computer studying theory of chords or whatever and playing, making stuff up, learning new songs, taping myself on the cellphone and playing along to it, and soloing over it, its the best, its like a trip into outer space for two minutes that you are playing, then you come back, and try to go high again.

Its the bst stress reliever there is.

And another reason I play is because I want to get better, I want to be great someday and I need to practice for that O_O, alot!

I wanna be that guy that you wish you were ( I wish i were that guy xD )

I wanna be that guy that you wish you were ( I wish i were that guy xD )
I still haven't decided who I want to be . . . when I grow up . . . who knows? . . . maybe it WILL be you. :mrgreen:

The first time I played guitar and made a sound that made someone stop and say wow, that was really pretty gave me that feeling of "this is why I play" to give people that certain feeling of calm or whatever, just to help people "feel" I guess.

I wanna be that guy that you wish you were ( I wish i were that guy xD )
I still haven't decided who I want to be . . . when I grow up . . . who knows? . . . maybe it WILL be you. :mrgreen:

LOL 8)

But by the time you grow up I... wow I don't even know how to say that..

By the time you grow up, I will not be grown up, yet ?

Whatever this is making my head hurt, :P well by the time I am where you wish you were, you'll be wishing you were me O_O, w00t.