taking a break

[echorec]

what are groups that early 30s people join?

Your stories are really encouraging, I didn't know taking a break was common. I haven't taken a break longer than 3 weeks in almost 20 years.

I think people in their late 20s to 40s do indoor rec stuff (pool leagues, darts, bowling). Other people join writing groups or start contemplating returning to school, changing jobs, et cetera. Nearly everyone goes through a rut in their 20s or 30s, where they feel burdened or disenchanted with their old pastimes. It just hits different people at different times.

Writing should be the center of my life, but I routinely spend weeks or even months doing nothing but research (studio art, photographers, world history, technology, philosophy, counter-culture, et cetera) in order to find a way to get back to writing. Music is a big part of my life, but honestly I spend more time gear-hunting and looking at photos of oddities, than I spend earnestly trying to compose something. I'm more into sounds/textures than songs anyway.

I've read lots of stories where performers in famous bands didn't pick up an instrument for a year after their group dissolved. It's normal to worry about getting too far off the path, too, but people always seem to find a way back.

[friendship]

Week three into self-imposed break and I hate music and never want to hear it or play it again. This is going well.

[Chankgeez]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBh5ZtATqOY[/youtube]

[psychic vampire.]

I haven't even looked at my synths or drum machines since i got broken up with on May 13th. Packed it all up. I'll pull them out soon.

[friendship]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBh5ZtATqOY[/youtube]

I don't even want to listen to these and I like The Replacements and Mountain Goats. What have I become/my sweetest friend

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tNQSOr4Jgis[/youtube]

[echorec]

Anything new worth sharing?

[rustywire]

Perfectly understandable.
Last year, from the end of April through early-July I didn't once pickup my guitar...but the MPC60 was on. For 2 consecutive months, and then another 2 weeks. Made a hard-turn and it was refreshing like a much needed vacation which I have been unable to take IRL.
Since I began playing, I've generally avoided listening to any outside music other than revisiting old favorites already stuck in my head...as a means to limit influence and attempt focusing on the beat of my own drum and marching where it takes me. Easier said than done. But every so often I'll take a few weeks off from playing altogether, and check out some new music. I find doing things this way allows me to compartmentalize and not (unintentionally) co-opt what others are doing.
Big proponent of variety is the spice of life

[friendship]

Anything new worth sharing?

Not really. I have access to convolution reverb now so I've been recording some impulse responses, which is pretty fun. Haven't applied it to anything tangible yet, but at least I'm building a little stockpile of new sounds when/if I'm ready to make music again.

Thanks for asking.

[friendship]

Made a song with everything but vox, and then mixed a song I had already recorded a while ago. On finishing both of them, I realized I don't want to release them or even share them with other people. Is there a point to making music if no one is ever going to hear it (including me, I practically never revisit old recordings for fun)?

[rustywire]

The point is to create what you want and benefit from personal growth. Maybe even enjoy yourself while doing so. It's a journey. When you write/make music, identify if thought process is "wow people are going to really dig this sound!" and/or "wow this sounds great, I really dig this!" +let it guide you.
It can be your therapy, your cathartic outlet to release suppressed emotions. No one is entitled to your art if you decide not to share it.

I've waffled on releasing music. Juvenilia, novelty, silliness, polished & meticulously executed A-game. Then I sort of had the decision made for me with that catastrophic drive failure last year. In hindsight it was nice to close that chapter as I'm prone to overthink these things.
My own goals have shifted since joining ILF, and where I'm currently at, I've decided to keep the vault shut. For now

[D.o.S.]

Yeah, I mean I think most of us do it out of compulsion. Whether or not you put it out is really immaterial.

[friendship]

That's a refreshing reminder, that it doesn't have to be released and it doesn't have to be For something. There's always been some kind of goal or desired outcome for me, even if it was only to impress my friends or a girl. Maybe it's a little disingenuous of me to prioritize an external expectation for music above an appreciation for it unfolding for its own sake. Maybe the empty feeling when I finished these last two songs is residual expectation, since I'm accustomed to immediately showing someone or making some kind of plan for it. This almost feels like I have to re-learn how to create, if that makes any kind of sense.

[spacelordmother]

I never had any fun making music until I got rid of those expectations and intentions. They still crop up from time to time, but creating solely for the pleasure of it is really liberating.

[BitchPudding]

In all my 10 years of playing, I've never taken a break. For me, music (listening, playing, creating) is my lifesblood. Im always cycling through one of those modes every day. Its also probably why I'm in four different bands.

I don't take breaks, but I work really hard to maintain balance. When I'm not playing, im ether relaxing or busying myself with another hobby. Video games are big. I've also taken up skateboarding and jogging with my fiancee. Tea helps chill me out too. Even if its just for an hour or two, it helps clear my head for some fresh ideas.

So I guess my advice when your ready to return to music, is to have balance so you don't burn out completely. See friends, watch movies, whatever helps offset the burn out feeling.

Ultimately, if your not having fun, then something is wrong. So do it for the right reasons.

[friendship]

In all my 10 years of playing, I've never taken a break. For me, music (listening, playing, creating) is my lifesblood. Im always cycling through one of those modes every day. Its also probably why I'm in four different bands.

I don't take breaks, but I work really hard to maintain balance. When I'm not playing, im ether relaxing or busying myself with another hobby. Video games are big. I've also taken up skateboarding and jogging with my fiancee. Tea helps chill me out too. Even if its just for an hour or two, it helps clear my head for some fresh ideas.

So I guess my advice when your ready to return to music, is to have balance so you don't burn out completely. See friends, watch movies, whatever helps offset the burn out feeling.

Ultimately, if your not having fun, then something is wrong. So do it for the right reasons.

You know, this raises a good point I might do well to put more thought into. Whatever my virtues, moderation and balance have never been among them. Maybe a source of this constant cycle of burnout is related to inability to go anything less than Super Hard for unsustainable periods of time. Maaaaybe.

In a semi-related matter, it's been three years since I stopped performing live and I still have terrible performance anxiety nightmares, like last night's where I had to play an unrehearsed showcase solo and got harshly critiqued in front of the audience afterward. Love too have donkey brains.