The Fading Memory of Music
“Without music, life would be a mistake.”
― Friedrich Nietzsche
I am neither a scholar nor a historian. I am simply a man of observation and theories. I am also a fan of both reproduced and live music. Of the two, live is the subject of this posting. We will never be without music, but we can be without live music, at least live music that is meaningful. By meaningful, I define as a personal interpretation that confirms to one his or her decision to be present was the best decision of the use of their time for that segment of the day. When attending a live music event, such confirmation would present itself in a multitude of ways, but the commonality would be that a person when viewing their alternative choices, afterwards, had no regrets.
When you live in a city that gives you plenty of choices then it seems almost destined that, with any decision made, there will always be some regret, because others, you favor, were playing. These “quandaries” are signs of a vibrant and healthy musical environment. For that which we failed to see today, most certainly will be sought after another day. An endless quest to see all.
Never should one leave an event in which it is acknowledged that their attendance was a total waste of their most precious resource, time. This does not categorize an event in which the music played was not to the preference of the listener. For in our exploration of sounds that please us, we will come across many that do not. These such occurrences are not a waste. They are part of the process of cultivating a collection of pleasing moments. To have one’s time wasted means that the musician(s) simply went through the motions of playing. Their presentation was such that a listener regretted their arrival, for they could have been elsewhere.
In a city that is growing, the ability to get from point “A” to “B” becomes more challenging each day. So, the effort to be at a place must be meaningful more than it ever has. But this new growth presents other challenges that are opportunities for growth in the music environment. They come with new ideas, likes, and wants. Does a music environment’s effort to preserve its identity by not changing hinder growth by deterring the “new” to join? Would an environment changing nullify the reason the new came?
It is a “Darwinian” fact that species survive by adapting. Music environments are no different. It must do so but in doing should not confirm the death of the old but simply acknowledge the entry of the new. The music environment expands and accommodates. By doing so, this gives those who are fans of the old an opportunity to enjoy something new. It also gives the new an opportunity to appreciate the old. The pie is larger. It also gives an opportunity of cross-pollination, creating something new. Yes, more competition but if one is doing what they should, continuously providing a memorable experience to their listeners, then they will not only survive but grow.
A music environment stagnates when the interest becomes solely self-survival and the unity of support is garnered only if the cause aids them directly. When a musician fails to make known the vibrancy of the environment they play in and only highlights themselves then they place themselves in the downward spiral of “survival of the fittest.” This is not a healthy field for the growth of music. Self-Actualization becomes impossible when one is not secure. Challenges should always be present to ward off indolence. But survival is the harshest of motivators because it allows us to more easily make poor decisions.
Yet this is what the growth has done to the environment. The new placed dictates that have restrained and compromised a once vibrant music environment. I beg to differ. It challenges you to adapt, change and find a new way to entertain and you are failing. Instead of self-evaluation, you seek support from all so you can keep doing that which many may not want. It could be that you were never “that good” at what you did. You survived because the environment allowed you to do so. Now, it will not. You cannot make bad wine good by pouring good wine into it. It is time for you to leave. Harsh? Don’t we all have a place? Yes, we do in life. But not everyone is the best engineer to construct a machine that will take men and women to Mars. Misallocation of talent is the worst type of waste.
Photography faces the same challenges. The smartphone saturates the field of “things” to view making it exceedingly more difficult to get known. I am a firm believer that quality will always win out, but it will do so only if it gets noticed. That is the challenge I face, and I will overcome. I am not interested in how to survive. I am interested in how to exceed so I can succeed. So, I daily strive to better myself and find new ways to present my work. I tell you this to justify my right to the words above. I am an artist too. I am living your life.
Technology has “evolved” in both music and photography and if not quickly tamed will become the master of both. Individuality will be a novelty item collected by the financial elite. We, the masses, will be subjected to the algorithms enjoyed by the majority. It is easier and doesn’t waste our time. I can sit in my chair to listen and view beauty that I thought before unimaginable. But, if I am not careful, I will become locked, i.e. imprisoned in this world that I allowed to happen. Why? Because nothing worth driving interested me enough to invest in the time to get there!
Artists, we have a choice. Set out with each presentation to give an experience like no other. Each performance is the first time. Appreciate the time of your audience by giving them something they will never forget. Make the decision of music lovers difficult because of all the great choices to be heard and seen. In doing so you will keep yourself alive. You are the key! You are an amazing incredible talent that needs to be heard. Make it worth my time. Make it worth everyone’s time. Always remember, you are doing me no favor by playing, I can listen to music anywhere. I want an experience. But this alone is not enough. The music environment needs nutrition to survive.
Keep local live music from becoming a distant memory. Uplift the entire music environment. When you are not playing, get on Facebook and post, “Hey fans, I am not playing today but this music environment is so great that you should not stay home!” OR “Go see live music!” When time is available then go see musicians you would not normally see. You may not care about their music, but you will get ideas. Cross-pollinate your music. What would happen if an accordion were worked into a few tunes of your music? Playing a saw? Yes, I have seen it!!! Magical.
Austin Music is more than a slogan. It is an experience!
