making music a priority in life

time for a little story as I remember it:

about 4 years ago Help Wanted was completely defunct and the desire of making music was growing strong in a few people. Fed by an interest to create something new, several people started getting together for random crazy jams. These were so refreshing and fun, we realized creating music on the fly could be rewarding. More rewarding than playing a cover of some tune only half the people knew. So, we placed a parameter on the regular weekly gathering.... no covers. This was particularly hard for some people, and newcomers would always violate the rule. Its only natural... you're in a group of people and you're not sure what to do... do something they may know. Its tough to break the habit... but we enforced it.

Over time we started to get better at this practice of spontaneous creation. We went through dry spells where no one would show up, and spells where everyone would show up and we had massive jams with 9 people. Well, I've always enjoyed it tremendously.

Its been my belief that there are 3 main ways to enjoy music:
1) create it spontaneously
2) record it
3) perform it for other people
I know you can mix and match these, but these have always been my main breakdowns. A band is usually focused on 3, and then if they get the money, 2.

They each have a different cost/benefit.
1) create it spontaneously - No cost - can be done at anytime, anywhere. Immediate joy and benefit.
2) record it - Medium cost - must take time to record individual parts, benift in the long run with an incredible recording to listen to forever.
3) perform it for other people - High cost - must practice songs repeatedly, incredible short lasting benefit of adrenaline from being on-stage and entertaining others.

I was always looking for the lowest cost approach.... I didn't have time. This regular weekly gathering was perfect !! I firmly believe that the weekly music creation was religious in nature and formed some sense of culture in all of us. I want to continue a weekly venture into music. I am now moving to a different focus. I will use the weekly time I have set aside to record a song. I will attempt to create a complete song (start to finish, writing to recording to mastering) in one sitting. This will keep the cost low, and start to afford me the longer term benefit of new recordings to listen to.