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jazzguy
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07 Nov 2007, 3:57 pm

Being a musician means you HAVE to work with others. Maybe I'd be happier if I was a painter or a writer, but I'm a composer and drummer. I write and play jazz, and I'm getting my own band together.
Without having really given it a lot of thought, I now find myself in the position of having to be a "bandleader," which requires a lot of focus and a certain amount of "authority." But sometimes I feel it slipping away and I just want to go away to be by myself.
Now to play jazz you have to good, and these guys are good, very good musicians. But the music I write is a little different, and they spend a certain amount of time talking about how "difficult" it is, especially my use of odd meters and my non-functional harmonies. I'm used to seeing a lot of chuckling and head-shaking when they look at their sheet music for the first time. Sometimes this makes me feel like a fraud, I can't help it. The thing is, the music sounds great when we're playing it, and all I want to talk about with these guys is the music, not the concepts behind it. I feel like sometimes I'm having to assume a defensive posture. Also I've never been any good at musicians' "small talk." It can feel like a real balancing act sometimes, and I find that afterwards I'm quite exhausted.
Are there any other Asperger's musicians here, who maybe know the sort of thing I'm talking about?


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Helek_Aphel
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07 Nov 2007, 4:05 pm

I'm considering becoming a musician, so I could eventually know what you mean.
I've also written very strange songs. One song I wrote in 5/8 time because of why I was writing the song in the first place. In another song, I ended on the submediant chord, also because of the reason of why I was writing the song in the first place.
I am definitely not excited about having to work with others.



NaryuHara
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07 Nov 2007, 4:29 pm

I'm not sure if I can quite call myself a musician, however. I've played the violin for somewhere around 6-7 years in school orchestras. But that was close to 4-3 years ago.



edal
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07 Nov 2007, 4:38 pm

Add me to the list of AS musicians, I play jazz clarinet or the sax if I'm pushed. I can't write stuff though, I leave that to other people.

Ed Almos



Spaceplayer
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07 Nov 2007, 4:50 pm

Being a musician doesn't necessarily mean HAVING to play with others. I stopped playing with others after I discovered multitracking. I got tired of no shows, unserious people, and singers dying of heroin. I do all the instruments myself and get more done. Granted, if I wanted to play my stuff live, I'd need a band, but I could potentially write solo pieces for one instrument as well.



Spaceplayer
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07 Nov 2007, 4:50 pm

Being a musician doesn't necessarily mean HAVING to play with others. I stopped playing with others after I discovered multitracking. I got tired of no shows, unserious people, and singers dying of heroin. I do all the instruments myself and get more done. Granted, if I wanted to play my stuff live, I'd need a band, but I could potentially write solo pieces for one instrument as well.



beau99
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07 Nov 2007, 4:55 pm

I'm not an actual "musician" as in I don't play instruments or anything.

However, I do sing and produce synth and loop-based music.


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mikegee
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07 Nov 2007, 6:44 pm

jazzguy wrote:
Being a musician means you HAVE to work with others. Maybe I'd be happier if I was a painter or a writer, but I'm a composer and drummer. I write and play jazz, and I'm getting my own band together.
Without having really given it a lot of thought, I now find myself in the position of having to be a "bandleader," which requires a lot of focus and a certain amount of "authority." But sometimes I feel it slipping away and I just want to go away to be by myself.
Now to play jazz you have to good, and these guys are good, very good musicians. But the music I write is a little different, and they spend a certain amount of time talking about how "difficult" it is, especially my use of odd meters and my non-functional harmonies. I'm used to seeing a lot of chuckling and head-shaking when they look at their sheet music for the first time. Sometimes this makes me feel like a fraud, I can't help it. The thing is, the music sounds great when we're playing it, and all I want to talk about with these guys is the music, not the concepts behind it. I feel like sometimes I'm having to assume a defensive posture. Also I've never been any good at musicians' "small talk." It can feel like a real balancing act sometimes, and I find that afterwards I'm quite exhausted.
Are there any other Asperger's musicians here, who maybe know the sort of thing I'm talking about?


I dont mean to disagree, but your first sentence is incorrect. if you are a musician, you do not have to work with other musicians, this is a true fact. but it is cool if you can, or want to... "HAVE to" an an absolute. Absolutes are not wise. It offers no alternatives...



mikegee
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07 Nov 2007, 6:45 pm

by the way, here's my music website:

myspace.com/mikegeorgemusic

real aspie music from a real aspie! hope you like...



jazzguy
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07 Nov 2007, 6:52 pm

mikegee wrote:
jazzguy wrote:
Being a musician means you HAVE to work with others.


I dont mean to disagree, but your first sentence is incorrect. if you are a musician, you do not have to work with other musicians, this is a true fact. but it is cool if you can, or want to... "HAVE to" an an absolute. Absolutes are not wise. It offers no alternatives...


You must work with other musicians to play jazz. There's no other way to achieve the group improvisational aspect of jazz music. Jazz is live music. And I write music for a small jazz-ensemble. There's just no alternative to working with other players, nor would I consider one. It's just the way it is.


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beau99
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07 Nov 2007, 6:54 pm

mikegee wrote:
by the way, here's my music website:

myspace.com/mikegeorgemusic

real aspie music from a real aspie! hope you like...


I like what I'm hearing.

I'll add you to my friends list.


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jazzguy
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07 Nov 2007, 7:06 pm

mikegee wrote:
if you are a musician, you do not have to work with other musicians, this is a true fact.


You sure as hell do if you want to make a living at it. I'm a professional musician, maybe I should have made myself clear. Went to music school in New York, the whole deal. THAT was a difficult stretch...how I made it out I'll never know. But I rather dug living in New York.


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mikegee
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07 Nov 2007, 7:28 pm

it's cool; we all are entitled to our own opinions. no worries...



mikegee
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07 Nov 2007, 7:29 pm

beau99 wrote:
mikegee wrote:
by the way, here's my music website:

myspace.com/mikegeorgemusic

real aspie music from a real aspie! hope you like...


I like what I'm hearing.

I'll add you to my friends list.


thank you! I like your site too... I'll accept your friend request in a bit, ok? thank you for your vote of confidence!! !

mike



MysteryFan3
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07 Nov 2007, 8:14 pm

Maybe the other band members came in expecting to make more of a contribution to the music, but they're a little frustrated. Hopefully they'll catch on as you all get to know each other better.


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Maxx
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07 Nov 2007, 10:06 pm

Musician? Why, yes I sing. Been singing ever since I was very little and I enjoy it.


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