I'm a college student studying music at a community college, will finish this spring. But being surrounded by unmotivated musicians at a community college has started to throw off some of my attitudes towards music. I've never had this problem before. I just don't get as excited as I used to when I would learn a new scale or hear a great lick that I HAD to learn. It has just started to feel like work.

What is it about music or guitar that brings you back to it time and time again? What about music inspires you to persevere? On a side note, do you pay attention to lyrics and do you think lyrics are important?

When I was studying Literature, I remember reading a number of writers opinions to the effect that studying it was often a good way to kill the joy of reading. Especially if it resembles hard work.

Can't see why it's couldn't be the same for music.

I enjoyed my study, it opened up a different appreciation. But trying to learn to play music is often work, so aspects of it can be less enjoyable.

Tastes good? Smells nice?

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I have some Fender gear.
(Telecaster, Jaguar, Villager 12 String. Mustang l, Bronco, SCX2, Rumble 350, HRDIII, Rumble 2x8 Neo Cab)
http://www.reverbnation.com/modwiz

Anything can turn into work if you make it your job.

And I believe lyrics are an important compliment to the music. All the talk about how music influences the young people is really referring to the lyrics. They can really be a bad influence if ya play em backwards!

Being louder and faster than everyone else.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I like the sound of it.

I still love what I've always loved about making music, it's how I express myself. When I play guitar, I can externalise all sorts of feelings and emotions that I can't express in words. The guitar is my singing voice, my crying voice, my voice of ecstacy and all points inbetween.

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my stuff on soundcloud

Words can't explain, it's in my heart, it's a big part of me.

I never feel that it's work, the rewards music gives me are amazing. I love learning, playing my guitar and creating music, some times the creativeness is overwhelming and that just makes it even better.

That's excatly why I've decided I'm not going to university to do a music course.

Why do I love it?
Well, it saved me.

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former user radio_friendly_unit_shifter

When it grabs you by the boo boo.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xH-_9cwdLug

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Gary

1- it relaxes me
2- the reaction of people when you are out playing somewhere
3- the reaction when i hear a song. it can pick me up, it can make me sad, and even make me picture things in my mind

i can't imagine life without it. it seems there is almost always music around me.

i think it is a mix of melody, lyrics, energy, riffs, beat, arrangement, producing, sound.
either it thrills me or not.

i try to learn a song by hearing out the notes. first it is work, then fun.

cheers

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It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting - paulo coelho

I like the fact that it has no limits or boundaries. Your imagination and creativity can go a long way.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

I've been playing bass now for 23 years with no idea why. It's just something I latched on to, probably around the time I was listening to classic rock at age 6, or so. I'd hear groups like the Beatles, Pink Floyd and Adam and the Ants and feel like I drank too much Pepsi.

That kind of enthusiasm led me to play bass for a mentor of mine when I was 16.

People really never forget the music they first heard as a kid. The first 100 albums and or singles are the ones that mean the most to me.

It was the thrill of discovery, hearing that great new song or someone turning you onto a cool new group.

When I first heard Instant Karma and Born To Run on the radio, I really just couldn't believe what I was hearing it was so amazing.

When my friend [who was hipper than me] played me Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere and Layla for the first time, I was like "what is this?" instantly wanted to hear more.

Another guy [basically a frenemy] turned me onto the first Santana album, which was so different than anything else out on the radio at that time.

I used to discover lots of music from AM radio and then especially FM radio and the best radio station in the Bay Area KSAN-FM.

As I wrote in another thread about rock being dead, I don't feel that same thrill or discovery anymore. Once in a while an Amy Whinehouse comes along but it's becoming less frequent for me.

So...what I love about music now is listening to the music that turned me on when I was a kid. I think once the the 80s ended I slowly became less enamored of the newer music.