One weird question

[Yoka the Changeling]

Disclaimer:
This topics is about me whining about my problems.
So there's a good reason why you might want to avoid it.

Hi. I have a really weird question. Well, it's not the question that is weird more than a reason why I'm asking it. And I don't know how to formulate it in one sentence... so... if you still here grab some popcorn. You sure will need it.

I have a really specific problem and it involves two parts.
First - I hate my sound card. It's almost like I don't have any. I have a laptop with build in sound card and it's giving me all sorts of glitches and clicks when I use more that one vst/effect/sound library simultaneously (and sometimes even when I use one). It's clearly wasn't made for anything more that playback music. And I can't affort any sound card right now (or in any near... or not so near future) even a cheap one.
Second - I have... it will sound pretentious but it's really more a problem to me than a perk... I have almost infinite sorce of inspiration for music. I can compose several songs in a day (on a guitar or piano). But only way I can record them is... pretty much a guitar's pickup or filled with hate and glitches process of using FL Studio. And it really bugs me sometimes. For the most part I just try to not get inspired, so I don't have to deal with the fact that this new piece of music will not be produced and shared (as pretty much all others pieces).
And problem is: Yes I can record instrumental music in sh*ty quality (well, not that sh*ty. my pickup is kinda good) and post it but (here goes two parts again). First, music is a very personal thing to me. It literally helped me a lot during my lifetime. And I want to treat it properly (if it make sence). I want to make it in as good quality as I possibly can, but it's not working out because it takes forever in terms of time and a crazy amount of my sanity in terms of process. And second... instrumentals with a simple and not really good sound. Anyone interested? I'm not.

Yes, I havn't post a lot of music or something (actually only one pony-instrumental) and all that is pretty much the reason why. And I tryes to make music before ponies and failed on pretty much the same basis. I tryed to make it "with ponies" and all I've got is one recorded instrumental (which wasn't that good in a first place) and a lot of unrecorded ones.

This could sounds angsty or whiny (and it kinda is) but this is my problem. And I'm really stuck with it. And my question is: Is there a reason to make a music in a situation like this or I should quit it until I have some better... situation?

And first thing that you can say on all that (and it actually solves the problem completly) is - "get some money and buy a sound card". And before someone says that, there's a good... well, to be exact a pretty bad reason why "get money and buy it" isn't happening and will not for some unknown period of time. And let's just not go into that.

So, yeah. If you read all this: thank you. If you will comment something in a response: thank you again.

[Peak Freak]

...

[vladnuke]

Hey, a fellow Russian!
Yeah man, I haven't been in Russia for a while, but I get where you're coming from. Shit, it's the whole reason why my family got to the U.S. when I was 4. If you feel confident in your talents, go try playing in clubs. I remember in Rostov, we had the подземнka, and those guys looked pretty well off. Try hard man, and try to get to the West. Europe in general is a more electronic deal, America/UK still is rooted in the guitar. I realize that might not be an option for you. Asia has some good rock bands, but none of them speak English or Russian. Just find those underground scenes where they've still got "traditional" music, and try to see if you can get a regular spot.
Hang in there, bro.

[Sonarch]

I know what you mean, about having tons of inspiration for music, but no way to actually bring it to life, so I know where you're coming from. Since you said getting a new soundcard isn't an option right now, I see a few alternatives. One, you could do as Peak Freak says and ask someone to produce the songs you write. Two, and I don't know how viable this is, you could see if there is anyone whose computer you could borrow to produce your songs yourself. That way you wouldn't have to buy anything. Last, if you don't care so much about putting your music on the internet, you could also try playing your music live somewhere like the guys above me were saying.

I think the most important thing is that you not let all your inspiration and talent go to waste simply because of a bad soundcard. Even if none of those options I mentioned could work, you should compose as if you were going to get a nice new soundcard for your birthday or something. That's where a lot of the creativity comes from, and I think cutting off that creative outlet would be a bad thing. And maybe someday, you'll get that new soundcard and when you do, you'll have an entire library of composed songs ready to be produced.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck to you!

[Yoka the Changeling]

Thanks for your solutions.

First of all: I'd love to make money with my music. Actually with any of my talents (I'm also an artist: http://yoka-the-changeling.deviantart.com/ . and, not like with music, I happen to have a decent gear to do art), but I'm really bad at selling my talents. I'm literally have no idea how people doing that.

This reply will looks like I'm not agree with any of you but you all are right and solutions are pretty valid. I'd love to make one of them work but...

First: I'm living in the middle of nowhere. For the most part it's not so bad but it's kinda limited in terms of places I can go and make money with my music (to be exact, there's no places like that). Of course there's some bigger towns and cities around but I don't know anything about pretty much any of them. The one I know about is Moskow (lived there for quite some time) but it's 3 hours+15$ trip one way.

Second (I kinda didn't want to go there but it's hard to avoid and still be honest with you. sorry if this part will be especially weird): "Thanks" to my parents I'm kinda damaged. And a lot of situations freaks me out really hard. And as you might guess a lot of situations that could possibly give me money do freak me out. For the most part it's another topic for another time, but that's another sorce of my limitations.

As I said I'd love to make with my music. But playing on street is a very frustrating option to me. Working at studio... well, I guess I need a studio to work in (and it's kinda far away from me. and musical business in Russia is another topic for another time). Perfect thing would be to make money with just composing music (kinda make money out of my problem) but as far as I know when people say that they need a composer they mean that they need a final musical piece and not just a composition of it (which is totally understandable but...).

I guess, for the most part it was an answer to Peak Freak. So I guess I adress some words more specifically.

Ask around maybe you find someone who can help you with that, or, if everyone else refuses, you can ask me, just shoot me a PM.

As you already know, there's not that much around me. And I don't know a lot of musicians (this forum is kinda the first time when I tried to communicate with them). Thanks for the offering and I probably will PM you some of my works that wasn't shared anywhere. But you have no idea what amout of music will fall on you if you be willing to produce it.

Hey, a fellow Russian!

Hey, a fellow Russian! And I'd love to move from here sometime. But it's probably not happening anytime soon.
Most clubs in Russia are looking for bands or at least songwriters. I'm pretty confident with a guitar but I can't think of a club where I can go, play my music and get payd. I was in a band in a past (as a drummer, oddly enough) and I was invited to some newformed bands but again - I'm in a middle of nowhere. There's no clubs here. I need to live someplace else to get involved in all that sort of stuff.

Two, and I don't know how viable this is, you could see if there is anyone whose computer you could borrow to produce your songs yourself...

Well, that's also not an option. Because (story getting even darker really quick) I have no friends... just kidding :3. But the fact is - most of my friends are in Moskow or someplace else.
I probably can get a soundcard on my birthday. This actually might work. (as bad as my parents are, they do give me money on holidays)

[itroitnyah]

If you want to make money from your art, just open up a commission slot on deviantart. People will pay a good $5+ dollars if your art is just mediocre (haven't seen your art, so I can't judge it, at school atm), and the better the art is, the higher people are willing to pay. The amount of people who will buy commissions also depends on how popular you are on dA. However, you usually can't take out and replace parts on a laptop like you can with a computer, so you might want to sell your laptop and buy yourself either a better laptop in general, or just a regular computer, once you get the money to.

[Sonarch]

I go to your deviantart, click the first picture I see, it's this
http://yoka-the-changeling.deviantart.com/#/d5epyol
I think you could definitely make some money doing commissions if you can draw like this.
Looking at your other stuff, you're an awesome artist! If you need to get the word out for being available for commissions, send an email to EqD and they'll probably put you in a Nightly Roundup, because you've definitely got the talent for it. As far as music, have you ever thought about becoming a composer for something like games or movies? It sounds to me like that would be an ideal career choice.

[Kopachris]

Okay, so you can't record the music you compose, but you can still play an instrument. Can you read and write sheet music? If so, there's your solution. If not, there's your solution (i.e. learn!). You don't have to stop composing just because you can't record. Write down your music, and if you deign to share it with people, throw it up here so we can help you with the recording/producing part. (Ask some people if they'd be willing and able to help you record/produce before expecting someone to actually do so, though. I'm sure once you've explained your situation, someone would be willing.)

[Yoka the Changeling]

I think you could definitely make some money doing commissions if you can draw like this.
...
As far as music, have you ever thought about becoming a composer for something like games or movies? It sounds to me like that would be an ideal career choice.

Actually both of those things crossed my mind at some point. But I didn't think of it seriously. I will probably try do commissions (if I manage to figure out how to do all paypal and banking stuff. I'm terrible at this). Thanks for reminder :3 (itroitnyah, thank you as well)
Games or Movies composer is yeah. It's definitely a great choice for me. Question is: how do I can get involve?

Can you read and write sheet music?

I... well, I can't. But I know it's a great skill so I'm learning it.
What I usually do is - recording it badly (just one or two instruments without any effect or anything) + writing tabs (so I could figure out how to play it again). And I have quite a lot of records like this. Problem is it's just a pile of music that keeps getting bigger and bigger. And you might say that it is a good thing and I can use it later but for me it's kinda depressing. And I know for sure that if I will need to compose something and I will have gear to do it I will probably create something new, just because my source of musical creativity will start to fountaining (as it does from time to time).

[Sonarch]

Games or Movies composer is yeah. It's definitely a great choice for me. Question is: how do I can get involve?

Well, I don't know anything about the industry for that, but I do know that Makkon has some experience, as he's doing the soundtrack for the PonyKart game. Not really a paid type thing, but I bet he knows more about it than I do. You might try talking to him?

As far as a career goes, I think it's possible to compose without being able to read music, but I think learning will definitely help you. If you consider going to college for music composition, that could help you a ton as well. If you have any questions about going to college for music, I know that Dr. Dissonance, another resident of MLR, is going to University for composition, so I suppose he'd be the one to ask.

Aside from a career, you could get experience doing music for some of the various fan-projects going on in the community. There are always games and things being made that require music, and sometimes they'll request a composer to do the music for them. I know that might be a problem because of your soundcard, but you could always do the composing and team up with someone and have them do the production part of it until you get a new one.

[CommandSpry]

You have no idea how lucky you are to live in a peaceful, remote place without clubs. I just wanted to say that, good luck with your music

[Yoka the Changeling]

Sonarch
Thanks. That's a lot of good advices. I'll probably try to get involved in pony-game of some sort (if there will be someone who will produce my stuff or at least help me with it). And talking to people is absolutly helps (this topic is kinda proves it).

You have no idea how lucky you are to live in a peaceful, remote place without clubs.

I kinda have (after living in Moskow). I referring to it as "middle of nowhere" but it's actually a nice place. It's just there's not much stuff going on here. Not many places where I can go and do things.

I think this is concludes this topic. To be honest I've expected it to die immediately but it was a lot more than that. And thanks to all of you for that. My weird question was answered as indefinably as it was asked but it's ok. I got the point. I will try to do what I can to make some music happen in this weird situation I have. Most of all thanks for cheering my up :3

[Sonarch]

Anytime! And good luck with your music!