Thanks for the replies. I guess in my head I know it isn't just me that feels this way, but sometimes I get so caught up in the technology that I begin to feel a bit isolated from creativity and even from other musicians.

I guess I think much as you guys / gals do on this subject. Rikki, I identify. I realized as my life became busier and filled up with other things that I couldn't realistically work with a band all the time, so I turned to drum machines and then arrangers to help me.

This was good, but I found myself always looking for the next great tool. In the end, I too lost sight of what I wanted to really do.. make keyboard based music. Playing keys at times almost became an afterthought.


There have been some positives. I have learned a lot of cool studio tricks over the years. I've realized that try as I may, I can't always emulate certain aspects of a rythym guitar on keys in the way a real guitar player does it on a real guitar. The tools have improved vastly, but a guitar is still a guitar. So.. I finally gave in and have learned to play guitar. I'm not great at it, but I can get by. Ditto drums. Programming beats actually made me want to play on a real set.. so now I do when I can.

Thanks Gary, Russ, Rikki, and Andy. I feel just a little less isolated from music itself right now.

Don, I don't know you personally, but I,ve seen enough of your posts that I suspect your reasons for changing are quite valid and reasonable. Nothing that I've seen posted from you makes me think of gear lust. Changing one or two or even a few boards a year in support of your livelihood is one thing.

Spending countless hours trying to improve on an already over complicated system and trying to learn to work with many synths and related tools at the same time, and still sometimes not being satisfied is quite another. Unfortunately, at times, for me it has been the latter. I think I've finally gotten away from it. I hope to stay that way for a long time.

Regards,
AJ



[This message has been edited by Bluezplayer (edited 03-12-2005).]