Many of us are just too scared to record ourselves and publish it for all the world to see. What if we could all appreciate the guts to do that a bit more. Maybe we would grow in confidence to do just that. Therefore, a pat on your back or shoulder
I can understand this. I've been very lucky. When I retired I decided to get back into enjoying playing my guitars and having a good old sing even though I'm not really a 'singist'. I 'performed' at a few open mic nights. I also took up trying to learn the ukulele; an instrument I'd always admired but never played. I was lucky to find UU very soon after, and our members here have always been both kind and supportive towards anything I've posted. I started my youtube channel which now has well over 100 videos on it, and most of my subscribers there also leave kind and supporting comments, encouraging my efforts.
There ARE of course web sites and groups that seem to attract members who seem to be there
JUST to slate the efforts of others. I've been to them and left them. Most of the rude, derogatory comments were coming from people who don't play a note themselves (I have a relation who's a prime example of that and who gives me a hard time every time he sees something I've done) or people who boost their own egos by belittling the skills and/or efforts of others. You'll soon find out the good from the bad, and which sites to avoid.
However, I accepted a long time ago that not everyone would like what I do. Even the musical greats have their detractors who don't like their music, and that's fine - we ARE all individuals after all. It would be boring if we all liked the same things, and there would be no diversity, no variety, every 'artiste' (Haha...'artiste'....me? I'm a fat, bald guy with a guitar who likes making a noise! lol) would sound similar to everyone else around. Playing for ourselves is great fun. Performing to others - especially when they've enjoyed what we do - is a real buzz, so I would encourage anyone who currently doesn't record and show themselves to give it a go when they feel ready.
Do what you do because you enjoy it. As musicians (of whatever level) we have to toughen up and accept that others will either like what we do or they won't, we have no control over that, but most genuine lovers of music and playing - and THEY'RE the one's who matter - will support you and encourage you in your journey offering constructive criticism and feedback where necessary. There are guys and girls all over the world who play. They are all kinds of ages, shapes and sizes, and all at differing levels of ability, but we are ALL bonded by our love of making music.
It CAN be difficult, but we need to learn to
ignore those who are unnecessarily rude towards us and (as Sid James would've said) 'Carry On Regardless' because we can't let them spoil our enjoyment of what we do. If we do, we give them a power over us we don't need them to have.
Please give it a go. We'd love to see and hear anyone who enjoys making music, and you certainly couldn't have a nicer or safer platform for your fist efforts into recording than here on UU.
Sorry for my lengthy waffle above, but this is something I feel so strongly about....x