Music has been a huge part of me getting better mentally the past few years, but I’ve found pretty much nobody is that interested in hearing me play, and I’ve further noticed that nobody is interested in hearing anyone play anything outside of music they’ve already heard a gajillion times the exact way they’ve heard it a gajillion times, and that does not interest me at all.

Doesn’t hurt that I play mostly French and Spanish songs in the United States (guitar, naturally).

I’ve been to a few open mics. The “best” one was just really cliquey. Another one was really isolated was just heartbreakingly isolated–that is, people would sit at their tables, go up and play, and then sit down again alone at the tables, and maybe someone might come up and say, “nice set.” Why bother?

I also haven’t run into much possibility for collaboration. Everyone once in a while, I might run into sax player, but basically everyone is playing guitar or maybe keyboard and just wants to play and sing solo, unless they’re dating someone that wants to sing. I keep dabbling in clarinet and lap steel just so I can eventually have something else to offer musically, but don´t know who would take me up on it.

Music used to be a social pursuit, I understand, but I’m kinda coming to grips with it being an almost absolutely solitary pursuit at this point. Like, I don’t think about performing anymore, I just play for myself, and it just makes me a little bit sad.

Any ideas or suggestions?