My life has a soundtrack in my head. Sometimes other people can hear it when I play guitar and sing in public, but most of the time it's just for me (unless telepaths are picking it up too). Sometimes there are lead guitar riffs, sometimes rhythm guitar picking or strumming, sometimes both. I don't usually hear bass and drum parts clearly but it's like they are implied. I suppose if I were The Bicycling Bassist or The Bicycling Drummer I would be hearing those parts clearly and it would be the guitar parts that were ghostlike. I have jammed with other musicians and been in a couple of bands. When I share original songs I've written, I don't usually tell the bass player or drummer what parts to play. I count on them to have their own muse direct them. I just play my guitar parts and sing my words, if any.
Because I have my own music in my head, usually other people's music only conflicts with it and gives me a headache. Sometimes though I play lead guitar riffs in my head to whatever other music is out there in the world of other people. Sometimes that is the only way to stay sane, especially if it is country music or rap that I am being forced to listen to. I've rocked out some elevator music too!
Usually the music in my head is instrumental (I am not The Bicycling Singer, as I tell anyone who criticizes my singing), but sometimes there are words. Sometimes words just happen, and music too, as in the following clip from a recent live performance of mine. As indicated in the description to this video, it shows me creating music out of nothing with no plans or ideas of what would come next. It just flowed out like diarrhea, or maybe something nicer than that I hope!
