i have noticed that synth people are kind of expected to have some kind of visuals when they play live and i'm not sure if it came from djing or assuming synth people are djs or what.

i have been offered the use of a projector screen more than once and it felt like i disappointed people when i said i didn't have any visuals, like my music and my synth and stuff weren't interesting enough?

at a show i played a couple years ago, i said i didn't have visuals and they ended up getting someone else to make visuals for me so that i wouldn't be left out.

at the rooftop show a few weeks ago the other guy offered me a projector which i said i didn't need, then kept offering me the use of this cv-powered light controller which i repeatedly said i wasn't interested in, but was convinced to use anyway (and then my synth didn't put out a powerful enough signal and it didn't work, but i was fine with that)

i know my setup looked interesting because a few people took pictures of it. and i had a good outfit. why do i need visuals too?

are people with other kinds of instruments expected to have visuals? i don't like the idea of making something half-assed just to have visuals, as if they are required. and often people have visuals that are really flashy and bad for photosensitive folks, not necessarily well considered.

if i have them i want them to be as thoughtfully crafted as the music i am bringing. and i don't feel like i should be expected to have them.