Development stages of musicians?

[kr0n]

As people grow older one watching them from aside can probably notice lots of similarities between totally different types of persons. Especially during the infant-teen period. They get excited of the same things you got excited when you were young and so on. You get my drift.

How about with musicians? I'm relatively new to music and playing an instrument but I have noticed some things pop up in my progress and people around me.

There's lots of old schoolers lurking around here with their reading glasses so fill me in here, what's your insight on this matter? How many major stages there are, how they affect the playing? Be it from the social perspective, general aptitude in playing, theory-wise, perhaps even band development (might be a bit trickier with all that member dynamics, inequality in skill/experience).

Humour me if nothing else.

[bassybill]

Sorry - what was the question again?

[kr0n]

How about musicians, do they have different stages of development, as in with kids, you got the stage where they figure out they indeed are in the mirror and start acting like it, pre-teens get that obnoxious "to the letter" type of thing where they correct you when exact details are irrelevant, the rebellious phase of teens...

Like when you realize "Hey I can play really fast!" and start wanking the bass/guitar. What other phases or stages are there?

Sorry if I'm not making sense, english is not my first language...

[finfrocka]

Anthony Wellington pretty much sums it up right here.


Anthony Wellington "Four Levels of Awareness" for a musician. From Victor Wooten:Groove Workshop - YouTube

[kr0n]

Ooh that Anthony seems like a smart guy.

[bassybill]

Yes, that's an interesting video - thanks.

[mambo4]

I love Anthony's take on it.
You could even hop over to the 'Ask a pro section' and question Anthony directly.

I'll respond with a general observation: the older I get and the more I play, the greater attention I place on listening, simplicity and space. The technical and theoretical concerns I used to invest my attention in have faded into the background, and now I focus on listening and responding to the music.

that said, I still have yet to play a gig without at least one error...