Limited or Unlimited Musical playing

[Langueta]

Wondering about something:

Why is it that so many musicians I've met only seem to play to one genre of music? (Or two at the most.)

What gives with that? The best musicians I've played with had varied tastes and were fluent in different genres. Is there some kind of law that one cannot play metal if you are also a Jazz student?

I'm a bass player, I play rock, funk, fusion, pop, disco,. Yesterday I joined a Power metal band. Great musicians, I enjoy playing with them, and I think playing metal will bring new chops to my playing.
Why limitate yourselves???

[DWBass]

This annoys me as well! Every situation I get involved in, I ask do they do any latin or jazz and I always get a NO! SMH!!

[Ed Fuqua]

Life limitates art.
Sorry, Jim Hall listens to a lot of different music, but only plays "one genre". Sonny Rollins listens to a lot of different music, but only plays "one genre". Likewise, Brad Mehldau, Kurt Rosenwinkel, Mark Turner, Bill Charlap, Peter Washington, Joe Lovano etc etc etc etc.

It's great that you like to play a lot of different kinds of music. But just because someone else doesn't, that don't mean they are "limited".

[drunkenrobot]

They enjoy playing that genre and don't enjoy playing others.

/thread

[ggunn]

Originally Posted by Langueta

Wondering about something:

Why is it that so many musicians I've met only seem to play to one genre of music? (Or two at the most.)

What gives with that? The best musicians I've played with had varied tastes and were fluent in different genres. Is there some kind of law that one cannot play metal if you are also a Jazz student?

I'm a bass player, I play rock, funk, fusion, pop, disco,. Yesterday I joined a Power metal band. Great musicians, I enjoy playing with them, and I think playing metal will bring new chops to my playing.
Why limitate yourselves???

Personal preference. There is also no law that says I have to play jazz, metal, or rap.

[amosjones]

If you are playing with a band that has a fan base, I don't think it would be wise to go to far away from the music they started coming to hear.
On the other hand I study different musical styles and try to incorporate different elements into what I play all the time.