Obviously, the reference to improvisation does not apply to classical musicians like it does to, say, jazz players, but they still have mastery of their instruments as the form requires.
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Hobbyists -vs- Real Musicians?
- Thread starter MultiScaleMale
- Start date
I play all originals, they're just other people's originals. Think about a symphony orchestra - all trained, professional musicians. They play all covers.
.....classical musicians still learn those archaic things called scales, right? Jazz charts are. ...? What's the challenge in improv? Really not connecting the dots you're seemingly putting out there. If you can play scales you can arpeggiate, therefore you can play jazz heads. "Hacks" know/ignore all of this and move their fingers fast so people can't "catch" them.
- Aug 21, 2003
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musician
[myoo-zish-uh n]
See more synonyms for musician on Thesaurus.com
noun
It's as easy as fishin'
You can be a musician,
If you can make sounds loud or mellow.
Get a second hand guitar
Chances are you'll go far
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows.
[myoo-zish-uh n]
See more synonyms for musician on Thesaurus.com
noun
- a person who makes music a profession, especially as a performer of music.
- any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music.
It's as easy as fishin'
You can be a musician,
If you can make sounds loud or mellow.
Get a second hand guitar
Chances are you'll go far
If you get in with the right bunch of fellows.
So basically anyone who identifies under #2 is a hack?
There should be a #3.... a person who dedicates their being to music outside of a professional classification.
A person that plays music is a musician! Be it professional or hobbies he or she is still playing music
Is "collecting intruments" and bring labelled a "real musican" two mutually exclusive things?
There always seems to be this undertone that those who "collect" instruments do so because they aren't legit players themselves.
I know so many great professional musicians who are also "collectors" in their own right... Yet this collector versus real musican myth seems to always exist.
I know so many great professional musicians who are also "collectors" in their own right... Yet this collector versus real musican myth seems to always exist.
I consider myself a student of music and the bass. I started late in life (47), nine years ago. I have played in jazz combos at the community college. I did a small concert at a church last night playing jazz standards. I have not yet played out with my own band. People that don’t play an instrument consider me to be an amateur musician. I don’t know when I will be able to call myself a Musician. I feel like I need to reach a higher level of knowledge and skill first.
Am not gonna wade through this entire thread. But wanna suggest there is a false dichotomy here.
Hobbyist/Real?
Charles Ives was an insurance executive/actuary...and one of America's leading avant-garde composers.
Eddie Henderson - jazz trumpeter (including a distinguished run with Herbie Hancock) - and an MD.
Danny Zeitlin - Teaching/practicing psychiatrist...and an amazing jazz composer and pianist.
As musicians, these folks are as real as it gets. So are they mere hobbyists?
Discuss.
Extra credit - where did Cole Porter go to law school?
Screw the pigeon-holes.
Maybe this thread would work better if the comparison had been distinction between music and other things as the source of one's living.
But that is so, so limiting for folks who have taste and aptitude for multiple things. I had a long run as a "musician." I now have a long run as a "lawyer." Shame on me for not balancing these things better over the course of my entire life...but when I look at the folks I mentioned above, along with unknown and untold others, I have a deep problem with the term "hobbyist" in opposition to "real." You can be real beyond belief, but make your living or have career interests beyond music.
So, outta here, but had to say my piece.
Hobbyist/Real?
Charles Ives was an insurance executive/actuary...and one of America's leading avant-garde composers.
Eddie Henderson - jazz trumpeter (including a distinguished run with Herbie Hancock) - and an MD.
Danny Zeitlin - Teaching/practicing psychiatrist...and an amazing jazz composer and pianist.
As musicians, these folks are as real as it gets. So are they mere hobbyists?
Discuss.
Extra credit - where did Cole Porter go to law school?
Screw the pigeon-holes.
Maybe this thread would work better if the comparison had been distinction between music and other things as the source of one's living.
But that is so, so limiting for folks who have taste and aptitude for multiple things. I had a long run as a "musician." I now have a long run as a "lawyer." Shame on me for not balancing these things better over the course of my entire life...but when I look at the folks I mentioned above, along with unknown and untold others, I have a deep problem with the term "hobbyist" in opposition to "real." You can be real beyond belief, but make your living or have career interests beyond music.
So, outta here, but had to say my piece.
Not sure what point you’re making. My post was not to discredit classical musicians in any way. Their art doesn’t demand improvisation so for the most part, they don’t seem to develop that skill. I wouldn’t suggest that it’s beyond them but rather, it is outside of their requirements. My view is that the term “musician” is not an elitist definition. If you play with knowledge and skill, you’re a musician. The creative choices you make is another issue. Knowledge and skill don’t necessarily make you a good musician, just a musician. It’s not sacred, it’s just a thing humans do like all the other arts. It’s just people expressing their creative impulses.
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Non Certified Bass Operator. That's me. A young friend of mine, who is a very good bassist was teaching me a few years ago. He told me there a two kinds of Bassists. Bass Players, and Guys that play the Bass. I told him I wanted to be a Guy that plays the Bass. Now lets stop this Circle of Fifths stuff and teach me Smoke on the Water.
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Judging the musicianship of others or of oneself is largely a waste of time.
Are you willing to work at something in order to improve musically? Are you committed to honing your craft, whatever that may be? These are the relevant questions. The most successful musicians I know are not the ones with the best gear or even who earn the most money—rather, the most successful ones are those who are constantly troubleshooting their songs, their technique, their feel ... and perfecting them.
Give me a guy or gal who will play a song a hundred times until it’s right—that’s who I want in my band.
Are you willing to work at something in order to improve musically? Are you committed to honing your craft, whatever that may be? These are the relevant questions. The most successful musicians I know are not the ones with the best gear or even who earn the most money—rather, the most successful ones are those who are constantly troubleshooting their songs, their technique, their feel ... and perfecting them.
Give me a guy or gal who will play a song a hundred times until it’s right—that’s who I want in my band.
