I think a lot of people here, or maybe just me, are missing the point of this and the last thread. It seems the overall point coming across is music theory and knowledge should be the main focus of education.
The point seems painfully clear to me. I just don't agree as it an over generalization that assumes everyone has the same priorities and goals.
A couple of ideas to consider:
1. You could have all the music theory and knowledge known to man at your disposal, and it would be of no benefit to you as an
instrumentalist if you could not competently play the lines.
2. Input the most incredible composition ever written into a sequencer and let it play without any sort of additional nuance applied like articulation, dynamics, touch, and feel. Compare this to performance by amateur and expert musicians, or even a good sequence programmed by someone who has mastered the language of musical touch and expression. Keep in mind that theory and musical nuance are separate types of knowledge. It's entirely possible to understand one without understanding the other.
My school required students to take lessons, perform in ensembles, and listen to recording; in addition to studying theory, history, secondary instruments, and voice training. During ensemble and lessons I was directed on how to produce and shape notes. Often the answer to "why" we play a note a certain way, was based upon harmonic structure or historical context, but I have a hard time believing that the only part of this experience that shaped my musical performance as a professional bassist was music theory and knowledge of correct fingering.
I would argue theory is eventually the most important factor for musicians who need to be skilled in composition and improvisation, and those who teach. But what percentage of bass players actually engage in composition, improvisation, or teaching; and how many good paying jobs are available to those that invest in an advanced music degree. In my experience most educated musicians are grossly over qualified for the positions they fill, and grossly under paid for the level education they hold.
I would agree that theory could be the pinnacle of study for some, but not the main focus for all. Most people start their musical education with a primary focus on technique and a very small focus on theory. For those who pursue music academically, the focus on theory will drastically increase once the individual begins to formally study music. However, the focus on technique will remain high until he or shes begins to approach mastery of their instrument or chooses a nonperformance music major. At this point the focus on technique tends to fall off, and the focus on theory will become primary until the individual's formal education is complete. What happens next depends upon what the musician's ongoing goals and needs are. Some may pursue advanced theory studies, while others forget most if not all of the theory they learned with exception of what is applied directly to their instrument during performance.
Often those who pursue advanced theory degrees essentially cease to see themselves primarily as instrumentalists. When this happens, a focus on technique becomes irrelevant. I believe this is where Mr Berlin may be. In a sense he has learned most if not all that he can about technique, and being a bassist is just a small facet of how he defines himself. Easy to see why theory is his primary focus. Hard to argue why it shouldn't be.
When I was in school, I hated class with my favorite professor. She was a wonderful person, an incredible musician, principle of the local symphony, and had perfect pitch. In short, I adored, admired, and respected her. I took solfege with her in my third semester and it was a disaster. In previous semesters I had always been top of my class. But the instructors in previous classes all had relative instead of perfect pitch, so they understood much better how to relate to someone who was trying to develop relative pitch. She pushed me to the point that I lost confidence in the intervals and almost dropped out of the class in frustration. I think I ended with B because she graded on a curve. but I felt like a failure.
It would have been incredible to study with her when my skills had advance to an appropriate level, but she really had no business teaching in a junior college. How could a god of a musician like her possibly relate to a mere mortal like me who did not posses her innate mastery of the 12 tones? I think many of us would perceive and relate to Mr Berlin in a similar manner.
Mr Berlin, I hold you up in the pantheon of bass demigods. I understand why you think study of technique is useless and banal; because, for you it is. I don't ask that you try to get down on our level and teach or study technique. That would be silly. But I hope that you can understand and accept that the study of technique is useful and worthwhile for us mere mortals and will stop inferring that it is a waste of time as that makes us feel insulted and demeaned.
For the record I made a very comfortable living with full benefits as a professional military musician. My formal music education ended in the third semester, but I continued to study technique and theory for an extended time as my job required intermediate improvisational skills and I was expected to perform on electric bass as well as bowed/plucked acoustic bass. Solid technical competence and versatility across styles, rather than being a monster specialized musician were keys to my success. At some point I lost my way and stopped growing, when I realized that my level of preparation and performance was often higher than the majority of others who held advanced music degrees.
Final words: I often observed that musicians who rely most heavily on theory (composers and jazzers) often have worse tone and technique than classical players who simply read the notes. There are only so many hours in the day, so people tend to develop/retain the skills that get the job done.
Every time I see the name "Jeff Berlin", the following statement immediately pops into my mind:
It might have been in a monthly column called "Chops" in Bass Player magazine, but I'm not quite sure.
