Well sure, a lot of kids that start playing in school end up dropping out of band or stop taking piano lessons, etc. Lots of reasons for this - music just isn't their thing after all, not willing to put time into practice, don't like the music they're playing, or just a short attention span. I seriously doubt many quit because they can't learn to read simple sheet music played in school bands and orchestras.
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Things that surprise you about other musicians...
- Thread starter glocke1
- Start date
Well sure, a lot of kids that start playing in school end up dropping out of band or stop taking piano lessons, etc. Lots of reasons for this - music just isn't their thing after all, not willing to put time into practice, don't like the music they're playing, or just a short attention span. I seriously doubt many quit because they can't learn to read simple sheet music played in school bands and orchestras.
Where I come from, music is still a manditory part of the corriculum through 6th grade. After which, it is an elective for the students. Most students learn to rwad music in school in kindergarten and 1st grade. Our school district is strong against most of the country though and over 60% of all students are on the honor roll (above @ 3.2 gpa). Our district embraces the arts and music and sees it as a potent part of education. Those figures were given at this springs scholastic achievement awards.
Kids are sponges for information, and can easily learn multiple launguages, music is a language and I believe you may forget that. I'm sure there are children who don't get it and those who are unable due to other issues. On average though, most basic music is completely learnable by small children. The biggest issue (as with anything with children) is to make it fun and to keep their interest and that firmly falls on the shoulders of not only the teachers, but the parents also. Anyone who has had kids knows that just about anything can be the most boring thing to a child, it's all about the perspective, the fun and the ability to teach dilligence. Basic developemental psychology.
-Benny
Thank you for keeping it on point. Sight reading standard notation is a relatively simple code that is well within the abilities of all young children of average or above intelligence.
Can kids learn to talk without learning to read? Of course! But does that completely devalue reading the printed word? Hardly!
The same applies to music learned intuitively and by reading standard notation.
Exactly. Music is a language, and young children are better at learning languages.
I am mainly surprised at the number of musicians with good/great technical skills who can't groove to save their asses.
I guess it must be 6 years old...
And musical notation isn't a graph, any more than a page of English is. But I digress...
Musicians who are "full time". Only play in a band, no other job, yet can't ever seem to learn a song. They show up at rehearsal or a gig and haven't worked on it yet. They did however manage to sit at home and record youtube videos of themselves showing you how good of a "musician" they are.
You mean this difficult, indecipherable graph?
I can assure you, after 18 years as a private music teacher, I have yet to have a student age four or older stumped by this concept.
A picture is worth a thousand words
That's funny! I'm in 3 bands and have a full time job. I can't say that I ALWAYS finish my pre-rehearsal homework (who does?) - but most of the time I do.
I'm pretty much in the same boat now. Between two kids and work, it's not exactly high on my list of priorities to try and slog through the process of landing a gig I really want, which takes serious networking that would take me away from real life to the point that I'd be neglecting my family if I did. I'm playing in a couple of bands within the "classic rock" genre and they both have some very talented cats, but are very good at classic rock and not much else. The stuff I listen to and cut my teeth on playing out is totally lost on them, but to be fair they're all at least 20 years older than me so I think a lot of it is an age thing. Classic rock becomes a comfort zone for people that didn't step too far outside the box or are too busy with life to take the required steps to move forward musically, IMO...but it pays! I think I'm becoming that and if you asked me 10 years ago if I ever thought I'd be there, I'd tell you to eff off.
Wedding bands doing top 40, cruise ship, jazz combos and officially endorsed tribute acts are in another league entirely and are usually made up of what real professional musicians look like, as opposed to what most rock star fantasists have in their heads as they strum through another round of Sweet Home Alabama.
Another cool aspect of where I come from, our state does rhythm tests upon entry to school (4k), these tests are more focused around cognitive abilities as well as fine motor skill attunement.
So since I've only responded to content in the thread and not directly to the thread, I will now.
What suprises me are the number of "musicians" who are all around flakey and are more so hobbiests at best. Would make things much easier to just be honest with the amount of commitment their willing to put forth.
I may not have pro musician abilities, but I've booked tours, been poor and hungry as well as able to pay my bills. At times, it wasn't as much fun anymore... move on, do something different, network more, keep at it through ups and downs. I was never a pro though, and I could never session (even though I have great time). I just had a musicians drive and want.
Now I have a family, need to make large amounts of money and a computer and interface are my buddies and sometimes I jam with close friends but nothing serious. To bring this full circle, at this point I wouldn't try out for a touring band knowing I couldn't tour.... but the things I have seen pulled...
-Benny
So since I've only responded to content in the thread and not directly to the thread, I will now.
What suprises me are the number of "musicians" who are all around flakey and are more so hobbiests at best. Would make things much easier to just be honest with the amount of commitment their willing to put forth.
I may not have pro musician abilities, but I've booked tours, been poor and hungry as well as able to pay my bills. At times, it wasn't as much fun anymore... move on, do something different, network more, keep at it through ups and downs. I was never a pro though, and I could never session (even though I have great time). I just had a musicians drive and want.
Now I have a family, need to make large amounts of money and a computer and interface are my buddies and sometimes I jam with close friends but nothing serious. To bring this full circle, at this point I wouldn't try out for a touring band knowing I couldn't tour.... but the things I have seen pulled...
-Benny
I guess I'd say people that don't seem to care about good technique, tone, etc. I came up playing in the metal scene/hardcore scene, and I often got complemented on my bass playing abilities. I guess it's because I always admired players from different genres, and I made sure I was playing with good technique and good timing, tone, etc. Always striving to be better 
1. Decent players who constantly have to prove how good they are and treat everything as a competition while accomplished musicians generally are humble.
2. Ignoring stage presence at live gigs.
2. Ignoring stage presence at live gigs.
I'm surprised at the sheer number of guitarists I know of at school who have got at least four months of tution (at school of course) and still don't know how to tune a guitar without a tuner. At least tune in proper intervals, man (4th-4th-4th-M3rd-4th).
I learned to read music about the same time I learned to read words.
The Nashville system is related to the classical Roman Numeral system, but has evolved over the years into a distinct way of quickly notating form and harmony. It falls short though, when the harmony gets sophisticated, though. As the bassist in several steel guitar show house bands, I can attest that Ellington/Strayhorn's "Solitude" written in Nashville numbers would be daunting even for the most experienced user of that system.
https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Nu...38&sr=8-1&keywords=nashville+numbering+system
https://www.amazon.com/Nashville-Nu...38&sr=8-1&keywords=nashville+numbering+system
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How people compose multiple songs.
I can play pretty well and in just about any style. But to date, I have only penned about 5 songs. That is an average of one every 6 years. I hate that!
A composer buddy tells me it is because I am working with the wrong instrument.
I think it is just inability.
I can play pretty well and in just about any style. But to date, I have only penned about 5 songs. That is an average of one every 6 years. I hate that!
A composer buddy tells me it is because I am working with the wrong instrument.
I think it is just inability.
EGO > Enjoying the Music
Musicians are some of the worst people out there.
Musicians are some of the worst people out there.
