What would be your definition of a musician?

[neverenoughfunk]

neverenoughfunk, the way I understand your point is that, for someone to qualify as a musician in your eyes, he/she/it has to have a certain measure of technical prowess with an instrument.

yes... i do believe a musician should have a certain measure of technical prowess with an instrument... it takes a certain type of individual to sit down at his/her instrument everyday for hours on end working on their skill set... verse... someone firing up their setup a few times a week to create a beat...

What I'd like to know is: why is this distinction important to you?

there are tons of individuals that have put their heart and soul into what you refer to as "technical prowess" with an instrument... then you have other individual with the software basically making the music for them calling themselves a musician...

It seems like you're putting down and belittling a lot of people who make music (and who, according to Webster at least, are "musicians"). Is that your intention? And if not, what then is your intention?

i do not think i am putting anyone down... again... in my opinion... if you are a musician... you know exactly what i am talking about... it is not easy...

i am not sure why no one understands the concept of playing "Happy Birthday"... i agree... you do not need music theory to make music... that begs the question... what is next? answer... your ear? therefore... if you have an ear for music... and have heard "Happy birthday" a zillion time... why cant you use your musical talents/your ear to play "Happy Birthday"... i use "Happy Birthday" because that song the avg. individual has heard it zillion times... you hear individuals say all the time... i have a song in my head and then write it... if you are a musician... and have the melody of "Happy Birthday" floating around in your head... why cant you play it... in my opinion that is part of the skill set of being a musician...

last point... you do not find it funny... how individuals know about compression, eqing, delay, chorus, etc... but very little about the actual music... for a musician it should be the other way around... why? because the actual music comes before compression, eqing, delay, chorus, etc... i.e. what are you compressing, eqing, etc...

[robogone]

neverenoughfunk, the way I understand your point is that, for someone to qualify as a musician in your eyes, he/she/it has to have a certain measure of technical prowess with an instrument.

yes... i do believe a musician should have a certain measure of technical prowess with an instrument... it takes a certain type of individual to sit down at his/her instrument everyday for hours on end working on their skill set...

So how would you define an instrument then? Would anything that makes music be counted as an instrument if someone spent hours each day at it?

[neverenoughfunk]

there is one thing for sure... individuals want the title of musician... but not willing to do what it takes to become one...

why exactly would someone need to be willing to do something to conform with what is merely your opinion?

In order to gain the respect of neverenoughfunk. Those to whom that is unimportant may safely ignore neverenoughfunk's self-chosen criteria.

Ever notice how few people support exclusionary exceptionalism / elitism for those having attributes they don't believe they possess? :-}

Meffy... i know you are the MOD... but please do not refer to me by name... you are a higher authority here... and i cant say what i really want to say... therefore... lets be fair here... just do not refer to me by name...

thanks for your cooperation in this matter...

[whyterabbyt]

Meffy... i know you are the MOD... but please do not refer to me by name... you are a higher authority here... and i cant say what i really want to say... therefore... lets be fair here... just do not refer to me by name...

thanks for your cooperation in this matter...

wtf?

[ariston]

Okay, I get it. Setting up an elite club is what's important to you. Those individuals who have duly practised their instrument year upon year deserve some kind of recompense, and at the very least shouldn't be equated with some hack with a computer and a few loops.

Your line of argumentation has nothing to do with music, but everything to do with entitlement issues. All the "real musicians" (by your definition, and I count myself among them if I may) I know personally don't subscribe to this kind of elitist thinking, simply because they have nothing to prove. The world is richer for any kind of music in it, no matter how it was made or who made it.

Open mind, big world. Closed mind.... yeah, you get it.

[neverenoughfunk]

whyterabbyt, can i hear some of you musicianship?

here is one of my tunes...




p.s. i am not a musician... but working towards it!!!

[Aloysius]

whyterabbyt, can i hear some of you musicianship?

here is one of my tunes...




p.s. i am not a musician... but working towards it!!!

Cool Track neverenoughfunk. Awesome actually!!!

[robogone]

Meffy... i know you are the MOD... but please do not refer to me by name... you are a higher authority here... and i cant say what i really want to say... therefore... lets be fair here... just do not refer to me by name...

"Kirk out"



"You know Spock.....there's a....nifty...little app on this phone....all you...have to do...is press a button....and....Look!...I'm a musician!"

[justin3am]

What is the benefit of a definition in this context?

I think the OP felt put down by a friend whose own definition was used as a kind of social weapon rather than a mental rule of thumb, and wanted validation from people who aren't involved in that interaction to back up what he(?) thinks is a valid working definition of "musician" to apply to himself.

That was my assumption as well. It seems to me that strict definitions of 'musician' (as citied by the op) or 'music' only serve to segregate. For a long time, I have felt that music is for everyone and anyone who wants to participate can call themselves a musician.

[neverenoughfunk]

whyterabbyt, can i hear some of you musicianship?

here is one of my tunes...




p.s. i am not a musician... but working towards it!!!

Cool Track neverenoughfunk. Awesome actually!!!

Thank You!!!

i do not consider myself a musician... a drummer yes... musician... hell NO!!!

[whyterabbyt]

whyterabbyt, can i hear some of you musicianship?

not any more. i used to be a musician like you, then i took an arrow to the knee.

[robogone]

Ditto here - ever since the colostomy bag incident I have been mentally unable to play the bagpipes.

[Meffy]

Meffy... i know you are the MOD... but please do not refer to me by name... you are a higher authority here... and i cant say what i really want to say... therefore... lets be fair here... just do not refer to me by name...

thanks for your cooperation in this matter...

What in the world do you mean? I have no access to your real name, don't want access to it, and if I did I certainly would never think of passing it on to anyone else. Your KVR nickname is part of your public information. In order to discuss what you've posted, I have to use that nickname.

If you would rather not have that name associated with comments that others perceive as inflammatory (aka flamebait), one solution is simple: don't post comments that others will perceive as inflammatory. Alternatively, express your opinions in a way that doesn't come off as flamebait. One little "But that's just my personal definition, I don't expect anyone else to follow it" can go a long way toward not coming off as judgmental, elitist.

I firmly believe that you're entitled to your own definition of what constitutes a musician. I believe just as firmly that I'm entitled to my own definition, as is everyone in the thread, and that none of us is entitled to impose our definition on anyone else.

Yay the second!

[neverenoughfunk]

Meffy... i know you are the MOD... but please do not refer to me by name... you are a higher authority here... and i cant say what i really want to say... therefore... lets be fair here... just do not refer to me by name...

"Kirk out"



"You know Spock.....there's a....nifty...little app on this phone....all you...have to do...is press a button....and....Look!...I'm a musician!"

actually it sounds like you use that app on the music on your soundcloud page!!! i.e. press a button... and Look!... you are a musician!!!

[robogone]

Yay the second!

Well if you don't have arms you can't be a real musician according to he who shall not be named