I really messed the ornamentation up with the tin whistle. I played about 12 years 100% by ear: that means that I didn’t know the notes in the instruments or in the melody. I try one tune and I don’t wait to get it even acceptable, I get tired of it and then I go for another tune. I change instruments quite often, I am jack of all trades and master of none. I know myself, I would start feeling like it is an obligation for me and that would be the end of it. For example if I was running a session as many musicians do in Ireland, I would end up not enjoying music at all. It has to be like this for me, there is not other way. I cannot be a musician because I consider music a hobby. Only sometimes I can do something that would be categorised as “not too bad” by a professional musician. I have a very strong hobby, something I cannot live without that it’s to play music with musical instruments. I guess that makes me more or less like everyone else I know. For me (to answer the posted question) I have a smattering of knowledge and a small skill. They can exist in the same person at the same time, to varying degrees of each, on not at all. I don’t have a better way to explain it than to say it’s a matter of skill and knowledge. And last, some just can’t make it happen either way. Some can have a deep understanding but fall short in the execution. Some can play, and play well without understanding the music he/she plays (knowing why it works as opposed to feeling). Some can play with a deep understanding of music. A musician has studied the art of music, understands the theory and the practice of music. A player plays, with varying levels of proficiency, sometimes stunningly well, sometimes not so much. To me there is a significant difference between a player and a musician. My son found there was a world of ££££s difference between being “leisure centre attendant” and “swimming instructor”! ↳ Love the definitions above: Jim Dorans, you forgot the squeezers!Īs for what you describe yourself as on your Tax Return, be even more careful with your insurance policies, especially car insurance! “Musician” is the pits, as they assume you will be doing lots of late night driving, maybe after a few illicit beers, and therefore more prone to accidents. So what does that make me? I am now more comfortable with being called a musician, though I would still qualify it with the “purely amateur” phrase. But, on the other hand, I have been playing music for almost 70 years now, and I have a few grade exams and a fair bit of theory and composition behind me, and I play a number of different instruments, and in a couple of bands, and in one of which I have been given the dubious title of “music adviser”. I must admit, I hooted with laughter when someone first introduced me as “a musician” - my usual response is “strictly amateur and enthusiast”. Just competent to do the work reasonably well. No longer an apprentice, and will never be a master. I play flute, I play mandolin, I play guitar.Īs for competence - which is a different thing - I’ve always aspired to be a journeyman musician in the old guild system sense. But I don’t strut around calling myself a musician. If that’s not a musician I don’t know what is. I’ve done minor paying gigs here and there. Then 30 years of acoustic and electric guitar, followed by 15 years of mandolin and then learning Irish flute in recent years. I had years of piano instruction as a kid, I was a soloist in the church Boy’s Choir, then played drums in teenage rock garage bands. Most people in my area define themselves by instrument, as in “I’m a fiddle player.” Usually people won’t call themselves by the more generic term musician except when talking about one’s personal history or some wider subject.įor example, I’ve always been a musician since an early age. Re: Are you a musician or a player of music?Ĭould be a regional thing. □Johnny Jay, Melody Player □ 2 years ago. Perhaps as a professional player, compose, or, possibly, in an educational capacity.Īlso, in the field of trad music and sessions, country music, even jazz etc, it is not uncommon for even truly excellent musicians to refer to themselves as “players”. He or she would also work within the field of music in one way or another. I thought the topic was worth revisiting and would be interested to hear the views of the more current members.Īs I stated, I’ve always been reluctant to refer to myself as a musican and prefer the term “player” as I tend to think of an actual musician as someone who has received or “aqcuired”the actual training and knowledge. After reading a comment in the “Spots V Ears” thread where it was suggested that one should have to acquire certain skills before he/she could call themselves a competent musician, I recall posting this very early thread.
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