Poll: Are you a musician?

[metaltim]

My musical skills begin and end with turning the stero on

Well it's apparent where your spelling skills end.. or perhaps it's your editing skills:rockin:

 

[Clayton]

I voted no, I wonder how much this threads voting, mirrors amrican idol try outs?
how many of thoes clowns on there consider themselves musicians.
I can play a few instrumens at a neophyte level bass,drums, and play the keyboard more so.
but them I can weld a hell of a lot better than I can play and I dont consider my self a welder ether, because I dont spend 10+ hrs a week doing nor have I ever made money doing it.

conversly I do spend 10+ doing or aleast thinking about the hobeys-skills I do love and am proficient in.

mu⋅si⋅cian  /myuˈzɪʃ

ən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [myoo-zish-uh

n]
–noun
1.a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music.
2.any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music.

 

[Bassman]

My username may give it away, I'm an amateur Bass player. I can also play a little guitar and find the notes on the piano.

 

[Glasfeena]

I've been taking guitar lessons at the Old Town School of Folk here in Chicago for about 4 years now. It's such a nice atmosphere to learn to play as an adult--low-stress group classes, and they encourage you to bring boozahol to class

I'm attempting to learn the Irish Tin Whistle on my own as well. That's a fun instrument.

My SWMBO on the other hand, she plays a multitude of instruments--her undergrad major was piano, she's a classically trained vocalist, plays viola in the Chicago Bar Association Symphony Orchestra, and plays guitar, bass and drums. I only hope my offspring are as musically interested as she is.

 

[vballdrummer]

Drums, since the mid-70s

 

[chardo]

I don't know if i'm a musicison but I do own 2 guittars, 2 pianos, a banjo and bagpipes.
Mostly I play the raido.


CHARDO

 

[Sedge]

classical guitar, drums, bass and some composition. Musicians like beer, who knew?

\m/

 

[mcstout]

define, I make music via Fruity Loops but am not good at playing any instruments. Well, I can keep time and sort of play drums, but that is it.

 

[alcibiades]

I play the tombak - probably nobody here has heard of it. It's the main percussion instrument of Persian classical music.

 

[EddieWess]

I don't know if i'm a musicison but I do own 2 guittars, 2 pianos, a banjo and bagpipes.
Mostly I play the raido.


CHARDO

Well, you qualified up until you said banjo 8^)

 

[Evets]

"Well, you qualified up until you said banjo 8^)"


Uh! You're killing me!

 

[flyangler18]

I play the tombak - probably nobody here has heard of it. It's the main percussion instrument of Persian classical music.

Sure do! But I know it more as a doumbek.

 

[stageseven]

Music major, classical guitar minor, ended up as an audio/mixing engineer & video editor.

 

[Sedge]

Music major, classical guitar minor, ended up as an audio/mixing engineer & video editor.

I find playing some Milongas on the guitar is the perfect way to pass the [mash] time. I have however marred one guitar with sanitizer

 

[MrWednesday]

I play the guitar and mandolin. I also dabble in some electronic stuff. Mostly experimental stuff like gameboy hacking that I'd never let anyone listen to.

 

[stedtale]

Bass upright/electric: 22+ years
Guitar acc/electric: 15 years
Mando: 13 years

I play all sorts of music. Most of my time is spent keeping the back beat for worship music for several places around town and several bands that I am the "fifth" member of (i.e. when their bassist is out of town or when their bassist wants to play guitar - they call me in).

I was in bands, many bands for years. R&B, funk, ska, punk, rock, folk, fusion, jazz, orchestral. Now that I have a family, I really like being the first string "call guy". I get to play with lots of people, lots of styles and have - basically - zero commitment. Well, I have as much commitment as I want. I'm always getting calls 12-24 hours before a gig/show/service/etc and jumping in at the last minute. It keeps my chops up and introduces me to new people and new music all the time.

Here's my newest baby, made by the soon to be famous, Wilser Ramirez: http://ramirezbass.com/joomla/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=46&Itemid=54

 

[Corkster]

I voted no, I wonder how much this threads voting, mirrors amrican idol try outs?
how many of thoes clowns on there consider themselves musicians.
I can play a few instrumens at a neophyte level bass,drums, and play the keyboard more so.
but them I can weld a hell of a lot better than I can play and I dont consider my self a welder ether, because I dont spend 10+ hrs a week doing nor have I ever made money doing it.


mu⋅si⋅cian  /myuˈzɪʃ

ən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [myoo-zish-uh

n]
–noun
1.a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music.
2.any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music.

According to the OP, the currently used definition of musician as pertaining to this particular thread does not necessitate many hours a week, or professional level skills......

How many of us are musicians of some sort? Musician includes any instrumental or vocal capabilities...

 

[Martlet]

I play the bagpipes from time to time.

 

[stedtale]

I voted no, I wonder how much this threads voting, mirrors amrican idol try outs?
how many of thoes clowns on there consider themselves musicians.
I can play a few instrumens at a neophyte level bass,drums, and play the keyboard more so.
but them I can weld a hell of a lot better than I can play and I dont consider my self a welder ether, because I dont spend 10+ hrs a week doing nor have I ever made money doing it.

conversly I do spend 10+ doing or aleast thinking about the hobeys-skills I do love and am proficient in.

mu⋅si⋅cian  /myuˈzɪʃ

ən/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [myoo-zish-uh

n]
–noun
1.a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music.
2.any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music.

By these standards, I am a musician. But, I have a more, shall we say, "liberal" approach to it. I think the line is pro/non-pro. A pro gets paid. I know several musicians who don't get paid, but can play better than some "pro"s.

I do understand the American Idol comment, but music is a language, some just speak it more fluently, some have a different accent, some can't hear themselves speak...

IMVHO: If you can create music, and you enjoy, then you are a musician in my book.

 

[TheBeerNerd]

I don't play much anymore, but I'm a professional live sound enginner, so I make a living in music. Does that count?

 

[JByer323]

I dabble in acoustic guitar (been playing four years or so), do a bit of composing and vocals, and play a mean blues harmonica.

 

[Grizzlybrew]

According to the OP, the currently used definition of musician as pertaining to this particular thread does not necessitate many hours a week, or professional level skills......

By these standards, I am a musician. But, I have a more, shall we say, "liberal" approach to it. I think the line is pro/non-pro. A pro gets paid. I know several musicians who don't get paid, but can play better than some "pro"s.

IMVHO: If you can create music, and you enjoy, then you are a musician in my book.

I think most of us true "musicians" could agree that pro/non-pro in no way refers to the quality of the art being produced. There may be a correlation, but not a definite relationship. There is a difference in profficiency and creativity and both should be valued for what they are.

If you produce any array of tones, beats and/or rhythms, then you are a musician...

This is my word as OP. And as such is beyond contestation...

jk. I'm really enjoying this thread

 

[Corkster]

If you produce any array of tones, beats and/or rhythms, then you are a musician...

This is my word as OP. And as such is beyond contestation...

jk. I'm really enjoying this thread

Yeah! That's the point I was defending.. just not with as much clarification or artful articulation as you did!

 

[SankePankey]

I am a professional saxophonist and I've been playing since I was 4 1/2 (starting with piano). I've done guest soloist work with Rosemary Clooney, Cincinatti Pops and other orchestras, have played in The Temptations and 4 Tops horn sections, and I've toured around the country with my former band opening up for Willie Nelson, Nora Jones, Little Feet, Maroon 5, and (as a soloist) also for Doc Severinson, Dave Brubeck and many others. I'm on several albums distributed nationally and have studied music all my life. Play my doubles decently, too (flute, clarinet).

Now I am a wine salesman for a day job. I love beer, obviously, too. I find my appreciation for them is very similar to my appreciation for music. Both are interactive (speaking of live music) arts and are transitory in a very abstract way because of the connection to memory. They have more in common, IMO, than say visual art- I think. You will find several musicians in the wine sales business, too.

 

[lackey2000]

It's confirmed. This forum is full of hippies.

 

[MisterGreen]

Wow, 2 to 1 musicians to non. Interesting.

Bass player for 15+ years here. Also a budding guitar player.

 

[JonK331]

Acoustic and electric guitar player for 18 years or so. Dabbled in electric violin for a couple of years but have not picked it up for a while. Also, can play bass if needed.

 

[brrman]

Acoustic/electric/bass guitar and vocals for about 20 years. Oh - as well as the bongos and harmonica.

 

[Khemikal]

Picked up trombone in 5th grade and have played it since (15ish years). Senior year of high school I made the move to bass trombone. Played that through college (borrowing tuba parts when necessary). I've played with a handful of community bands and other local symphonies. Life has moved on, so playing has taken a back seat until I have proper practice space (buy a house) and a find a group to play with.

Started bass guitar my junior year of high school and very lightly dabble with it. A lot easier to jam with friends with the bass guitar than the bass trombone.

 

[qbst]

Classically trained vocalist here. And I play the piano, though it's been a while.

Now teaching myself guitar - or trying to.

 

[glenn514]

I retired about 18 months ago from a full-time church music director position I held for the past 12 years. Part of my responsibility was to work with the children in the Christian Day school, primarily grades 5-8. I directed two bands, two handbell choirs, and two vocal choirs all in the school, as well as the church's adult choir and adult bellchoir. In addition, I played for the vast majority of worship services [4 each weekend] at the church.

Even though I am now retired, I still play for worship at a smaller church about 20 miles from me. I play there at least twice each month.

So, although I was originally trained as a classroom teacher, my master's degree is in church music. I guess that made me a professional musician?

glenn514

 

[jkreuze]

I have been playing on and off for twenty-five years. I like the shredding but got a degree from Berklee School of Music back in the 1990s so I have the jazz theory and a solid musical foundation. Having relative pitch helps quite a bit (my sister has perfect pitch, jealous!). I am definitely not pro.

Been trying to work some Shawn Lane techniques into my stuff recently but his technique is like learning to speak to aliens.

 

[jfr1111]

Bass player/singer. I was "pro" in the sense that gigging helped me pay my car payments, but a total amateur talentwise. Working musician is more like it.

I got tired of lugging around heavy amplifiers so I switched to lugging around heavy carboys Haven't touched my instrument in over a year... I'm mainly keeping them as a gift for future children.

 

[SpanishCastleAle]

Pfft, who can't play Shawn Lane at double-speed while druck.

 

[cclloyd]

Played sax (alto and bari) from 4th grade through high school. Still have a huge appreciation for music and the talent and dedication it takes to master a craft. Plunk at the guitar from time time with no real effort towards improving, just like to make noise.

 

[vast_reaction]

I also played the sax (tenor) through middle school into high school, dabbled in the guitar, and now after 2 or 20 beers, I'll mix loops into Adobe Audition and do really ridiculous improvised rap or scat to them. That's music, right?

 

[Jim Karr]

Pretty good at solo harmonica, can't play worth a damn with a group. I belt out some decent vocals at karaoke. My signature tune is Sam and Dave's "Soul Man".

 

[stevedasleeve]

Composer, music prof. experimental electronic performer (real-time mostly in collaboration with dance & live video.)

 

[r2eng]

Interesting poll!

Bass guitar and 5-string Banjo. I used to give banjo lessons: my instructor of 7 years was awesome, and inspired me.

Funny thing is I don't like listening to Bluegrass, but LOVE to play it.

 

[Pickngrin]

I play guitar. I've been screwing around with it for over 20 years now (yeesh, that makes me sound old) and recently have been jamming with a hobby band, working on a number of tunes. 68% voted yes, very cool.