[lmilhan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by plainsong /img/forum/go_quote.gif If you try to sing correctly, and take classical vocal training seriously, then absolutely the voice is the best instrument no amount of money can buy. It doesn't make you any less of a musician than anyone else who plays an instrument.

Couldn't agree more.

Although I excel at spankin' the plank (IE: I play a mean guitar), my vocal abilities aren't all that hot. I never took vocal lessons, and I currently lack the confidence needed to let go and 'sing like no one is listening'.

I envy people who can sing beautifully and confidently and have great control over their singing voices.

 

[micaela]

I'm not sure that I still qualify as a musician since I haven't played or performed in several years. But I have a music degree & was a band director & choir director in my past life! I think having the formal music training does impact how I listen in that I"m noticing things like chord progressions & instrumentation & am able to put a name to what I'm hearing. Other untrained listeners may hear as much or more than trained musicians but not be able to put a name to it.
In some ways I enjoy listening to music more now than when I was playing myself. It isn't work anymore & I listen for pure enjoyment. When I was band directing, I spent most waking hours doing something related to music & it wasn't as fun to just sit & listen as it is now. (a funny aside though is that I still "see" marching band "pictures" when I listen to a lot of music. I picture in my mind how I might write a show around a piece of music) I also think age has allowed me to expand my musical horizons greatly! I am now very open to listening to just about anything & trying to find something to appreciate about all styles of music & I don't get stuck on just one genre as I tended to do when I was younger.

 

[Mrvile]

Yep. Pianist, violinist, and guitarist. Also I can whistle better than anyone I know or have heard

 

[Jahn]

Yes, otherwise I wouldn't be allowed to buy Alessandro cans

Speaking of which, this month's Vintage Guitar mag has an ad by Alessandro just to feature the cans, they were MS-2s, and Eric Johnson was lauding them - i think that's a big step!

 

[jdimitri]

I sing and play guitar
So.. no

 

[marvin]

Nope. Zero musical talent.

Can't play an instrument: Parents tried the whole Asian thing by sending my brothers and me off to piano lessons. My brothers progressed, I didn't.

Can't sing: I hear that I was a halfway decent singer before puberty. After puberty, a giant hole worked itself into the middle of my vocal range. Bye bye singing.

Can't keep a beat: During a singing summer camp my parents sent us off to, I was made fun of by the other campers for not being able to sing. Many fights later, I get removed from the singing group and got tasked to keeping the beat. Nope. No go either.

My parents gave up after that.

And yep, I fully realize that not being a musician has a severe impact on my understanding of music. I have a keen ear and am good at picking up detail and distortion, but can't for the life of me tell if a classical performance is good or bad as long as everything's on key.

 

[boatman7]

Yes . . . a better listener . .

Double kick trap set for the past 41 years . . .

Heavy metal, jazz, classical . . . .

No country please . . . allergic to country

[size=xx-small]Dual 606 & 1212, Hitachi tuner/preamp, Little "Hot" II+, 771X Roberts R/R, Carver T-15 final, Klips, Beyer 860's, Koss 4A. Rogers/Zildjian/Promark[/size]

 

[That dude]

Er... I play piano(for learning sake), drums(are my passion) and some guitar(just for fun). I sing in a choir and doing some musical studies but I don't think that counts...
Everyone can enjoy music. Just look at the dancers.

 

[boatman7]

The human voice is a musical instrument . . . So you singers are musicians after all . . . .

 

[Deiz]

Of my schooled musical experience, 4 years recorder, 2 acoustic guitar, 2 alto saxophone, 2 bass guitar.

Of that, I still do play bass on occasion, but am merely amateur, now - But I still retain my understanding of how music is constructed.

So, I suppose the answer is, yes, I am a musician.

 

[krmathis]

Not any more...

 

[MrJingles]

Yes. Played drums professionly for 12 years and opened for many big acts..Chicago, Willie Nelson, Restless Heart, Bad English, The Romantics, John Goodman came on stage and sang "Mustang Sally" once, Taylor Dayne and I'm sure I've forgotten some artists. It was fun while it lasted. Still have the passion, but have a family and a couple of businesses to run. Will always have a set ready to play when I feel the urge.

 

[sschell]

I've been playing bassoon for about 5 years now. Lately, I've been very interested in playing synth (oh, Moog Little Phatty, how I long for you).

 

[ooheadsoo]

Quote:

Originally Posted by saint.panda /img/forum/go_quote.gif So I don't think that musicians understand more about music than non-musicians do even though it's usually the case.

If you go to musicianship classes with the music majors, you quickly realize that just because you can play doesn't mean you have a good ear or are good at understanding different aspects of music. Everyone is different. Sometimes it's ironically funny how - just for example - how some of the singers are the worst sight singers. But boy do their wrong notes sound good! Now if only the pitch and rhythm were right...Or there's a sax player who just smokes on his instrument, but he can't transpose music by ear worth beans. On the other hand, a guy like me, who is absolutely abysmal at playing my instruments (violin, viola, trombone, electric bass) am a little above average when it comes to the history, theory, and musicianship factors - understanding music by ear. It's just got very little to do with how good you are at your instrument. Some have one or the other, some have none, few have both, and they're not necessarily famous, either.

 

[Assorted]

A... student music enthusiast