Better to be a jack of all trades or a master of one?

Cheesehead · July 10th, 2008, 05:28 PM

I'm a hobbyist guitar player who focuses on blues. I tend to be a bit attention deficit disorder when it comes to learning though jumping around from Albert King, BB King, Clapton, Hendrix, Stones, Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, Mike Bloomfield, Hubert Sumlin, SRV, slide playing...

This has without a doubt helped me learn blues. But I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't just focus on one artist like Albert or BB or Muddy and just become the guy who just nails that style of playing, rather than the guy who knows bits and pieces of different players' songs and styles - jack of all trades master of none. Any of these guys, especially guys like Hendrix, SRV, and Clapton, require an enormous amount of dedication and practice to play well. On the other hand learning a variety of styles certainly helps me evolve my own style.

Thoughts?

Jakedog · July 10th, 2008, 05:43 PM

It depends on what you want to do in the long run IMO.

If you want to be in bands, and gig and make money, branch out. If I had only ever stuck with one thing, I'd have missed out on a lot of work over the years. If it were me, and at one time it was, I would focus on playing lots of styles convincingly, rather than one perfectly. It makes you much more employable. On the other hand, if you just want to stay a hobbyist, and play for your own enjoyment, then yo umight derive a great deal of satisfaction from going through the list artist by artist, over a period of many years, and learning every note and nuance they ever played. An in depth study like that can be very rewarding as well.

Personally, I can relate to the ADD reference. I have never been able to stick to anything for very long except my own stuff. I have been in country bands, metal bands, rock bands, blues bands, a reggae band, you name it. I have even found that I can have tons of fun playing music I don't even like. Playing it, and listening to it for entertainment, are two vastly different things. That's how I first started playing country. Now I love it to death.

I am by no means a master of any one style at all. but through years of gigging and recording all of these different styles, I have developed a working knowledge of just about every genre except for classical and jazz, and that augmenting my original writing and recording keeps me from having to have a day job.

TG · July 10th, 2008, 06:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cheesehead

. But I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't just focus on one artist like Albert or BB or Muddy and just become the guy who just nails that style of playing, rather than the guy who knows bits and pieces of different players' songs and styles - jack of all trades master of none. ....

How about becoming the guy who plays like you?

kingnimrod · July 10th, 2008, 06:40 PM

I've found experimenting with different styles of backing tracks has made me a stronger player. I use Logic to record with, but lately I've been using the new Garageband as a practice tool - they have this "magic garageband" that lets you set up tracks and pick which part/instrument you want to fill in with.

as for jack of all trades - maybe, but only if you need to make a living as a musician and can't find enough work in the genre you prefer.

trag-o-caster · July 10th, 2008, 06:59 PM

Blues has always been my "thing", but I've always enjoyed branching out as well. I grew up listening to classic country stuff because of my dad being a fiddle man, and then there's my big brother's record collection, and then mom's pentecostal church. All of that influenced the way that I play.

Also, when I was young, sitting in my room practicing the guitar, I would spin the tuner dial on the radio and make myself play along with whatever it landed on. I really wanted to be a well rounded player so that I could work. I wanted to be versatile enough to at least fake my way through stuff that really wasn't my "thing".

So, my advice would be to concentrate on whatever it is that you really love doing, but it's also OK to learn some other stuff as well - and you'd be surprised how much the OTHER stuff can influence your MAIN "thing"!

Cheesehead · July 10th, 2008, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jakedog

It depends on what you want to do in the long run IMO.

If you want to be in bands, and gig and make money, branch out. If I had only ever stuck with one thing, I'd have missed out on a lot of work over the years. If it were me, and at one time it was, I would focus on playing lots of styles convincingly, rather than one perfectly. It makes you much more employable. On the other hand, if you just want to stay a hobbyist, and play for your own enjoyment, then yo umight derive a great deal of satisfaction from going through the list artist by artist, over a period of many years, and learning every note and nuance they ever played. An in depth study like that can be very rewarding as well.

Personally, I can relate to the ADD reference. I have never been able to stick to anything for very long except my own stuff. I have been in country bands, metal bands, rock bands, blues bands, a reggae band, you name it. I have even found that I can have tons of fun playing music I don't even like. Playing it, and listening to it for entertainment, are two vastly different things. That's how I first started playing country. Now I love it to death.

I am by no means a master of any one style at all. but through years of gigging and recording all of these different styles, I have developed a working knowledge of just about every genre except for classical and jazz, and that augmenting my original writing and recording keeps me from having to have a day job.

Nice thoughtful post...

Quote:

Originally Posted by kingnimrod

I've found experimenting with different styles of backing tracks has made me a stronger player.

Quote:

Originally Posted by trag-o-caster

Also, when I was young, sitting in my room practicing the guitar, I would spin the tuner dial on the radio and make myself play along with whatever it landed on.

These are both great ideas which I need to do more of. I love shuffling Muddy or Albert or whoever on my iPod and playing along.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TG

How about becoming the guy who plays like you?

An excellent argument to keep playing different styles of blues. Sometimes I'll be noodling and different licks I've learned from different players will just start to flow together, not consciously just sticking licks together but flowing with the music. Or I'll start playing Albert King licks, but on slide. Slowly I think my voice is emerging...

Telarkaster · July 10th, 2008, 07:33 PM

The is so much music out there that I'll never learn it all. But I'd like to die trying.

Play what you want. Your style will come. But don't limit yourself just one artist or genre, play what catches your ear.

Eventually you will be master of your own style.

Ricky D. · July 10th, 2008, 07:44 PM

I think you should just follow your own personal interest. Why not skip around? You are a hobby player, make the most of it.

Big Lug · July 10th, 2008, 08:56 PM

Every known artist listened and tried to emulate some other artist they liked early in their career. For a few, their inherent abilities, hard work, and just plain luck paid off to where artist are listening and trying to emulate them.

Follow your instincts. Enjoy the process of finding your sound.

e-merlin · July 10th, 2008, 09:05 PM

Well, a master will make more money at the one thing he's good at. But he will spend it all paying someone else to do the things he can't.

morroben · July 10th, 2008, 09:13 PM

At least you stick to the blues...I was playing a little earlier and worked on a Pixies song, a Kenny Burrell song, a Smashing Pumpkins song, and the same Jim Campilongo song that has been giving me fits for a couple of months now.
Talk about ADD!

beep.click · July 10th, 2008, 09:28 PM

I do original music, so flitting around has really helped me. I grew up on 60s rock and folk-rock, a lot of which seems to be based on slamming 2-3 different styles together and seeing what you get...

July 10th, 2008, 05:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
Cheesehead Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin Age: 44 Posts: 1,037 6 Photos	Better to be a jack of all trades or a master of one? I'm a hobbyist guitar player who focuses on blues. I tend to be a bit attention deficit disorder when it comes to learning though jumping around from Albert King, BB King, Clapton, Hendrix, Stones, Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter, Mike Bloomfield, Hubert Sumlin, SRV, slide playing... This has without a doubt helped me learn blues. But I sometimes wonder if I shouldn't just focus on one artist like Albert or BB or Muddy and just become the guy who just nails that style of playing, rather than the guy who knows bits and pieces of different players' songs and styles - jack of all trades master of none. Any of these guys, especially guys like Hendrix, SRV, and Clapton, require an enormous amount of dedication and practice to play well. On the other hand learning a variety of styles certainly helps me evolve my own style. Thoughts? __________________ "This is blues power!" Albert King

July 10th, 2008, 05:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
Jakedog Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Cleveland,OH But my heart's still in TE Posts: 2,981	It depends on what you want to do in the long run IMO. If you want to be in bands, and gig and make money, branch out. If I had only ever stuck with one thing, I'd have missed out on a lot of work over the years. If it were me, and at one time it was, I would focus on playing lots of styles convincingly, rather than one perfectly. It makes you much more employable. On the other hand, if you just want to stay a hobbyist, and play for your own enjoyment, then yo umight derive a great deal of satisfaction from going through the list artist by artist, over a period of many years, and learning every note and nuance they ever played. An in depth study like that can be very rewarding as well. Personally, I can relate to the ADD reference. I have never been able to stick to anything for very long except my own stuff. I have been in country bands, metal bands, rock bands, blues bands, a reggae band, you name it. I have even found that I can have tons of fun playing music I don't even like. Playing it, and listening to it for entertainment, are two vastly different things. That's how I first started playing country. Now I love it to death. I am by no means a master of any one style at all. but through years of gigging and recording all of these different styles, I have developed a working knowledge of just about every genre except for classical and jazz, and that augmenting my original writing and recording keeps me from having to have a day job. __________________ "Them that don't know him won't like him, and them that do sometimes won't know how to take him..."

July 10th, 2008, 06:59 PM	#5 (permalink)
trag-o-caster Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Flushing, Michigan Posts: 4,507	Blues has always been my "thing", but I've always enjoyed branching out as well. I grew up listening to classic country stuff because of my dad being a fiddle man, and then there's my big brother's record collection, and then mom's pentecostal church. All of that influenced the way that I play. Also, when I was young, sitting in my room practicing the guitar, I would spin the tuner dial on the radio and make myself play along with whatever it landed on. I really wanted to be a well rounded player so that I could work. I wanted to be versatile enough to at least fake my way through stuff that really wasn't my "thing". So, my advice would be to concentrate on whatever it is that you really love doing, but it's also OK to learn some other stuff as well - and you'd be surprised how much the OTHER stuff can influence your MAIN "thing"! __________________ Timothy Jon Lamb

July 10th, 2008, 08:56 PM	#9 (permalink)
Big Lug Tele-Holic Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Lower Mainland, the Great White North Posts: 571	Every known artist listened and tried to emulate some other artist they liked early in their career. For a few, their inherent abilities, hard work, and just plain luck paid off to where artist are listening and trying to emulate them. Follow your instincts. Enjoy the process of finding your sound. __________________ "Set my compass North I've got winter in my blood." Robbie Robertson

July 10th, 2008, 09:28 PM	#12 (permalink)
beep.click Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California Age: 49 Posts: 1,805	I do original music, so flitting around has really helped me. I grew up on 60s rock and folk-rock, a lot of which seems to be based on slamming 2-3 different styles together and seeing what you get... __________________ "It looked like a giant green gum drop to me."

July 10th, 2008, 06:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
kingnimrod Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Montana Sacra Posts: 459 55 Photos	I've found experimenting with different styles of backing tracks has made me a stronger player. I use Logic to record with, but lately I've been using the new Garageband as a practice tool - they have this "magic garageband" that lets you set up tracks and pick which part/instrument you want to fill in with. as for jack of all trades - maybe, but only if you need to make a living as a musician and can't find enough work in the genre you prefer.

July 10th, 2008, 07:33 PM	#7 (permalink)
Telarkaster Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Montreal Quebec Canada Posts: 1,607	The is so much music out there that I'll never learn it all. But I'd like to die trying. Play what you want. Your style will come. But don't limit yourself just one artist or genre, play what catches your ear. Eventually you will be master of your own style.

July 10th, 2008, 07:44 PM	#8 (permalink)
Ricky D. Tele-Holic Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Maryland Age: 57 Posts: 801	I think you should just follow your own personal interest. Why not skip around? You are a hobby player, make the most of it.

July 10th, 2008, 09:13 PM	#11 (permalink)
morroben Tele-Afflicted Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: california Age: 32 Posts: 1,779 18 Photos	At least you stick to the blues...I was playing a little earlier and worked on a Pixies song, a Kenny Burrell song, a Smashing Pumpkins song, and the same Jim Campilongo song that has been giving me fits for a couple of months now. Talk about ADD!