Are you a Musician or a Guitar Player?

[OceanBoy]

Originally Posted by greggorypeccary

So I guess he fancies himself to be Bob Dylan?

Yeah :)

It wouldn't be so bad, but he has to do all this obscure stuff that nobody knows. He ain't no musician. He's an image generator

[tele salivas]

Songwriter who uses whatever is available. I like horns and piano a lot too, but nothing bests electrified vibrating strings, in my book. Someday I'd like to get a pedal steel.

[castpolymer]

I am a hack, first class. I have no business calling myself guitar player or musician.

[kec!]

I'm a noodler.

[hannigan]

I have the belief that beings create reality from thoughts and would suggest that self deprecation might be an impediment to achieving musical goals.

You can be humble in your musical interaction with others and at the same time realize your greatness even if it is in the seed form (potential) .

[gpasq]

Originally Posted by hannigan

Does this have something to do with Boolean logic ?

All guitar players are musicians but not all musicians are guitar players .

Now drummers, on the other hand...

[Daddy Hojo]

As a visual artist (painting, sculpting, etc) I consider music being an extension of that. I don't really think of myself as a musician or guitarist, but rather someone who has a lot of different ways to say what I want.

[CarterK]

A guitarist knows how to play. A musician knows when not to.

Forgot who said that.

[bbmyers]

Originally Posted by CarterK

A guitarist knows how to play. A musician knows when not to.

Forgot who said that.

I think I like this answer the best. Simple yet eloquent.

Bb

[LouM]

Here in Seattle there a very few musicians or guitar players. There's a ton of bands though.

[TeleTrevor]

A muscian is somebody that makes music, I don't just mean playing guitar too music. If someboy is capable of writing a song of there own that can sing along too, play guitar with and so on that too me is a musician. People who can simply read music with lack of improv are just paper musicians, take that away from them what are you left with? And guitar and a person.
Not saying this is bad because reading music helps but when it comes down too it, I want the guy that doesn't need music but if needed can read it. That's a well rounded musician.

[acalan]

Been playing on and off for thirty years.Never would consider myself a musician.I find it a hobby. A way to relax .

[Jegonzal]

Originally Posted by gitlvr

I would call myself a musician. Not because I play multiple instruments. Or because I can read music(at least on a basic level). Or because of having had instruction(very little).
But because, when I play, I'm trying to fit what I'm doing into the music, or song, that I'm playing. In other words, I'm trying to play what makes the song sound good, not what makes me look good. I'm also trying to play with the other musicians in the group, not alongside them. In other words, trying to play what complements and fits with what they are playing, or what their particular style/approach to the song is.
On rhythm guitar, to me that means playing nice, full chords, in time, and trying to support the singer, not step all over him/her. On lead, playing the notes that fit the music, and choosing them carefully. Playing 5 or six that sound good and keep the flow of the music, rather than 10 or 15 blisteringly fast notes just to say, "Hey, look at me. Ain't I great".
On the bass, basically the same thing. Play the notes the song calls out for. Sometimes that's more notes than others, or more complicated technique. Sometimes(often times) it's just "keep it simple".
All of this also applies to the other instrument I play(piano).
To me, the definition of musician is someone who focuses more on the music itself, as opposed to the particular type of instrument in his/her hands. MHO, of course.

+++++++1

[timewave]

I think all those Mel Bay books when I was a kid were making me a musician,but 40 years later I think I just play guitar.

[Jegonzal]

To me a musician makes music using his guitar, a guitar player worries about how many notes he can play per second. I'm a guitar player hoping to become a musician.

['56Teleman]

I have zero theory background so I guess I'm a player.

[basschick22]

Both.

[mikeyd990]

To me a musician is someone who makes music. Original music. Not all guitar players are musicians. Not all musicians are guitar players. I am both.

[greggorypeccary]

Originally Posted by TeleTrevor

A muscian is somebody that makes music, I don't just mean playing guitar too music. If someboy is capable of writing a song of there own that can sing along too, play guitar with and so on that too me is a musician. People who can simply read music with lack of improv are just paper musicians, take that away from them what are you left with? And guitar and a person.
Not saying this is bad because reading music helps but when it comes down too it, I want the guy that doesn't need music but if needed can read it. That's a well rounded musician.

Originally Posted by mikeyd990

To me a musician is someone who makes music. Original music. Not all guitar players are musicians. Not all musicians are guitar players. I am both.

So I guess all those folks playing in the symphony downtown aren't musicians?



I guaran-damn-tee you that they aren't sitting around trying to decide whether they are musicians or cello players.

(and the flip side is I've heard a lot of "original bands" where I would have a really hard time calling them musicians)

[Tele Jack]

To me "musician" and "guitar player" are relative concepts. As an amateur, part time dilettante, i am both musician and guitar player relative to people who don't play and who know nothing about how music is constructed apart from turning on their playback device. Relative to pro, dedicated musicians, I am neither musician nor guitar player, but merely have music and guitar playing as hobbies.

I am a psychologist by training. Do I feel that this consumes my identity? No. I can be other things as well. Would I rather be a musician? Probably yes.

At a certain point, when you make a financial commitment to an activity so that your living depends on it, it becomes part of your public identity because others in the profession will see you as a reliable colleague. I think that that is why the distinction between amateur and pro is important.

But should amateurs get out and leave it to the pros? Absolutely not. One reason why pros can have an audience for sophisticated music is that there are amateurs out there who are interested not only in how the music sounds, but also in how it is made and thinking about how it is made is part of the pleasure of the music for them.

I am an amateur and I am proud.