I'd like to think music is purely for enjoyment, but I'd be lying if I said I don't ever envy another person's talent. And I heard myself once say that I'd never pay to hear a person play who couldn't play better than me and thought I was a jerk for saying it. But it's all true. I'll be the first to admit, that a musician ripping it up transports me to other realms, but at the same time, I often find myself listening for mistakes at live performances... looking for a reason to criticize a performance. Having high expectations and seeking perfection is a burden for everybody and can take the joy out of a lot of things, but sometimes, I can't shake it.
Is music a competition?
- Thread starter ASATKat
- Start date
I agree. Life is not binary. Winning and losing overlooks the process.
jman72
Friend of Leo's
I think it's all up to the musician. If you want to compete, why not? Many of my favorite musicians came up through the guitar, mandolin, and fiddle competition circuit. Chris Thile? Mark O'Connor? Don Ross? These guys are some of the most insane (and creative) musicians on the planet, and they all came up through the acoustic competition circuit.
I've heard Mark O'Connor talk about it a lot, and he absolutely believes that the drive and pressure of his early competition years forged him into the incredible musician he is today. He's very proud of winning the national championships on mandolin, fiddle, AND guitar- and he should be!
I also can't imagine the pressure (and competition) involved in getting into Julliard or a major orchestra as a classical musician.
So, while I'm just a weekend warrior playing for fun down at the local bar (or at a friend's place) with no competitive drive, MANY of the most successful bands have a strong competitive streak that helps them succeed.
I've heard Mark O'Connor talk about it a lot, and he absolutely believes that the drive and pressure of his early competition years forged him into the incredible musician he is today. He's very proud of winning the national championships on mandolin, fiddle, AND guitar- and he should be!
I also can't imagine the pressure (and competition) involved in getting into Julliard or a major orchestra as a classical musician.
So, while I'm just a weekend warrior playing for fun down at the local bar (or at a friend's place) with no competitive drive, MANY of the most successful bands have a strong competitive streak that helps them succeed.
Depends on your level of creativity and willingness to stand alone.
Four decades ago I was in conservatory playing “the canon” for my instrument. Most competitive environment I can imagine. Sucked much of the joy of music out of me.
On the other hand, I have friends who are not great players but are creative and love an audience. Not making a mint, but have a life in music.
Four decades ago I was in conservatory playing “the canon” for my instrument. Most competitive environment I can imagine. Sucked much of the joy of music out of me.
On the other hand, I have friends who are not great players but are creative and love an audience. Not making a mint, but have a life in music.
Dano-caster
Tele-Holic
Try to get in to Berklee and you are automatically in competition like it or not.Musically it has always been competitive, the Jazz guys did that way back when with great relish.Life is a competition but winners and losers both die in the end...
PoorNoodle
Tele-Meister
If music is a competition, how do you score a point?
Well in addition to the intellect, fine motor skills and 10,000 hours; theres the OTHER component known as soul, emotion, feeling, passion, and to some its even some sort of spiritual or religious practice.
Go to any prestigious guitar college and see row upon row of 22yo kids with vastly superior skills from the first group.
Without the second component group though, do you still want to pay if only to see a technician?
One ascends into high performance.
The other descends into depths of the soul.
I'm primarily moved by the soul component, assuming adequate skills are present.
gtroates
Tele-Holic
People who are not from artist backgrounds or have no family members that do art as a living are often unaware of the subtle aspects of any of the arts. To someone like this it is easy to sell magazines or tv shows to by making them more familiar to the non artists majority by making it a winner takes all competition. Casual music listeners can be drawn into the “us versus them” nature of competitions because it is like having a sports team or athlete to root for. To present art as it really is, everyone has an individual trait and art is their voice to bring out their take on things as they see them, can be boring to people who want to be entertained by people winning and losing.
In college visual art classes students often have to do reports on museum trips and what moved them personally about the art they saw. It is common for the young artists to be impressed by art that is “so real it looks like a photograph.” The teacher uses these statements to ask the student, “then why didn’t he take a photograph instead?” The point being that art at its highest pursuit is a way to let the artist express the way they view things and provide unique perspectives on the world as they see it, The student who is impressed by the photo realism of an airbrush painting alone is being impressed by technique rather than content of the artwork.
Leaving the voting of singing contestants up to the viewers guarantees that the “winners” will most often posses impressive technique but their ability as a songwriter or ability to be different and unique which gives them longevity in the business is not as focused on. Very few of the contestants who end up winning are still popular years later.
In college visual art classes students often have to do reports on museum trips and what moved them personally about the art they saw. It is common for the young artists to be impressed by art that is “so real it looks like a photograph.” The teacher uses these statements to ask the student, “then why didn’t he take a photograph instead?” The point being that art at its highest pursuit is a way to let the artist express the way they view things and provide unique perspectives on the world as they see it, The student who is impressed by the photo realism of an airbrush painting alone is being impressed by technique rather than content of the artwork.
Leaving the voting of singing contestants up to the viewers guarantees that the “winners” will most often posses impressive technique but their ability as a songwriter or ability to be different and unique which gives them longevity in the business is not as focused on. Very few of the contestants who end up winning are still popular years later.
String Tree
Doctor of Teleocity
The Music BUSINESS is Competetive.
YEP!!!
loopfinding
Friend of Leo's
no, i mean to say, it's all valuable! i don't think it's a competition. just an endless web of bifurcations and rabbit holes with nuggets to bring back with you.
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Kandinskyesque
Tele-Holic
I agree, the very first place I was stung by a bee was in my left earhole.
I wonder if that's why I can play and sing around 20 Sting/Police songs.
G.Rotten
Friend of Leo's
Did everything sound swell?
Kandinskyesque
Tele-Holic
For me ( and various small gigs groups I play in) I think there is an element of indirect competition everywhere we play, in that we want to play better/put on a better show, than 'the other guys', to keep a good gig.
A lot us Baby-boomer ( IMO) play from the same pool of cover songs ( albeit many styles of music in a big pool to choose from).
And I know I want to bring something unique or different to a song that makes it ours, and I think that is competition, within frame of musicianship
A lot us Baby-boomer ( IMO) play from the same pool of cover songs ( albeit many styles of music in a big pool to choose from).
And I know I want to bring something unique or different to a song that makes it ours, and I think that is competition, within frame of musicianship
It's only a competition if you want it to be. No, it's not.
kuch
Tele-Meister
As said earlier:
The Business of music is a competition. Success in that business is a competition.
Pure music is an art.
My $0.02
The Business of music is a competition. Success in that business is a competition.
Pure music is an art.
My $0.02
Entertainers are competing for our money I guess but it’s business not so much like sports which is somewhat different business model.
