There's a piano player/producer at my school right now from puerto rico names eddie montilla. he's a graduate from the class of 1977. he'much more of a hip hop producer, but he just got me thinking. he says that everyone should listen to all types of music, even the genres you can't stand, because one day you might need that knowledge.
To me, that sounds rediculous. Why would i ever play music that i didn't feel pasionatley about, unless it was for the money? i'm assuming most people on this site have more real-world expirience than me on this topic. when does being versatile in terms of genres become more about the paycheck and less about the actual music???? i'm imagining that with many primarily jazz musicians, there must be a real struggle with making money while still remaining true to the kind of music you feel is worth your time playing and that you are passionate about.
It seems most people in my school agree with the view that it's ok to play music you don't have a emotional connection with, in order to make money.
Comments
The most important thing is
toddc Sun, 09/19/2010 - 14:42
The most important thing is this:
Never forget why you make music!
I can tell you from personal experience that the music mercenary route is a soul killer.
You must always feed your soul and passion or it dies. NEVER EVER let the money side drive your decision about what to do.
That doesn't mean you ignore the rest of the world it just means feed your soul as much as possible. Be balanced about it. Its easy to get caught up in good paying gigs because life gets very comfortable. And usually this is associated with commercial success of some kind. Then it gets really wierd. You start believing you're successful. But everyone's definition of success is different and it changes over time too.
You are looking forward now. A time will come when you look backwards and try to make sense of your life efforts.
Never forget why you make music and you will make the right decisions.
The people who make the most money for the longest time and stay in music follow their passion!
Go for it young man. Its yours for the taking :)
Todd Canedy
Don't stop asking until you understand. Once you understand constantly confirm it.
Passion
tonymiceli Sun, 09/19/2010 - 17:43
I think as you get older your going to find out that people play music for lots of different reasons. I also think you'll find out that the reasons you play music, and the styles of music you play, will change from many different reasons.
You'll find that the styles of music you play change, you find that styles of music you listen to change, and the styles of music you don't like change. For many years I had a purist view, and put down people who didn't fit into that mold. But I'm much more understanding and accepting of the reasons why people play whatever kind of music they play.
I think it's pretty silly to say that you should listen to music you don't like, because that's going to be a very difficult thing. I think is better to say be open to listen to as much music as you can. The thing that seems to happen with me where listen to music that I don't like, as I drift and stop listening to it and think about other things.
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What Eddie means...
John Keene Mon, 09/20/2010 - 17:20
I think what Eddie Montilla means is that you should try to find something that you like or that you can relate to in as many styles of music as you can. I recently found myself (at age 58) watching and enjoying a Nine Inch Nails concert on Palladia (cable TV channel) a few weeks ago. Who would have thought?
Truth is, you may never wind up playing that music, but having a point-of-reference to most any kind of music can only be beneficial. Many musicians have an "either/or" attitude about music, but the audience (for the most part) doesn't.
[Of course, it somewhat depends on whether your ambitions extend beyond hobbyist status, and if not then I would say it doesn't matter.]
A side thought on this subject...
Randy_Sutin Mon, 09/20/2010 - 19:54
We need to be honest with ourselves. The phrase "listening to music we don't like" connotes a potential prejudice to my way of thinking. How else would we think we didn't like it before we had even heard it?
One of the things we may learn from music we are quick to pre-judge as something we don't like is that there are elements of it which we do like and wish to incorporate in our music.
Further, there are many styles of music that are not immediately accessible until the ears and heart aclimate to their motion and energy. Along those lines, I could have learned that listening to a Mozart piano concerto is boring and puts one to sleep because that was what happened when I was a child. I wasn't mature enough to allow those subtle vibrations in yet. Now, as an adult, they thrill me.
But the professionalism angle is always there and it's not new...
Through this conversation, I am also reminded of a much told story about Franz Strauss (the father of Richard Strauss, and an accomplished horn virtuoso.) He played in Wagner's orchestra and was featured many times. Wagner once was reported to have said to him that he must have loved his music because of how beautifully he played it. Franz's reaction reportedly was that the two had nothing to do with each other... in fact, he hated the music. His skill in playing it was simply evidence of his mastery of his craft.
go figure.
sometimes
vibraman Tue, 09/21/2010 - 05:05
sometimes i listen to music i don´t like just because of the vibraphon playing. most of the reocrds i have with vibes i really like the vibes part but not the music that much. or better said: it´s not that i don´t like the music but it does not touch me as much as other music except for the solo or vibraphone.i hear it more for learning and understand but i really like more music without any vibes mostley...sounds strange but it´s like that.
Be versatile
Babu Fri, 06/17/2011 - 16:30
Here my experience : from time to time I listen at "commercial" radios, with my guitar in hands and I try to play all the tunes during one hour or two. My goal is to play the right harmonies and the main lines before the end of each tune. Why I am doing that ? First, because I'm curious. Over the years I've noticed there is always something new to learn with all kind of music. Secondly to keep in touch with our actual time, we just cannot live as in a desert island. Third it's a very good ear training (don't forget it was the only way to learn new tunes 60 years ago...).
But doing that doesn't mean I'm going to play those musics on stage. I agree with Todd, if you play in front of audiences music you really don't like, you'll loose your soul very quickly.
Stay in contact with all kind of music, as a musician (the technical side of you), and make your choices, as an artist (the soul, or poetic side of you).
My 2 cents.
This is an interesting topic
Steve Shapiro Mon, 06/20/2011 - 20:59
This is an interesting topic to me. Here's why I say it is advantageous to be versatile:
First, there is a long history of vibists who have embraced this, from Gary McFarland to Vic Feldman, Emil Richards, Mike Mainieri, Joe Locke, Gary Burton (imho) and others. Vibes can be a limited instrument, commercially and otherwise, so being versatile will first of all, keep you working.
More importantly, I feel strongly about what Duke Ellingtonn once said: that there are only 2 kinds of music, good and bad. So in every genre, there is stuff that is undisputably GOOD, if one wants to wanna open his or her mind to it. My opinion is that, in most genres, this represents only a small percent of the available releases or artists...the bad often far outweighs the good (even in jazz, my friends. Again imho).
The other night, I was at a great concert given by a friend who has a music school in the NY area. The band was killer - Victor Bailey, Cliff Carter, Joel Rosenblatt, and an incredible young guitarist named Armond Hirsch. Afterward, I spoke with some of the students, which was enlightening, and we talked about this very point. A lot of these kids have many interests in music, and even play more than one instrument, etc. The talk was about how to boil it down and focus on what one wants to do, but also keep enough pots on the fire to have some options available.
For myself, I have spent many years arranging and writing things like TV commercials, and mostly have really enjoyed it exactly because of this diversity. I've loved the opportunity to do a different style of music every day, with a different band of amazing session musicians. Today, commercials are way less fun because they mostly get done on computers, and the music has become very disposable. But stuff I learned from doing all those styles, and working with all those musicians, can still be put to use whenever I pick up my mallets.
As another example, i was reading an interview yesterday with Gordon Goodwin about his Big Phat Band. He says that his Hollywood arranging gigs have basically supported his "big band habit." So, none of that music would even exist if not for his versatility.
In short, being versatile can be the very thing that allows you to make the music you really want to make.
I agree
Babu Tue, 06/21/2011 - 07:54
In reply to This is an interesting topic by Steve Shapiro
100%
Other little point : when I learn something from, say, rock'n'roll (kind of music I don't play very often anymore on stage), it's not a "rock thing", as "jazz chords" doesn't exist. Harmony's laws are the same for all kinf of music, that's the way YOU use them which makes music sound diferently. I use in jazz many things I've learned from others styles, but I try to manage using them trough my voice. Versatility is the key word.
Others 2 cents