Why People Play Music

[Greg Jowaisas]

For two, ignoring matter of facts is nice, but fruitless position.

 

I'm not ignoring any facts. The majority of us that play any instrument - not just the duet concertina - play it in a fairly limited way when contrasted with those that push the same instrument to its boundaries and beyond. I think where we differ is that I don't think it matters as long as people enjoy themselves.

 

I'm just glad that people want to make music. At the end of the day I'm not at all bothered by technical competence in the music I listen to and enjoy - or, to an extent, the music that I make - all I really care about is that people play with passion. In fact, some of the most passionate musicians I've met are some of the less technically competent. And some of the dullest have been the most technically competent.

 

Now,your experience is not complete, since the whole damn russian school is based on the principle: "you're nat good yet and with this attitude will never be, take it and get to work". The drop rate is astounding, but those who persevere - excell. (Not that I agree with this gladiator system)

 

I never suggested that my experience is complete, but I've done enough teaching to know what gets results for me. Some people are motivated by the pursuit of excellence - and certainly in the classical field, if you don't have both the discipline and the chops to get there, you won't have a career. Others aren't motivated by the pursuit of excellence, and have many and varied priorities with the music they make. That's fine by me. It obviously isn't with you.

 

I might come back and finish this off in a separate post, but I've run out of steam for now.

 

 

I picked up on the musical motivation part of this thread late in the game but find it intriguing.

 

I agree with both Stuart and m3838. I like Stuart's "be positive" approach. And I think once you are playing and enjoying music m3838's "get it right" mentality can be a motivation.

 

One anecdote: I had been playing old-time 5 string banjo for a number of years and was going to a music party with fellow band members. I invited a new acquaintance along who was very enthusiastic about banjo music. Well this fellow played loud and inexpertly in every jam session. His enthusiasm was obvious but so was his lack of decorum. I couldn't decide whether to dress him down or hide in a corner so that no one would remember I had brought him along. In the end I said very little.

 

A few years later I ran into him and he was playing some very good music. He mentioned how inspired he had been by the party I had invited him to years before.

 

Lesson learned. Sometimes we inspire by what we don't say!

 

So what inspires and keeps cnetters playing and working at their music?

 

Greg

[Jody Kruskal]

So what inspires and keeps cnetters playing and working at their music?

 

Greg

 

Greg,

 

Interesting topic.

 

The pleasure of playing music with other people is a big motivating force for me. What a great feeling, where everyone is listening and responding to the ever changing group creation. It’s more complex and unexpected than what any one person could do on their own. When everyone agrees on the rules and boundaries of the musical game and all are communicating and playing freely... that is one of the most profound joys of life.

 

I practice alone so that I’m better able to play with others.

[Jim Besser]

So what inspires and keeps cnetters playing and working at their music?

 

-Those moments when you're playing with others and everything comes together, the sound surges, and you feel like you're an organic part of it.

 

-Playing for dancers when suddenly there's the kind of magical connection between the musician and the dancers that can't be described in words.

 

-Playing alone, figuring out something that's just so gorgeous you can't believe it's coming from that weird contraption with all the buttons and levers.

 

-The camaraderie of people who get the same thrill you do from this process.

[JimLucas]

"Why People Play Music?"

 

To annoy the neighbors?

[JimLucas]

"Why People Play Music?"

To annoy the neighbors?

...PAUL DAVIS who was a wonderful player of slow airs,one evening decided to play the air I AM SLEEPING DO NOT WAKE ME, WHEREUPON MRS LE MAY RANG UP AND THREATENED IF PAUL DID NOT STOP PLAYING HIS TROMBONE SHE WOULD CALL THE POLICE.

The wrong sort of neighbor, to be sure. My own "neighbor" story is quite the opposite: This woman's only "complaints" were 1) that she couldn't hear me well enough or often enough, and 2) that if I ever got over my love affair with the concertina, she really wished I'd take up the highland pipes.

 

And in a sense, that's part of my serious answer to Greg's question:

...what inspires and keeps cnetters playing and working at their music?

I play music because I enjoy it, but it's a major motivation to see others enjoy it, too.

 

As I've said before, if I'm performing I'll pick out from the audience one or more faces that seem to be enjoying my music and play specifically to them, to see them enjoy it even more.

 

I've tried busking on the street, and what brings me back to try again isn't the money, but the smiles, the children (sometimes "children" of rather advanced age ) dancing, the people asking to know more about the music I play.

 

Today the local shanty choir (of which I'm a member) sang for the golden wedding anniversary celebration of one of our members. Among the guests was the widow of a recently deceased member, her face a broad smile as we sang.

 

But earlier in the day I was playing my whistle as I walked through town on my way to the market (to buy honey from the local apiarist). I noticed a query on a passing fellow's face, so I stopped to chat. He had apparently never seen a metal whistle before, and was very impressed with my Copeland. So we talked a bit, I wrote down for him the URL for the Chiff & Fipple web site, then asked him where he was from, since he spoke Danish with an accent different from mine. Serbia, he said. So I played him a Serbian dance tune I know. He was pleased, but didn't seem to know it, so I mentioned that it was a tune for the "folk" dance Stara Vlaina (old Vlaina). It seems that one reason he didn't know the dance is that he's not ethnic Serbian, but of the gypsy minority. But he grinned when he heard the name, saying that he was from the region known as "Vlaina".

 

Yes, these are some of the reasons that keep me playing music and trying to make it better. Another factor that keeps me practicing is that the better it is, the more I enjoy it. That should be true of any activity. I think it's a rare tennis "player" who is satisfied with swinging their racquet if they don't hit the ball, or even if they hit it but not in bounds. Tennis players, football players, chess players... they all get more enjoyment from their game if they do well at it, so they work at developing their skill.

 

Of course, it doesn't have to be a "game" or "sport". A home carpenter, a cook, a part-time poet... they all care about doing the best job they can. And so it is with music. Some may have higher standards than others, or choose a different balance between effort and result, and not everyone responds best to the same style of learning, but if you care about the quality of the music that others play, then you must care about the quality of the music you yourself play.

 

That's certainly true of me.

[Nigel]

But earlier in the day I was playing my whistle as I walked through town on my way to the market (to buy honey from the local apiarist).

 

This sounds like a definition of pure happiness. Could life get more perfect?

[JimLucas]

But earlier in the day I was playing my whistle as I walked through town on my way to the market (to buy honey from the local apiarist).

This sounds like a definition of pure happiness. Could life get more perfect?

i hope jim had a chance to wet his twhistle. no offence intended if you are a tee totaller.

No offence taken.

 

I drink a great deal of tea, but am not opposed to the occasional pint.

[m3838]

"What a great feeling, where everyone is listening and responding to the ever changing group creation. "

 

It is universal for every human activity, not only playing music. A comedy-del-Arte, for example, is the same as jam session, but done with different means.

What you are describing is the most effective interaction, based on direct emotional exchange. Not the music per se. Music is just one of the means to do it. A conversation can be the same thing.

[allan atlas]

FOLKS: see (1) the classic study by the ethnomusicologist/anthropologist John Blacking, How Musical is Man (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1973, and (2) the recent study by the British anthropologist/linguist Steven Mithen, The Singing Neanderthals: The Origins of Music, Language, Mind, and Body (Cambridge, MA: Harvard U. Press, 2006). . . . . .allan

[Robin Madge]

My playing started as an extension of my singing. I was uncomfortable with the idea of actually performing myself, as in those days I was shy retiring individual. I reasoned that if I could play an instrument as well the audience might not concentrate on me so much as the instrument!

It didn't take long to realise that there was plenty of enjoyment coming just from playing the instrument.

To me the real height of pleasure in music is when a small group of you are playing and a form of telepathy happens so that you can improvise around a tune and enhance it without detracting from each other's contributon to the whole, everyone on the same "wavelength" building on each other's invention.

 

Robin Madge

[PeterT]

The Singing Neanderthals

What a great name for a group!

 

As to why people play music, well it's a challenge (for most of us) to learn to play an instrument, and once you reach a certain level of proficiency, it becomes fun. You can then (1) be let loose on the outside world, and (2) play music with other people (often 2 occurs before 1). To an extent, the more skillful you become, the more fun you have.

 

I remember when I started singing, in public, back in 1979. My initial ambitions were very modest. After two or three "floor spot" performances at Folk Clubs, I realised that I had achieved these ambitions, and had to re-assess where I wanted to go next. It was a similar thing when I started playing concertina in 1981.

 

The first big hurdle to overcome is either convincing yourself that you are good enough, or having sufficient confidence, to perform in public. Many people are good enough, but lack the confidence. This is a shame, since they then miss out on the fun element of public performance.

 

I have told many people, over the years, that the best thing I ever did was to buy my trusty Wheatstone 36 key C/G back in 1982. I've never had any regrets (even if neighbours have, on occasions).

 

Regards,

Peter.

[allan atlas]

FOLKS: an equally good name for a group: "The Singing Ergastermen". . . .they specialize in real "oldies"............allan

[JimLucas]

The Singing Neanderthals

What a great name for a group!

Or "The Singeing Neanderthals", who discovered fire and ushered in the stone age with hot rock.

[Rhomylly]

I've tried busking on the street, and what brings me back to try again isn't the money, but the smiles, the children (sometimes "children" of rather advanced age ) dancing, the people asking to know more about the music I play.

 

That's definitely what keeps me busking too, Jim. Especially the part about people wanting to know more about what instrument and/or what style music I am playing.

 

The money is nice, but not my primary reason.

 

As for why I play music, it is very simple: if I don't, then I am not me.

[Samantha]

.... As for why I play music, it is very simple: if I don't, then I am not me.

 

Very nicely put, Rhomylly. I found this out the hard way by falling out of making music in my twenties. Looking back it was a very bleak time for me because of the lack of music in my life. I think I may be making up for lost time now!

Samantha

[Robert Booth]

I agree, Rhomylly.

For most musicians, making music does not appear to be a choice, but a compulsion. The music is such a deeply ingrained part of the musicians personality that the two are inseparable.

My brother is a professional musician, has been for nearly 40 years, except for a 5 year period back in the 80's. They were the most uncomfortable, miserable years of his life. Started playing again back to baseline.

The healing power of, not just music, but the making of it is apparent everywhere.

[Mark Evans]

The healing power of, not just music, but the making of it is apparent everywhere.

 

 

This along with Rhomyllys powerfull statement says it all.

Edited May 10, 2006 by Mark Evans

[bellowbelle]

I haven't read every detail of this thread so far, so maybe someone already said something like this, I don't know.

 

 

I think that my main reason for playing my concertina, or any instrument, is simply the spiritual journey provided by the tones and the intervals. Melodies, yes, but....intervals. I heart intervals.

 

So, the colors of music, I guess. That would be what I like.

 

This is not to say that I only like all one type of music, like total relaxation music or whatever. But, if I had to have one reason for 'Why I play music,' I guess it would be....what I said!