What is the most important non-technical skill a musician/guitarist can have?

[S t e v e]

what?

 

i did post a funny reply before but the boring mods removed it, becoming a joke this place

[S t e v e]

are you for real right now?

 

of course...why?

[LPguitarman]

A good ear for music, Timing and knowing when to be subtle and when to let it all out.

[brianh]

Business and people skills.

 

When you get down to it, the music biz is a service profession, no different than bartending, landscaping, and appliance repair.

 

If you can't manage your time, people and money, and effectively market yourself, your band, and your products, you won't be in it for long unless you're independently wealthy.

 

Just my $0.02.

[Andy R]

Business and people skills.

 

When you get down to it, the music biz is a service profession, no different than bartending, landscaping, and appliance repair.

 

If you can't manage your time, people and money, and effectively market yourself, your band, and your products, you won't be in it for long unless you're independently wealthy.

 

Just my $0.02.

 

I definitely agree 100% and would add excellent communication skills both verbally and in written form.

 

 

Andy

[duane v]

people skills to be able to play with other musicians.

 

We have a winner

[milod]

In a sense I think we've split the question in half: Partly has to do with what it is internally to be a musician productive within him or herself, and partly it has to do with life choices as one who is, or wishes to be, a musician.

 

I left out most inferences to the life choice side because I think once one takes the step into playing for money, one no longer is a musician per se, but rather an entertainer whose vehicle depends to a greater or lesser extent on musicianship. Some entertainers are talented and skilled musicians, some entertainers are far less musically talented and skilled, but still do well within their performance niche.

 

And finding a "right performance niche" is more difficult in most places than it sounds.

 

m

[Guest Farnsburger]

Ability to let go on stage and play like no one can hear you, something I cannot do!

[milod]

Farns...

 

Yupper.

 

I guess I see the specific "music" angle as though one were on a desert island with nothing but equipment to do music for one's self.

 

Then there's the musician in his persona as performer.

 

m

[DMichaelG]

Any thoughts? By non-technical I mean not based on what your fingers can do.

 

I'd go with restraint. It's part of tasteful playing, not immediately rushing into it. (I need to work on it... :x)

 

Plus One, DAS, think you nailed it already.

 

Everything else is fluff or fun.

[Morkolo]

people skills to be able to play with other musicians.

 

X1000000000

 

How many times have I met a great guitarist who later turned out to be a complete jerk because he had no way of communicating to other players besides "I'm better than you".

[Shnate McDuanus]

I'm gonna go ahead and say timing/a sense of meter. That comes first in making cohesive music that doesn't suck.

 

I think restraint and the "less-is-more" mentality is completely overrated. When you have your time in the spotlight, grab it for what it's worth.

 

I also don't believe in this whole "soul" or "emotion" fallacy--my theory is that people just confuse minor pentatonic melodies as being soulful by default, which is why mediocre musicians have been praised for their "soulful" playing since the dawn of recorded music. Like Slash.

[Dub-T-123]

I'm with dem00n. I think a good ear is important. Not necessarily a good ear for tuning, etc (although that's definately important), but an ear that can discern between what's hot and what sucks. If you have that and a decent amount of talent you will totally rock

[FirstMeasure]

Farns...

 

Yupper.

 

I guess I see the specific "music" angle as though one were on a desert island with nothing but equipment to do music for one's self.

 

Then there's the musician in his persona as performer.

 

m

That would truly be purgatory for me. All this music and no one to share it with Just send me to Hell and have it over with.

 

To me performing as about much more than the money, it's giving the gift that was given to me. Money is necessary to keep gas in the vehicle that brings the stuff, and keep strings on the guitar, heads on the drums ect. That's just the ugly reality of capitalism.

 

To have people appreciate what you're doing while bringing a smile to their face. Taking their minds of their dreary cubicle they spend 8 hours a day in, or whatever makes their days lifeless. Remind them there's a reason to dance. And the selfish pride I get when I'm the one that's making them Dance and Smile. Realizing not everyone can do what I do so it's up to me to do it for them.

 

If it was about money I'd have quit a long time ago and concentrated on Stock Trading.

[Dub-T-123]

And now that I think about it.. A good band is pretty important too..

[FirstMeasure]

I'm gonna go ahead and say timing/a sense of meter. That comes first in making cohesive music that doesn't suck.

 

I think restraint and the "less-is-more" mentality is completely overrated. When you have your time in the spotlight, grab it for what it's worth.

 

I also don't believe in this whole "soul" or "emotion" fallacy--my theory is that people just confuse minor pentatonic melodies as being soulful by default, which is why mediocre musicians have been praised for their "soulful" playing since the dawn of recorded music. Like Slash.

I know we've gone over this before, but....

 

Are you saying emotion cannot be felt or conveyed through music? Are you saying that when I hear "A Song For You" when rendered by either Ray Charles or Leon Russell the feeling of pensive regret and fond memory is a fallacy? That the shivers I get when SRV wrangles one note are bogus shivers?

 

Even Dave Mustaine says it's the spaces between the chords that make the riff, that's restraint of sorts.

[FirstMeasure]

And now that I think about it.. A good band is pretty important too..

Interesting, I was applying the original topic question to the entire band. They're musicians, too.

[DAS44]

I'm gonna go ahead and say timing/a sense of meter. That comes first in making cohesive music that doesn't suck.

This is one I hadn't thought of! It's a great one though, I'm amazed that it didn't come to mind :)

 

I think restraint and the "less-is-more" mentality is completely overrated. When you have your time in the spotlight, grab it for what it's worth.

Well, what I meant by it is... Not rushing into the solo. In the sense that you can build up to it using the entire song to build to the crescendo that is the solo. I don't want to sit and listen to a guy solo for 3 minutes on end. Definitely take your time and use it, but don't just flash your chops! Sometimes weaving a tapestry of sound takes more than crazy f'ck solos (not insinuating that this is what you meant). When I say restraint, I mean... well I see it as much a measure of timing, as taste. Sort of... knowing when to do what? Depending on what you want to convey of course, dissonance of any sort (and atonality like Schoenberg's 12 tone method), can convey strife, or generally frightening/dark moods.

 

I also don't believe in this whole "soul" or "emotion" fallacy--my theory is that people just confuse minor pentatonic melodies as being soulful by default, which is why mediocre musicians have been praised for their "soulful" playing since the dawn of recorded music. Like Slash.

I'm of the belief that music itself is deeply emotional. There is no qualification for it, you just have to feel it. Music touches people in different ways. Whether it's a whole tone scale, a minor pentatonic, anything it can be emotional (to me at least). Schoenberg's 5 pieces for orchestra (again referencing him, but for good reason as I see it), came during a stressful time in his life (emotionally due to his wife's affair), and I find them to be hulking, nearly depressing, but ultimately beautiful pieces. I guess we might just differ in opinion on this one, or perhaps viewpoint :)

 

I find Barber's Adagio for Strings to be filled with sadness, but punctuated by periods of hope that rise and sway beautifully.

 

 

people skills to be able to play with other musicians.

Tman this is another great one . Definitely something to consider :)

[4Hayden]

the ability to drink a bottle of vodka and still be able to see the fingerboard

 

We drink moonshine in Alabama,works a lot faster

[rocketman]

Depends on what you want to do. In my youth I wanted to be in the music business. Fortunately, I had a jazz teacher who taught us what it took. Time is money, just like any other business. You had a minute to look over the chart, then you'd go through it once and then you'd play the real take. If you messed that up there are 100 people behind ready to take your place.

 

Come to think of it. Playing in a jazz band pretty much teaches you all about the non-technical skills. You have to have a good ear, you have to know when to punch it and when to lay back, you have to be able to think on the fly, you have to know how to sell yourself, and you need to be ready at a moment's notice.

 

Also, I made a lot more money at the "boring" gigs like weddings and parties than I ever did in bars playing rock music. Anyhow, lots of good advice by everyone here. My advice is learn jazz and get into a combo.

[bonzoboy]

The best non-technical skill a musician should have is dogged determination.Once you have your eyes set on the prize nothing is going to sway or deter you or stand in your way.

[milod]

Firstmeasure...

 

My point simply was that working on technique, timing, etc., is one thing; performing is another. Yeah, I love to perform too; the past couple years it's mostly been a two to four benefits a year because of the way the day job goes.

 

But I see them as different aspects of my head and of being a picker. I approach the two aspects somewhat differently - and even performance with different types of music in different venues as "different."

 

Playing rock, I let the music lead me to jumping and yelling etc.; playing country except on ballads I let it be fun and kinda "stick it in your ear" on occasion. Playing "cowboy" material it's more understated somewhat like playing bluegrass where you can sing with the same timing whether it's about 30 people dead in a train wreck or about loving a girl.

 

It's at that point, "entertainment" for the audience. Smooth dinner jazz ain't the place to jump and yell or "shred" per se at 150 decibels. <grin> But get me doing some rock again... Hey, I'm old, but I ain't dead.

 

m

[charlie brown]

"Heart!" (And, I don't mean the band....although, they're good!)

 

 

CB

[FirstMeasure]

Hell yeah Milo, I'd like to see you Rock. I'm not above being Schooled.

[brianh]

The best non-technical skill a musician should have is dogged determination.Once you have your eyes set on the prize nothing is going to sway or deter you or stand in your way.

Yep, this one's incredibly important. If you have some talent and a lot of perserverance, you can carve out a niche for yourself. If you have tons of talent and no perserverance, you won't get anywhere. But that's true in any profession.