what makes a musician a musician (Page 3 of 5)

Yeah, I agree that it was a pretty stupid idea, to be honest. Quite a few great artists never went to any kind of art school, and frankly, thousands of people around the world without access even to the most basic formal education would probably create art more genuine, beautiful and technically skillful than you or anyone you graduated with. Study can take many shapes besides university or college courses.

In the academic world, there are nearly no composers of music who don't also play an instrument and/or sing. In all university music programs, a piano requirement must be met, and a major performance instrument must be declared in order to receive a degree.

I don't think that very many electronic "composers" don't and have never played a musical instrument other than "drum machine" or "sequencer". Even then, the line is fuzzy. A drum machine perhaps seems like slightly more of an instrument than a computer sequencer, but what really is the difference? And where does NTRQ fall in line?

Wikipedia claims that a musician is anybody who writes, performs or otherwise creates music. Dictionary.com claims that a musician is anybody who "makes music a profession", or is skilled at music regardless of profession. I'm sure there are as many variants as there are places that attempt to define it.

In the end, it's all somewhat futile. What is so holy about the term "musician" that we feel like we need to protect it from those we deem unworthy? If I need to feel better than another musician, I can say I'm a composer, arranger, multi-instrumentalist, drum machine and chiptunes programmer and amateur recording engineer. I can say I'm classically trained, but some people would consider that a detriment so I might skip that bit. Another person can indicate their specific prowess - say, LSDJ programmer or self-taught blues guitarist, and we can both be musicians and neither of us is cheapened.

Of course it's a stupid idea, but you raise an awesome point.

Theoretically one could argue that doctors and lawyers have a concrete and potentially dangerous impact on people's lives, whereas an artist does not. Architects, therefore, are a gray area in between - people care about their credentials quite a bit, because although what they are doing is art, your ability to live/work in the space and your safety while doing so hinge on their abilities.

So how does this apply to musicians and other artists? Do we have no responsibilities, no impact on society or people's lives?

Finally someone understands what i was getting at.
We used to have this discussion in class, over when someone became an artist, and when what they did became art.
The architects are a good example, because there is a fair degree of art within it.
As far as taking a responsibility for what they do, while an architect may take some hit if their building is endangering life, but there are so many steps between the architect and the final building that it has really left their hands.
I work in the construction industry and i can tell you that a lot of the work architects want is just poorly thought out. It comes down to guys like me and my coworkers having to argue that no one wants to deal with a 4m high door made of 19mm glass.

To me an architect plays the same role as a composer.
The composer writes the original score, providing as much or as little detail as they want, hoping to give enough instruction that the musician (construction worker) can interpret it in the way they intended.

Just like a builder is the last step in making a drawing into a building, a musician is the last step between turning an idea/emotion/instruction into music.

ITT celsius interrupts a good debate to be a jerkoff, a pattern he's followed since 8bc

A musician MUST know theory to truly be a "musician."  The terms "musician" and the ability to make good music are NOT mutually exclusive though.  A mother who knows basic cold remedies or the coach that can pop a dislocated shoulder back in is not a doctor, a person who composes but has no idea what key they are in is not a musician.  One method is not superior to another, it's strictly an academic term.  It has nothing to do with their roles in society, it's simply used to refer to one's knowledge/qualifications in the subject at hand.

two words

sousaphone