Would YOU be a musician if nobody ever heard you ?

behindthenotes said:
Sorry for the confusion there - it's the first one - would you choose to be a musician if no-one ever heard you
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Thanks for the clarity. Well, I chose not to be one ( a professional ) and IMO paid a personal price for it, even though many thought I made a prudent choice at the time.

There is a thread called "Regret ( a confession )" somewhere here about my decision not to be one & its consequences.

The second half of the question " If no one heard you" also has more than 1 interpretation. One, is that in order to be a working pro, you have to be recording or performing ( true ). Also are you really making music if you are playing in splendid isolation for yourself alone ?

I've often debated the second point with many musicians, and many surprisingly do feel that if there is no one to communicate//interact/present/offer their music to, it might not be 'music' that they play.

For myself, I agree with the guy who said he feels all is well in the universe if there's a pair of sticks/guitar/ nearby. I too, find my myself being who I am through the music I make more than anything else I do.

I think the answer to your question lies with the teeming millions out there who are the very embodiment of "struggling musicians", doing what they do 24x7,whether anyone's listening or not. Its what they do, period.
 
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I think that it can not be answered that easily and that there`re many different opinions about this.

Actually it`s part of a person`s socialisation. I think that things like getting feedback - whether directly or indirectly - appeal like a motor which contributes essentially to this person`s socialisation/natural progress. It seems to be a need that all things (including making music) have to happen in some kind of a social environment.

I`m not sure if we would play drums if nobody ever hears us, at least I think we wouldn`t do it in such a distinctive way. We have never experienced this situation: Playing for ourselves without fleshly feedback. Even if nobody conciously hears us a person feels the need to share results. That might be another important aspect.

So, if this precondition/opportunity isn`t given I`m not sure whether I even would be motivated to keep it up.

Karl
 
Recently a gig was cancelled for one of the bands that I play with. One of the band members noticed that I wasn't disappointed. I told him that gigs are fun but they are not my main reason for playing. I get more in the way or personal satisfaction than I do from playing before others. Playing pleases me and enriches my personal life. I would still play if no one could hear. No doubts about it.
 
A tree falls down in the woods and nobody's around to hear it, does it make a sound? Yes, actually it does, because what we know through science is that, regardless of the presence of an entity with cognitive perception, the impact of the tree with the ground is going to generate sound waves. If you play an instrument and are well developed at your craft, you're a musician, even if nobody in the world ever heard you play, however sorry that is. Get on stage and make it happen!
 
Yes I would. I think playing the drums is fun and something I really like and it doesn't matter if someone hears me or not. To me it is self fulfilling.
 
Drummer Karl said:
So, if this precondition/opportunity isn`t given I`m not sure whether I even would be motivated to keep it up.

Karl
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So initially i'm thinking that i would most certainly play because it pleases me even if nobody ever heard me...then the end bit of karl's post made me think though....I play because of my own personal experiences of having heard others play. I was moved by the music as it were. Its a neat thing to think about because my brain cant really even make sense of its own thought...its just confused....so if i'd play just for my own fun then maybe someone that i might inspire to play doesnt hear me play and therefore doesnt learn to play because I only play for myself? huh? I believe that our craft is one which people NEED to hear or we wont be inspiring any new generations of loud kids. Even if i personally only inspire one person to give the drums a chance then i'll be a happy panda.

save the loud kids of tomorrow!, :)
JG
 
Very interesting question. I guarantee half these people would be reconsidering their thoughts if it actually did happen though. To be honest, I would not be a musician if I could not be heard. I could try, but I would probably fail. The reason being is because I find a musician needs to have that ability to inspire, share ideas, entertain and perform for people. As a musician, I play for people and that's what I intend on doing for the rest of my life.
 
For me there are two layers to this - the performing for an audience part and the being able to play with other musicians (which wouldn't be possible if nobody was going to hear you).

And then there's the fact that at this point, I already am and have been for a long time. So if nobody was going to hear from this point forward, then certainly I would keep being a musician, One thankful that we live in an age, where one can write, record and perform complete works by and for oneself.

But speaking for that 10 year old in me from when I started - probably not. And not over the audience issue - that's never been the point. But to not get to play with other musicians. To be heard by and interact and grow from that interaction - well now that has always been a great deal of point...the motivating factor for pushing and striving to get better. Because getting better and having skills is how you get to play with better and better players. Which I like I said for me, is a great deal of the point.

dc
 
tomgrosset said:
Very interesting question. I guarantee half these people would be reconsidering their thoughts if it actually did happen though. To be honest, I would not be a musician if I could not be heard. I could try, but I would probably fail. The reason being is because I find a musician needs to have that ability to inspire, share ideas, entertain and perform for people. As a musician, I play for people and that's what I intend on doing for the rest of my life.
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Very very good point. We all love playing drums even in solitude but a lot of my inspiration admittedly comes from real life and people and being able to share ideas, not to mention play with other musicians. Being a musician for the sole purpose of playing for yourself-- for the enjoyment of being able to play the instrument without any feedback from humans-- would be tough, and most certainly different from being able to play for people. The good thing is drums are pretty loud, so I'm pretty sure people are still going to be hearing us for a long while... lol.

Also, to the original question... I think that even though it would be very different, I would still play. I would still be able to hear the drums, right? I think that is motivation enough.
 
The kinetic exercise alone, the use of my body, makes playing enjoyable. In that way, it is fulfilling like taking a short walk after dinner is fulfilling. Of course, making music, for others or not, is an added source of accomplishment.
 
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bobdadruma said:
Recently a gig was cancelled for one of the bands that I play with. One of the band members noticed that I wasn't disappointed. I told him that gigs are fun but they are not my main reason for playing. I get more in the way or personal satisfaction than I do from playing before others. Playing pleases me and enriches my personal life. I would still play if no one could hear. No doubts about it.
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I know this is an old thread but seeing some of these posts from members who haven't been here for a long while makes me wonder how they are. Bob is the first on my list!

To answer the question. Yes, I would and have still practiced diligently during the years when no one heard me and considered myself a musician. Why? Because I love the instrument for the instrument.

I do know people who will not pick up a stick (other instruments as well) without being heard. That's how they relate to the instrument.
 
Drummers are accompanist's

So we see "music" besides the measures and the rhythmic stops and starts etc that every musician in an organization has to- we accompany it..
shade color push pull (maybe) suggest retract, we're Overlords (not mean ones..) benevolent compassionate

remember Count Basie when asked on TV "who's the leader?" pointed to his drummer; along with the "a good drummer can make a band a bad drummer can break one"..

and the old "five musicians and a drummer" joke says it. We accompany

Are you a drummer if no one hears you? well yes to yourself and your cat absolutely : )

oh would you BE a drummer if no one ever heard you.. hmm.. that's different have to think about that.. It's good exercise for mind and body : )
but we do like being seen or rather seeing others....... when we play (lol
So I'd guess you'd have to have a very vivid imagination to be a drummer knowing no one would ever hear or see you.

eventually someone will see and or hear you
 
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Yes, I would.

I never started to play the drums to get attention or for people to watch me.

I started as I felt a personal connection to the instrument & continue to do so.

Playing with other musicians or playing live is just a bonus.
 
But as an accompanist---You want to see "how you fit" and "fit" with others..

it's not (attention) is more like scientific experimentation! (lol
our own..
It tickles us to blend 😁

Knowing our blending ties all the musicians music together..
we're like the sheep-herder (no jokes please : )

"We have some very talented goats in this band ladies and gentleman and I as your drummer for the evening will attempt to...bring it all into one coherent...
 
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Who said I was a musician lol. I play drums. Musicians play drum kit, snare, tympani, piano, marimba, vibes, etc; all the percussive instruments. I only bang on a drum set. I'm a drummer not a musician.

Most if not all college jazz and orchestral music departments require you master a second instrument for that very reason - to become a musician.
 
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