Are you a guitar player or a musician?

[BMF Effects]

I had a pleasure of a having a lengthy conversation with Bjorn the other day and one of the topics we discussed is whether we were guitar players or musicians. Personally I'm a guitar player. I play in my spare/building room and unfortunately not as much as I'd like to. I haven't played in a band in years and I can't remember the last time I received money for playing. My definition of a musician is someone who makes money playing music..in a band, solo or as a studio musician.

So what are you thoughts on all this and what are you?

[DocRock]

I'm a conservatory-educated musician, and the guitar happens to be my instrument. It's pretty cool because while I've composed string quartets and done orchestral arrangements ... nothing rocks as hard as the guitar.

[Donner]

hmmm good question .....

Im not sure really actually Id chose 'songwriter'

if it came down to it and I could only either write songs or play guitar I would choooose (GASP!) songwriting.


Im a good guitar palyer and bass player and drummver and singer and lyricist

but the biggest jolt for me is hearing back a song Ive written and played all the parts for

I have never supported myself playing music , never tried

I prefer the Jobby and Hobby split I dont know if you can truly create 'art' once there is money involved.

[NewarkWilder]

Since I've yet to have the burden (lol) of having money enter the equation, by your definition I'm definitely a guitar player. But to follow up on what Donner was getting at a bit I'd say I consider myself a songwriter first and foremost. I'm hardly a beginner at guitar but I have a long way yet to go. I also play keys, and its the same deal. I doubt I'd be a good drummer but I can do some pretty incredible stuff with DAW-based drum machines. So primarily I guess I just write music. It generally starts as a melody in my head, often one I don't even know how to immediately translate into chords on the guitar, but its there, and I'll do something simple like hum or sing the line into a little tape recorder and take that skeletal idea and build on it from there. I wish I was a better lyricist, but I'm getting there. I have a hell of a time singing and playing at the same time, so thats a big hurdle I'll have to overcome one way or another. And on top of all that I'm even into really wierd home-made experimental sound generators and stuff like that.

If theres a label for what I am musically, it probably includes the word schizophrenic. But I'm trying to tie it all together. Trying.

[Donner]

yeah schitzo would work for me too - Im good at many things but Ive mastered none of them ....

I guess thats one nice thing about being a devout 'hobbyist' I can piss away a couple days chasing sounds and dont have to keep 50 performable songs in my head at all times

In fact Im pretty sure that if music paid my bills this site wouldnt be here

[cabo]

Im not sure I could pick one even by strict definition. It would seem to me alot of times musician is a loosely used term.
If by defintion a musician is one that makes a living at performing, then no Im not a musician. Ive been paid for performing but never enough or frequent enough to quit the mass day job.
Ive never really considered myself as a guitar player either as my first love was percussion, then bass, then guitar. I also enjoy playing keys too.
I do feel that someone who can play a musical instrument is a musician, whether making money or not,,,, ones who can make a living at it, I would call them a Professional Musician.
Maybe I would just consider myself an artist as I love to create,,,, unless its viewed that an aritist has to make money to be one too, then put me in the hobby list.
Instead of the term starving artist it could be renamed starving guy who likes to be creative.

[noelgrassy]

I've always thought the musician was the sight reading, inversion stacking, and essentially schooled individual who may or may not be actually pulling down an income from his/her
skills.

Oh to really know what the dots are saying.

I never applied my apoplectic grey matter so I'm decidedly outre. I'm pitifully envious of one who composes!

I love being a guitar player and feel I have a musical/rhythmic voice with my instrument. I just do it by ear for the most part. Over the years I've been asked to play with some great bands
with genres that were all over the map. I just never took a solo that reflected my love of Be-Bop and Coltrane.