I've only started checking this particular forum recently, and was amazed at the amount of bright, enthusiastic musicians here.

I feel so envious reading about everyone's projects, but in a good way. I know this might be a matter of special cases, but I would like to ask everyone's opinion on the matter of making music.

Now, I know it's so easy for any passionate listener/appreciator of music to want to make their own music. And I know there's no cutting corners. But despite the predictability of my dream, I have a question for all of you aspiring/independent musicians. Or two.

First off, is it possible for anybody to learn to play an instrument well ? Or is it a matter of talent/natural gift. More than that, I'd like to know if I've missed the boat. I know most of my favorite bands started playing as children. I'm twenty now and don't know how to play any instrument. I mean, oddly I can think up melodies or guitar parts in my head somehow. But I have no means of putting them down.

Is it too late for me to start learning guitar at 20? I know this sounds foolish, but I can't help but feel like I'll be 40 by the time I can play well.


Now here's the second portion of my thought. Instruments aside, in the past few years I've noticed my vocals (when singing a song just out of my head) have improved, and I may be onto something. Plus, I've begun writing consistent lyrics, complete with a few melodies. I mean, I don't want to sound extravagant, but I've begun to surprise myself in the past year or two.

This, along with the inspiration I feel when I read you guys' posts, or see a local musician perform in a cafe or something, have made me realize this:

The seemingly distant dream of becoming a musician and creating one's own work may not be just random luck or in-born natural talent. I always thought of music as a dream that you just had to have connections, or be in the right place at the right time, to achieve performance of, or even start a career in.

After all, how could the "music industry" not be flooded with new bands (more so than it is) if every dreamer fresh out of high-school decided that since they own every CD by "Live" and can sing along with the vocals, that they, too, could become a musician?

Is it a matter of, some bands are let in, and others are thrown back?

Or is the so-called "dream" actually within reach, it just takes determination and effort to breach the borders past playing in the garage?

Bottom line, I really want to make my own music, either along or with a band. Now, I'm not banking my future on becoming a musician. I'm not in college, I don't even know what I'm going to do with my life. I sometimes feel like what The Kid must've felt like in Grafitti Bridge. Everybody sees him as a dreamer. I won't be crushed if music does not become my life career, because I have a passion for writing.

With you all creating exceptional work of your own, and in part, Prince's words on the 'next generation of musicians', and how the record business must not be allowed to strangle the artform of music, one thing occurs to me. I feel like I have all the right ideas and thoughts, just no instruments with which to shape them into music, whereas today's manufactured bands have the instruments to shape with, just no ideas and thoughts.

Am I a dreamer?

Or can anybody step up to the plate and stake their claim ?

ok...

I'll take a quick stab.

Music is just like any craft. A craft is a learned process of creating and any craft can be an artform.
I like to think that there are two breeds in the process of creation.

Craftsmen and Artists
Niether really outweigh the other. Heck many artists rely on craftsmen to create their ideas. Occassionally, you get that special person that do BOTH EXTREMELY WELL.

Craftsmen can create things from plans and formulas. Artists can draw from inspiration and pull all kinds of stuff out their rear. Take me and my brother for example. I can take a photo or place something in front of me and draw by hand a very good likeness of it with paint, chalk or pencils. I usually spend hours if not days on these projects. My brother on the other hand can sit down at a blank canvas or paper and draw or paint an incredible portrait of a person that doesn't even exist and have incredible details in their skin, hair style and even looks of thought and/or emotions in the expressions of that imaginary face. My drawings took years of practice, study and learned skills in shading, contrast, techniques, etc.... While he has (seemingly) ALWAYS been able to do this with a little TOO much ease. People call me "artist" all the time and I have to step back and correct them. I tend to replicate my environment or things I see onto paper or canvas. I didn't create the figure drawn, I made a likeness.

Illustration: A carpenter and an architect. We all know who built the structure, but the other thought it up. It still took both to create it.

Now let's take that over to music.
There are musicians, singers and producers who can play/re-create other people's music down to the tee. But can't write something orginal of their own hands to save their lives. Yes there are natural abilities to the creative process, but that's something that you have to figure out for yourself. I'm not sure you can teach creativity rather than guide yourself to expression.

Out of all the instruments I've touched, GUITAR IS THE HARDEST friggin' one to grip. Most (really good) guitarists that I know practice daily. When they don't, they loose their chops. Just like a physically demanding sport, you can be as good at it as much as you put into it with practice, study and application. Jordan made basketball an art! But don't think for one minute that he wasn't on the court more than he was during an actual game!


Where to begin?
I would suggest piano/keyboard. And find a teacher or program that teaches REAL music. Not that tab/# crap. The shortcuts will only hinder and limit you down the road. You can equate that to painting from scratch or painting by numbers. You can make a darn good looking painting, but in the end, you'll always have to have someone else make up the number chart/pattern for you to paint it.

Most students that come to Frank, ( http://frankaxtell.com ) usually spend quite some time "un-learning" what they know so they can move on and understand the lessons he teaches. The piano/keyboard will help you in your writing process and understand how to apply the sounds you hear in your head to the instrument. Once you have learned how to make those sounds, you can carry that same theory to many, many other instruments. Timing is another skill all together. I started out on drums. Now I have instinct to rythem when playing another instrument. I knew guys from my old bands that wrote plenty of songs but never moved on from the 3 chords they learned from their first week of music lessons before they quit and decided they were ready to be rock stars. All the songs eventually sounded the same no matter how much they changed the patters. An artist can come up with a hecka concept, but also needs to learn the skills of the trade to apply them to the creation. Again, you can be as good at it as much as you put into it with practice, study and application.

And if your lucky, out of pirspiration, will come inspiration!

(or something like that)

yamomma
You should publish this article.

7salles said:

That's funny you say that. I've been wanting to write a comentary on the subject. Just haven't found the time to do the research.

I really appreciate your response, it was very helpful!

I didn't even think of piano, but now that I do, I'm delighted at the idea. To me, sitting down at a piano to try out a song sounds just as good as sitting down with a guitar.

And the Craftsman/Artist comparison is an interesting concept.

Again, thanks for your input, I'm feeling more sure of myself already!


Peace is now

Great article yamomma!

EcstaticFanatic, when I read your post it reminded me of me when I was about 16. I felt "too old" to get started. I felt like time was just passing me by. I had friends who had piano lessons since they were in elementary school and I had nothing. Funny thing is, I wanted (and did) write music and they didn't! I was always humming tunes, making things up, writing poems, etc.

Yamomma is right, starting out with piano is the best way to learn theory. I would take some college classes (junior college is fine), take all the music classes available. Also, one thing I would do when I had lyrics and melodies is sing them into a tape recorder. Heck, it's better than nothing! I still have tapes from high school. I started that way, then went to midi recording, just because I love keyboards and synths, and it was easy to play my ideas on the synth and record them. Eventually you move up to digital audio recording, or go for the four-track instead... whatever you prefer. Like I said, take some college courses in recording and find out which way you want to go.

The important thing is this: IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO START DOING SOMETHING YOU LOVE! Will it take 20 years for you to become a good musician? You never know until you try. You might be a natural and learn very quickly!

From my own personal experience - the quality of any creative musical piece of work stems from the quality of the depth of your spiritual-life/growth.

Music is a spirituality for me - if I am not tuned in to my deep inner senses - I find the end result of an attempt to be creative lacks true vitality and orginality - but when I tune into 'Divine Radio' - there is a well-spring of ideas that come forward - and a much more rounded way of applying them.

For me - music is also a representation of one's state of mind - if your mind is cluttered - the music will sound cluttered - mind you it is still possible to create a piece of music that is full of many wonderful parts - but an organised mind will arrange them in such a way so they dont seem cluttered but - deliberately placed to please.

The quality of music I try to achieve is always found in the 'NOW' - not to the left or the right - but in the CENTRE - of my mind - in a still pool.. distractions while recording - such as trying to master a new sound box or your sequencer is not user friendly - can impede the creative process - becuz you're busy thinking of how to make these things work which takes you out of the 'now'.

Personally I think the simpler an artists tools are - the less choices he has to 'mess around' - the easier it is to just focus on what ur doing and get the best out of it.

I dont think there is such a reality as " you're too old to start " - in the acting industry - alot of actors dont even become good at their craft until they are in their 30's. Spiritual development and maturity play a big part in the quality of your work - and for many these seasoned states of being are not achieved til 'later on in life'.. however if you really wanna be great - not just good - but great - then it is possible to speed up your spiritual development/growth process by simply studying your ass off and focussing on nuthing else but that.

I have been fortunate in that I was able to focus on just that for the last 5 years - I always had the gift of music - but it was unrefined - and even though I was writing great songs years ago - they lacked the maturity and solidity and space that only comes from a more stable mind - a more peaceful soul. Even tho I am a mother - and my son does require my attention - in my spare time I was able to read read read read read read read read - every single book I could get my hands on about spirituality and personal development.

Music is a great avenue for processing and expressing one's own demons and angels - so I have many songs that are more like 'therapy tunes' - but ultimately I believe the aim of music and the intent of any artist should be toward liberating the minds and souls of the listeners by bringing them closer to their real selves - instead of merely expleting romantic notions or depressive states of being.

In all my work as Pilot Beacon - I have never consciously sat down and written lyrics. I do the music first then draw on my collection of poetry and make the words fit the rhythm of the song.. OR I write the music first then while I listen to it back I just sit there and write down whatever words come to mind - perhaps if I feel strongly about a certain thing at the time that will become the focus of my lyrics.

There are many instances of 'hits' having been recorded on 8 tracks - and sparsely recorded - so you dont need alot of instruments or equipment to be good and effective at what you do - imo.


PB

What a great Thread .What i call a"good internet experience".Everyone's comments so simply expressed, with wisdom. So i'll put my piece.Never too late to express yourself "EcstaticFanatic"
After many,many years of passion 4 listening and playing music it's my religion and voice..It's a language with which to communicate. I suffer profusely without it. Decisions Wax & wane, to not think and to sing from your heart through voice or instrument becomes like breathing or walking.Start your journey as you're expressing it's time to begin. With time, a language of your own will be born, a universal language

Love this thread.

To me, there are things I care about and then there's music. Music is more than an obsession to me. Learning about it it every way, putting it against history and social aspects make me always want to learn more. Culturally, spiritually and rthymically I feel it every waking hour but from the time I was 15 I was told you couldn't make money to survive on. So I learned another skill to pay the bills and now (at age 35) my need to know (everything about music) is going to make me go back to school.

Just make sure you really feel it so you can do it with conviction and go to school.

My

ditto what Vina said. I too have tapes from me singing a tune on them from my high school days to now. That was how I started writing songs. One minute you hum a tune ,and the next minute there's a full composition. It is never too late to start to learn an instrument. I didn't start playing piano until I was a freshman in college and now I'm the music director of an established contemporary gospel group. I would advise anyone to start learning as soon as they have the desire to do so. Don't be afraid.Dive in, the water is fine.

I want to take this moment to thank everybody for their time and consideration.

Every reply I've received has given me a bounty of hope and realization, and so much more drive than I had only days ago.

I don't think I've ever been before a more supportive group of people in my 8 years on the internet, thank ya'll for helping to make a remarkable thread!

I'm gonna take this music thing on- and the minute I've got something recorded, this forum'll be the first place I take it.

Love and light,

Shaun

A lot of good posts here.

If you're the type that hears things in your head, I can pretty much testify that thoery is gonna bore and frustrate you. Get ready for a slow ride... Get a chord book and start with your majors and minors. Prepare to spend hours practicing because you really have to dedicate yourself. The goal: Translate the sounds in your head into full compositions. To do this... percussion, drums, guitars, bass, keyboards, vocals, timing, songwriting, arrangement, recording, software, computers, microphones, mixers -- I could keep going...

I'd suggest finding an instrument you're comfortable with, become halfway competent and make your voice the main priority, you can always find other people to do everything else at different stages.

Out of all the instruments your voice is the most important. It's the make or break of a song, and your main expressive element. Always seek opinions outside your circle of friends and family because they won't be totally honest with you. Yea you sounded great during karaoke, but did you really? Groups like this and others are great venues to get honest opinions.

So... go pick up a keyboard or guitar at a pawn shop and start playing. And above all else have fun.

ToyStein said:

Not neccessarily... I LOVED my AP Harmony class in high school, writing pages of 4-part choral harmony every day for homework. I did almost feel kinda sick, but I loved the patterns, writing them out (more like drawing)... It was like writing in code or something. We were just following rules, and we didn't actually play or hear them. Our teacher would pick out a few and play them so we could hear what we were doing. Anyway, I'm rambling... My point is, just because a person hears music in their heads, doesn't mean they are gonna be bored by music theory. For me, taking piano class, or piano lessons was frustrating because I wanted to learn what I wanted to learn. You can't pick whatever you want to play in a class, but in private lessons, my teacher would play every piece out of a book for me until I decided which one I wanted to learn. I'm such a brat.

EcstaticFanatic said:

Aaaawww... This really is a special place.

As for the age thing: the alto player in my band was 26 when he first picked up a sax. He's now in his early forties and he SMOKES on that thing. The thing is: playing an instrument is foremost a way to enjoy music in a deeper sense than you can as a listener. That starts almost as soon as you start to play yourself. Being a virtuoso isn't half as much fun as learning something new for the first time. And to repeat my advice in a different thread: pick up a trombone, trumpet, tenor/baritone sax, upright bass or other relatively rare instrument! It will make finding a band ten times easier. (Plus there will be much fewer people who know how good you actually are!)