[HeavyWeather77]

Happy Sunday, SOTW! I wrote an article for my blog about something I've thought about a lot over the years. If there's one attribute that unifies every single world-class musician I've ever had the pleasure of working with - actually, every single creative professional I've ever met, regardless of discipline - it's fandom. They/we are all passionate fans, fearlessly loving the stuff we love, whether it's Charlie Parker, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, the Legend of Zelda, or Star Trek. Musicians I've met who weren't fans of music first have always been held back by it, and the (thankfully brief) times in my own life when my fandom has lagged have led to my own frustration and creative drought. I hope this can serve as helpful advice to musicians just getting started as well as an important reminder to seasoned players!

Here's the link.

 

[paulwl]

This ought to be an obvious truth, but to be honest, it is carefully concealed.

Professionalism and fandom are thought to be at cross-purposes somehow - the former maintains a public facade of pure work ethic that can be grim - the latter is associated with dilettantism, and that is the kiss of death among pros.

 

[J-Moen]

Great stuff Brian. This is something I often battle myself. I love so many different genres and areas of music - but there are times in my life where I stop listening regularly. It really does put a damper on the time in the shed. Gotta stay motivated, and is another reason I enjoy SOTW so much - it is constantly providing new musicians and listening material for so many of us!

 

[HeavyWeather77]

Great stuff Brian. This is something I often battle myself. I love so many different genres and areas of music - but there are times in my life where I stop listening regularly. It really does put a damper on the time in the shed. Gotta stay motivated, and is another reason I enjoy SOTW so much - it is constantly providing new musicians and listening material for so many of us!

Thanks, J! I agree, communities are also key to staying inspired, and in the current time, online communities like this one occupy a disproportionate amount of that psychological real estate for us. I've discovered tons of fantastic new music through forums like this one.

 

[Benjamin Allen]

Brian, this is really well written. I love your quote, "Whether you’re a seasoned professional or a musical neophyte, being a fan – a fearless, shameless fan – can and should be the fuel that propels you through creative frustration, financial famine, and artistic uncertainty." I never recognized that my fandom propels me through my periods of frustration and uncertainty, but indeed it does. Thanks so much for writing and sharing this.

 

[HeavyWeather77]

Brian, this is really well written. I love your quote, "Whether you're a seasoned professional or a musical neophyte, being a fan - a fearless, shameless fan - can and should be the fuel that propels you through creative frustration, financial famine, and artistic uncertainty." I never recognized that my fandom propels me through my periods of frustration and uncertainty, but indeed it does. Thanks so much for writing and sharing this.

Thanks very much! I enjoy writing (with words as well as sounds), and a silver lining around this damn plague has been the opportunity to do it a bit more. I plan to do it more regularly than I have in the past, as long as I can keep thinking of topics that are worth it. I appreciate the kind words!

 

[Reet McVouty]

Being a fan I thought was a given. After all, what inspired you in the first place? Even at times when I've taken a break from playing I have always listened to music. It's very much a part of who I am as a person not only as a musician. I also consider listening to music a part of my practice regimen. Listening to others gives us inspiration as well as new ideas that we can develop and use for our own.

 

[whamptoncourt]

Only partially agreeing. If one is a fan of music generally then you don't need to be a worshiper of any individual player. I don't think it's the goal of any real artist to be a copyist, you want to express your own ideas in your own way. If copying is simply part of your training/exposure as a means of learning technical aspects, then that's fine. However if you're forever playing in the style of (inset name here) then, well it's like "you are what you eat"... we "are what we play". Too often we hear encouragement of copying of one's favorite player. Well I guess it's OK if that's all you want to achieve. To be a memorable pro you need to have your own voice, or accept being just another "tribute" player. There's a great technical player here (not to be named but often heard in the member's recording section) who can "channel" various famous players. Many of us may wish we had his "chops", and yet I haven't heard him do anything other than imitate great players. Maybe that's good enough for him, or most here, yet I feel that he may be the product of being a fan of those players and epitomize the result. I wonder what he could have been if encouraged to play in his own fashion? I'd love to hear teachers and others encouraging players to be themselves and maybe hearing distinctive new musical voices that keep the instrument of our choosing/passion alive. Perpetuation of the idea that the best we can be is imitators is the antithesis of encouraging artistic creativity.