SCHOOL OF ED (4) The artist in a world of craft - July 17, 2005
The struggle of the artist in a world of craft and, why do
it...the way I see it:
Here are some observations that leave me wondering “Why Bother?”
THE PLAYERS: Give a kid a harmonica, and he will screech through it and have a ball. Likewise, unless one is forced to take lessons, players will enjoy getting down on their respective instrument regardless of their skill level. This is pure and honest, even fun!
When friends get together and jam…more fun.
Same friends get together, form a band, rehearse a few tunes and play a few local gigs…. a real blast.
Then, something happens… they start to believe the well-meaning friends when they say that the band is great. They take themselves seriously and pen a few tunes, talk of releasing an album and getting a deal. At this point, they become a subject for scrutiny and criticism. Most bands cannot withstand it. In fact, most bands and players will come close to breaking up doing that first CD. They should have remained a bunch of local guys having fun emulating their heroes for themselves, their friends, and the regulars in whatever joint they are found in.
But what about bands that make it? The big time... there are exceptions, some just suck and are lucky, good looking or rich, but most non-industry manufactured bands have something special that allows them to carry on.
There are many elements (SEE SCHOOL OF ED 3) that go into putting on a performance of music that most players never consider, or pass over lightly as either obvious or unimportant. By considering these elements with the same intensity, one applies to relationships with ones friends and family, the quality of even the most banal attempt at performing music can be elevated to even the “listenable” level. However, most do not, even the successful bands. They do not feel any pressure to change anything that they have been doing. They may try to play better or more difficult arrangements, but they see no need to address those mystery elements. Much like making improvements on your car engine, but never improving or considering any other part of the car. Who allows this band to continue then? We do, the audience.
THE AUDIENCE: In general, the audience is made up of a broad spectrum of folks, often with conflicting agendas.
They come by all sorts of names: top forty, sophisticated, listening, boogie, S and M (standing and modeling), biker, redneck, college, hip, square, it does not matter… all crowds have representatives of all the other crowds in the house with them. The musician only hopes that there are enough of "his" crowd in attendance to help him get over and capture the hearts of the others.
Bar crowds are usually made up of the bar regulars, the bands fans, and those whose interest was peaked by a recording, ad or interview promoting the show. The regulars are there because it is their bar; they would be there no matter what. If your not to loud, play stuff they already know, most will probably stay. If you peak their interest, they may actually sit down and listen for awhile. If you have fans there that are really into it, some regulars may actually fall in place with them and you will have a good night.
The reality is that most folks do not have a clue about you or what you do or how good you do it. Nor do they care. They are , rightfully so, out for a good time, and if that includes checking out a band, that is all well and good. Some folks follow a band simply because they like the folks that like the band and see it as some social thing. There are too many agendas in any given crowd, and that is fine. Your agenda is to perform your show and attract as many folks to your way of playing music as possible. The audience is allowed to approve or disapprove for any reason they choose.
AN ANSWER: So why bother being artistic in your musical endeavors? The whim of the world's audiences can elevate crap and lower a talented band to its' grave. Why struggle to get that little creative seedling to grow? Why Bother? It is only because you have to. You have a vision; you are hooked on the feeling you get from doing something you feel is art. You might be serving steak to an audience of vegetarians, but it will be the best steak they never eat.
Musical craftsmen do it for extra cash or because they just love to play, not caring an ounce to make art. That is just fine, not everyone has to be an artist. The more that craftsmen loves what he is doing, the more of himself that is exposed in his playing, the more we, the audience, will enjoy the performance. If he has an "only in it for the cash" attitude, the audience will respond in kind.
To carry on like this: playing what you want, making it real, you have to take care of all the other mystery elements, thus elevating your chances to survive in a market filled with buyers who don’t care and middlemen who don’t know. You have got to be doing this for yourself! The audience, other than the few music fans, won't know how good you are playing, most won't hear any of the sublety in your lyrics. They will either enjoy themselves or not. You can play what you think the audience wants and suffer to craft and a ceiling of mediocrity, or do what you want to do so well, hoping that people will warm to it whether they are familiar or not.
Every once in awhile the magic happens and audience seems to get it and that will sustain you for awhile, but mostly you must sustain yourself.
You may ask, why write all this? I am not writing this to say, ”Do it my way!” I am writing this to say: “Take a moment to consider these observations. The way I see it!”
Here are some observations that leave me wondering “Why Bother?”
THE PLAYERS: Give a kid a harmonica, and he will screech through it and have a ball. Likewise, unless one is forced to take lessons, players will enjoy getting down on their respective instrument regardless of their skill level. This is pure and honest, even fun!
When friends get together and jam…more fun.
Same friends get together, form a band, rehearse a few tunes and play a few local gigs…. a real blast.
Then, something happens… they start to believe the well-meaning friends when they say that the band is great. They take themselves seriously and pen a few tunes, talk of releasing an album and getting a deal. At this point, they become a subject for scrutiny and criticism. Most bands cannot withstand it. In fact, most bands and players will come close to breaking up doing that first CD. They should have remained a bunch of local guys having fun emulating their heroes for themselves, their friends, and the regulars in whatever joint they are found in.
But what about bands that make it? The big time... there are exceptions, some just suck and are lucky, good looking or rich, but most non-industry manufactured bands have something special that allows them to carry on.
There are many elements (SEE SCHOOL OF ED 3) that go into putting on a performance of music that most players never consider, or pass over lightly as either obvious or unimportant. By considering these elements with the same intensity, one applies to relationships with ones friends and family, the quality of even the most banal attempt at performing music can be elevated to even the “listenable” level. However, most do not, even the successful bands. They do not feel any pressure to change anything that they have been doing. They may try to play better or more difficult arrangements, but they see no need to address those mystery elements. Much like making improvements on your car engine, but never improving or considering any other part of the car. Who allows this band to continue then? We do, the audience.
THE AUDIENCE: In general, the audience is made up of a broad spectrum of folks, often with conflicting agendas.
They come by all sorts of names: top forty, sophisticated, listening, boogie, S and M (standing and modeling), biker, redneck, college, hip, square, it does not matter… all crowds have representatives of all the other crowds in the house with them. The musician only hopes that there are enough of "his" crowd in attendance to help him get over and capture the hearts of the others.
Bar crowds are usually made up of the bar regulars, the bands fans, and those whose interest was peaked by a recording, ad or interview promoting the show. The regulars are there because it is their bar; they would be there no matter what. If your not to loud, play stuff they already know, most will probably stay. If you peak their interest, they may actually sit down and listen for awhile. If you have fans there that are really into it, some regulars may actually fall in place with them and you will have a good night.
The reality is that most folks do not have a clue about you or what you do or how good you do it. Nor do they care. They are , rightfully so, out for a good time, and if that includes checking out a band, that is all well and good. Some folks follow a band simply because they like the folks that like the band and see it as some social thing. There are too many agendas in any given crowd, and that is fine. Your agenda is to perform your show and attract as many folks to your way of playing music as possible. The audience is allowed to approve or disapprove for any reason they choose.
AN ANSWER: So why bother being artistic in your musical endeavors? The whim of the world's audiences can elevate crap and lower a talented band to its' grave. Why struggle to get that little creative seedling to grow? Why Bother? It is only because you have to. You have a vision; you are hooked on the feeling you get from doing something you feel is art. You might be serving steak to an audience of vegetarians, but it will be the best steak they never eat.
Musical craftsmen do it for extra cash or because they just love to play, not caring an ounce to make art. That is just fine, not everyone has to be an artist. The more that craftsmen loves what he is doing, the more of himself that is exposed in his playing, the more we, the audience, will enjoy the performance. If he has an "only in it for the cash" attitude, the audience will respond in kind.
To carry on like this: playing what you want, making it real, you have to take care of all the other mystery elements, thus elevating your chances to survive in a market filled with buyers who don’t care and middlemen who don’t know. You have got to be doing this for yourself! The audience, other than the few music fans, won't know how good you are playing, most won't hear any of the sublety in your lyrics. They will either enjoy themselves or not. You can play what you think the audience wants and suffer to craft and a ceiling of mediocrity, or do what you want to do so well, hoping that people will warm to it whether they are familiar or not.
Every once in awhile the magic happens and audience seems to get it and that will sustain you for awhile, but mostly you must sustain yourself.
You may ask, why write all this? I am not writing this to say, ”Do it my way!” I am writing this to say: “Take a moment to consider these observations. The way I see it!”