No, you are not an island. You are not alone, adrift at sea hoping for a passing boat to spare some company. The musician's path is all about who you know, but more importantly, having the skills to meet the people in the know. In podcast episode four with Liam Smith, we chatted about what it means to be a musician, and the big take away is that no matter what your reason is for pursuing music, it is never just about yourself, because despite the myth of the soloist, the purpose of doing music is all about the people that you play with and model yourself after.
The First Reason: The Myth of the Soloist
The soloist is a rare creature. Born from the near mythical combination of elements such as dedication, artistry, and insanity, the soloist emerges from nothing. Historically, the soloist was the musician prized for his or her extraordinary skill, often mistaken for talent.
The concept of talent is where this myth begins. I have yet to meet a person born of talent; a person born with a natural gift for music. I have met a great number of musicians that people would call talented, but under careful investigation there is really only one element that sets this person apart as a gifted individual. That element is time. A focused time dedicated to studying their craft, either by guided hand, or self interest.
To be able to dedicate oneself to mastering musical skills, one needs to put a great deal of time into speaking the language of music. To gain the skills necessary to become a soloist, one would have to sacrifice a great deal of socialization, and sometimes self care to free up the hours needed to develop and hone a skill.
The word talent, in my opinion, was invented and used as a tool for exclusivity. If you are told that you do not have the natural talent needed to pursue your passions, you do not pour the time into developing your skills. I do not see the evolutionary advantage of being amazing at playing the viola. In actuality, the argument can be made that so much must be sacrificed to be able to put the time into becoming a master of the viola that it is counter evolutionary. If you replace the definition of talent from natural ability, to that of possessing the drive and guidance to master a set of skills, we can start opening the doors to the exclusive club that is music.
So the myth of the soloist needs to be debunked in our society. Anyone with drive and passion has the capacity for developing the heightened skills once associated with the soloist. To understand that to be a skilled musician simply takes time, dedication, inspiration and passion the exclusive club known as the soloist no longer can sustainably exist.
The Second Reason: The Old Ways Have Given Way
With the advent of the Internet, small communities have become part of a global network. The soloist came to be at a time where in small communities, there were only a handful of individuals with the passion and dedication to become hyper skilled. This created the big fish in the small pond syndrome. Not everyone had that spark, the inspiration, the dedication, or the financial ability to support a life dedicated to practice. Soloists often came from the upper middle to elite class of people that could support the lifestyle. Of course we have heard the Cinderella stories of some musicians coming from extreme poverty and being elevated in status due to their talent, but I have been hard pressed to find a true Cinderella story. Prince charming isn't coming to impart a musical gift to lift you out of your situation. Only dedication to the skill will do that.
As we advanced from the feudal states to the more industrialized people states, the ponds grew into lakes, and there were more big fish to contend with. This drove the innovation forward with music and composition. Musical works were pushed to extreme limits, which drove the musicians to compete with increased standards and expectations.
We are now in one of the most exciting times the world has ever seen. Technology has expanded these lakes into the global ocean. Everyone with a computer and a webcam can publish their works on free media channels. Networking tools like Facebook, Twitter and recently a music social media site called DownToJam are doing wonders at bridging the distance gap and exposing musicians to all the big fish.
I believe that it is this exposure to other musicians that creates the development of musical skill. A person with the drive, dedication, inspiration and time to dedicate to studying music can access a near infinite amount of models to success. This brings us to the main point.
It is the inspiration of other musicians, dedicated to their craft, that create the drive, inspiration and passion needed to join the ranks. It is from your exposure to other amazing people that you learn you can be outstanding and innovative.
For the Skim Readers Out There
- There is no such thing as talent - only dedication, passion and drive to hone your skill.
- All small fish wish to be big fish - and when the pond is an ocean, you have ample examples of big fish to model your success off of.
The Take Away
Don't be shy. Don't hide your skills from the world. Don't lock yourself in the woodshed and practice until your fingers bleed, that’s the old way. Find as many forms of inspiration that you can using the tools available to you through technology. Develop your passion. Find guidance. Spend your hard earned time on being the best, by following the footsteps of giants. Music is for everyone!
The Talented Soloist Is Dead - They Died To Make Way For You
