Posted by Brandon Ostrom on May 01, 2002 at 18:28:12:
I've been struggling with what this is for a very long time. From the moment i first picked up a horn, this question has plauged me. It had been a long time since then, but i still dont know what makes a good musician.
It is reading?
Someone who can just sit down with any piece and just know what it sounds like
Is it ability?
Someone who can play extremely fast with a four 1/2 octave range, play very difficult pieces effortlessly, and generally be able to do almost anything on their intrument
It is emotion?
Someone able to play a song with so much feeling, it causes you to become extremely sad, happy, angry, ect?
I know a great deal of musicians who appear as great to many other people. To me, however, their ability usually lies in technical skill of their instrument-who can play the fastest/loudest/lowest/highest
Considering that music is a language, taking technical skill as the only signs of skill would be like an actor who is praised for how fast he can deliver a performance, or how loud his voice is.
This is not so. But then, what makes a good musician?