[Dixielandjazz] Mostly Self Taught Musicians

[Stan Brager]

I don't disagree with what you're saying and it's true for any profession.
Education takes you only so far - the rest comes from experience which can't
be taught under any circumstances whether you're a classical or jazz or pop
musician, a doctor, a teacher, etc.

Stan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Stephen Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
To: "Stan Brager" <sbrager at socal.rr.com>
Cc: "DJML" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Saturday, September 13, 2003 11:53 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Mostly Self Taught Musicians


> Yeah, I do agree with everything you say. I will never forget the words of
a
> self taught tubist here in the East. Norman Burbank, who is an excellent
> player. He was regretting that he never played a Festival out West in the
USA.
> Said Norm: "I just want to do one so everybody who hears me says, 'wow,
Who the
> hell is that fat kid (50 years old) on tuba?'" (He is over 300 lbs)
>
> He meant it without a touch of ego because is is a monster player. Also,
in
> talking to his son, age 21,  who had just graduated from West Chester
> University School of music, studying theory, trombone and tuba, this
exchange.
>
> Son: "Hey dad, how come with all my musical education I can't come close
to you
> as a tuba player.?"
>
> Norm: "Well, we're separated by about 10,000 gigs and that's where you
really
> learn how to play."
>
> Nailed it as I see it. ;-)
>
> Cheers,
> Steve
>
>
>
> Stan Brager wrote:
>
> > Steve;
> >
> > Your statistics were certainly informative and while it behooves someone
who
> > wants to go into music to immerse themselves in lots of study, how they
get
> > that study done is an individual decision and depends upon the goals and
> > personality of that individual.
> >
> > There are those who can get by some rudimentary beginning with someone
who
> > knows how to finger an instrument and take it from there to become first
> > rate by immersing themselves in the business of making music. And, as
you
> > have stated, by asking others how such and such can be done and by
taking a
> > lesson here and there. Certainly a method which lends itself to those
short
> > on funds.
> >
> > Others can do it all by going to a succession of more and more advanced
> > private teachers and schools - the expensive way.
> >
> > The rest get the training using some combination of the two extremes
above.
> >
> > For most musicians whom I've know, training is an on-going business with
> > constant practice of those techniques and abilities which are difficult.
> > This is what reedman Benny Waters said at age 90 - he still practiced
but it
> > was on what was hard for him to play.
> >
> > So, really we're back to what you mean by the term "a trained musician".
> > Does it pertain to the capabilities of the musician? or merely to where
> > he/she learned the craft of making music? or the amount of time which
was
> > spent with formal teachers?
> >
> > Yet, the one thing which musicians must all have in common is the love,
the
> > will, and the talent to make music.
>
>