Originally Posted By: eddie1261
Originally Posted By: Lawrie
Sooo Eddie,
While I absolutely "get" the preference for performing one's own work, but if I get what you're saying, then my art is worthless...


No. My point is that it isn't really YOUR art. It is you reproducing THEIR art. There is a difference between art and craft. From my perspective, the art is the writing. The playing is craft. Muscle memory. Do enough repetitions and you can't NOT eventually get it right.

Crap! MY art is held in my interprataion and performance - the original song being the source material - and yes, it IS important. I am unable to create new songs they way I would like - I know that, but the enjoyment I have from performing is not diminished by not having my own originals to play.

It's like a painter going to an art supply store and buying tubes of paint instead of finding their own raw materials and making the paints themselves. Not all painters have those skils, but they can still use the paints created by others to express themselves.

Originally Posted By: eddie1261

<snip>
I don't like to play, I don't want to play, and I don't need to play. <snip to end>

^THIS^ is the real difference between us - you hate playing - I LOVE playing - it doesn't matter to me who wrote it so long as I can interpret and perform it beautifully.

For what it's worth, I play in 3*Big Bands, a Dixie style band, 2*Concert bands, a brass come show band, Sometimes in church and in 2*musical societies.

I get paid for none of it (except for a very small equipment allowance from one of the musical societies and the occasional distribution - a pittance really - from the fees of the Big Bands.)

It costs me FAR more to play than I am ever likely to get back but I still do it because I love to do something you hate - I love to play.

You argued that someone who plays anothers composition is not an artist, but simply a performer of anothers art. My counter argument would be that if you are NOT performing what you have written then you are not really an artist either, you're just a writer...

The real truth lies between these extremes - we are BOTH artists, but we have different emphasis. For you to look down on me because I feel I cannot write creditably enough to be happy performing what I have written is the height of arrogance. Especialy if you cannot perform what you have written creditably enough for you to enjoy playing it.

I am happy to recognise you as an artist - please have the common decency to accord me the same privilege, even if you don't "like" my art.

--=-- My credo: If it's worth doing, it's worth overdoing - just ask my missus, she'll tell ya laugh --=--
You're only paranoid if you're wrong!