My whole life I have struggled with which instrument I should predominantly play. I started on violin and still love it, but let's face it, you've never really seen a great singer-songwriter singing along with his or her violin. My mom taught me basic piano as a child and we had a child size guitar that we beat up. At 11 or 12 I began getting interested in both. I love the versatility and portability of guitar, but I am no where near as good as I need to be to really play guitar. As with the violin I've felt like I reach a certain point that I can't get past. I'm pretty good, but not great. Piano came along and I fell in love. I can see how the chords work together, I can feel with my hand the different shapes that create the sound I'm looking for. I still feel like there is so much I can learn, but I feel like it's within my ability.
I get personal enjoyment and satisfaction from playing multiple instruments, but on the other hand there is the disappointment at not being a virtuoso at any of them.
Yesterday I got out my violin and played for an hour or two (while children ran around my feet breaking stuff and crying) and it was absolutely awesome. In the end though, I felt guilty that I just spent hours doing something that leads me nowhere. I get so much from it emotionally, but that's it. My house is still messy and my bank account is still empty. Again, it's the endless struggle of gaining a normal life and losing myself in the meantime. If I appear put together it's only because I have sold myself down the river to be 'normal'.
I'm not sure where this post was supposed to go. It is what it is.
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Yeah, I have the same "issues" with that. Is it better to be moderately good at several instruments, or to be expert at just one? Being good at several allows you to feel well-rounded and understand arranging a little better. But being a virtuoso would make you feel more accomplished, somehow - more of a true "musician"...
ReplyDeleteI find that the more I learn about theory and crap that improves my playing, tends to slightly hinder my songwriting, in that I begin to over-think it. So then, I feel like being a dabbler is better. But then I sit down to play something - really PLAY something - and I feel inadequate. So it's a double-edged sword... or something like that.
But hell, I don't have enough time to devote to EITHER activity right now, so I should just quit whinin' about it.