I’m pretty good at guitar and can fake my way on some other things like synth and drum machines. I can’t play keys or drums. I’m just so amazed when I see someone who’s proficient at several instruments. I just saw Benn Jordan’s Syntrx II video and he jams out on bass and drums and synth. I know he plays keys and guitar too.
It’s not the kind of music I necessarily listen to, but I’m just blown away by people who can really play different instruments and do it well.
I immediately thought of the Homer Simpson quote:
“No matter how good you are at something, there’s always about a million people better than you”
saw that video yesterday. He is really good at all these instruments, he plays great piano as well.
I can play guitar, bass and piano but nothing particularly well. Multiinstrumentalists that are really good at any instrument are mindblowing indeed.
I‘d love to be able to play drums. Looks like the most fun instrument
this is 100% accurate… it has a tendency for me to feel inadequate. but it always makes me feel more relaxed in that i dont need to have any expectations on me because im shit (in comparison) anyways. so i kind of snap out of the feeling of being inadequate instantly.
Joking aside, comparing yourself to these guys is a guaranteed path to misery.
What we see in YouTube is a rarified intersection of raw talent, time, focus, money and luck - a microscopic sample based on your interests. You might have some of these attributes at elite levels but, perhaps, not all (and might never do).
However, what a lovely feeling to marvel at those that do and, if the mood takes you, be inspired to go back to the instruments you know with renewed vigour.
Luckily, it’s not a competition or a sport. There’s no definition of someone who would be “better at” in terms of art.
In outsider art, some artists were jealous of their 5 years old child…
If it’s just about technique, it’s just a part of the art, more pushed forward these days in Western society but still no more significant than sensitivity for example.
…without having to learn rhythm, scales, coordination, any theory…
Reminds some swedish friends who called “cooking” the action of opening a can of ready sauce and mixing it with precooked pasta
I guess with gonna be gifted with AI painters very soon “i don’t know what painting is but i have the talent to find the right keywords!”
By the same argument traditional instruments players don’t need to learn about mixing, filters, eq, synthesis, sequencing, sampling, arrangement, composing all the parts in a song etc.
I’m not saying one is better than the other, both take dedication.
I agree to a certain extend. Although you do need to learn EQ, arrangement and composing (unless you do covers - still you’ll need to analyse a track to play the parts).
Unless you can afford a studio, i think the vast majority of people do auto publish their own records. That’s how i learnt about mixing, filtering, advanced EQing… and that’s how i didn’t get totally lost when i started with the OT
I find articulation harder on synths than on other instruments. On my guitar, I will unconsciously do a lot with dynamics, slides, etc that I would have to consciously think about and program in on a synth. +1 for synth programming being a skill
(Admittedly haven’t tried anything with an MPE controller)
This guy blows my mind, super talented and pretty unique…
Edit: Oops, I didn’t read the thread properly. I do feel inadequate quite often too, usually when I’ve just attempted to do a final mix/master. Everyone has a unique take on things though, and everyone moves at their own pace, comparing ourselves to others is unfair
Quite ironic as the OP is feeling bad after watching “talented” (i’d say people who worked) people but i have the strange feeling the thread gonna turn into a YT agency showcasing all multi instrumentalists of the interweb
I think that’s usually the key. It’s just about putting the work in, lots and lots of work. I play a few instruments proficiently and can fake/ half ass several more. It’s not about some sort of raw talent, it’s because I’ve put countless hours into it over the years, likely aided by my having a somewhat obsessive personality. Anyone can do it if they’re willing to make the sacrifices of time and their interpersonal relationships in order to practice multiple hours every day. I even learned all of the academic stuff because it allowed me to practice in my head when I was away from my instruments. I don’t know that I’d recommend this though, looking back at it now it doesn’t seem healthy.
Also, I often wonder how much better I’d be at any one instrument if I’d focused solely on one instead of spreading out my energy and focus like that. These days I have far less time and just try to maintain a decent level of playing proficiency across the instruments I haven’t abandoned.
I’ve said a variant of the above to more than one parent while coaching little league. Though at the time it didn’t land well, I think they get it now!
It’s okay to be good at something and not be the best. Just do the best you can do and it’s all good!
tl;dr: Some of these musicians work hard. Some others however just have fun with instruments, not letting their inexperience stop them. I think it’s a really cool part of the multiinstrumentalist crowd.
I think the more experience you get with different instruments, the faster you can get comfortable with new instruments.
But I also think a lot of it comes from the power of “the beginner mindset”. AKA “you know that you suck, but you don’t care enough to let it stop you”. I feel like “work” is not the only way towards this proficiency. Some musicians just like to experiment with different tools and squeeze music out of them.
Benn Jordan mentioned his experience being a left handed guitarist playing right handed guitars. He explains how a lot of it was just him working his way towards building a voice of his own on it. This video from Simon the Magpie mentions the same topic.
I think it’s super exciting as well, and a reminder that there is a lot of fun and good music to be found in “messing around” with instruments. I personally prefer that to virtuosity.
Fwiw virtuousity rarely has any great correlation with the music I get the most pleasure from - and can even be a detriment.
For example: my favourite guitarist is David Byrne.
Is he a great guitarist? I wouldn’t have a clue, but I know I like the music he makes with his guitar far more than other guitarists, regardless of whether they appear to be technically more proficient
I’m sure there are endless videos I could be directed to of people showing incredible dexterity and an ability to play lots of notes very fast but, as much as I can appreciate that from empirical position, it’s pretty much fuck all to me unless it’s channelled into a tune that I like.
I also find that in electronic music too much musicality can often be it’s downfall.
I don’t want to hear a load of synth runs all over a techno track.
It usually sounds shit.
The prog/electronica tightrope isn’t one that many acts can balance to my taste.
I think there is also the aspect of people don’t show how long it takes them to nail a part, like I am proficient enough at most instruments (minus bowed instruments) that I could work out a cool thing to do on a bunch of different instruments and then stitch together in a way that makes me look like a experienced multi instrumentalist. Drop a piece of sheet music in front of me and watch me struggle though.
