# When can you call yourself a musician?



## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Is it when you earn some income? When you write your own songs? Are you a musician if you noodle at home? I’ve never called myself a musician and have only recently become comfortable with calling myself a guitarist.


----------



## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

When you make music, you are a musician.

You can use the word professional when you make a living at it.


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Agreed. I don't think the word musician is necessarily restricted to those who are accomplished or otherwise gifted.


----------



## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

I can't say I have ever given this a ton of thought... but I know im not a musician  Hell I even write all the time.
I play guitar, sax, piano, djembe, bass and clarinet. I am not a virtuoso at any of them and do it mainly as a form of mental therapy. I'm not a musician, artist, professional, amateur..... im just a player. I like to play.


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

I've got 33 years experience in my job, I only recently agreed that I'm an "expert" at some of the things that in hindsight I clearly have been for a long time.


----------



## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

Brunz said:


> I can't say I have ever given this a ton of thought... but I know im not a musician  Hell I even write all the time.
> I play guitar, sax, piano, djembe, bass and clarinet. I am not a virtuoso at any of them and do it mainly as a form of mental therapy. I'm not a musician, artist, professional, amateur..... im just a player. I like to play.


Oh no, not a "Player."


----------



## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

I call myself a musician if asked or if I'm filling in a form. I've never made what you'd call a living at it but I studied music at university and it's the main out-of-family thing I've chosen to do with my life.


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

I've never considered myself a musician, not my call to make, although I've been playing for a hundred years. I'm just some guy who plays a guitar, sometimes in shitty bars, and sings songs about things like alcoholic dogs that'll bite off your ass so keep your hands in your pockets and if you don't got no dough don't come around here etc. ..lol


----------



## Guitar101 (Jan 19, 2011)

You're a musician if you've ever said "_what do you call someone that hangs around with musicians_".

Answers: A drummer or a singer.


----------



## Paul M (Mar 27, 2015)

If you are filling out a form or application for something, what do you write in the box marked "occupation"?


----------



## Mark Brown (Jan 4, 2022)

Paul M said:


> If you are filling out a form or application for something, what do you write in the box marked "occupation"?


flooring mechanic


----------



## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Paul M said:


> If you are filling out a form or application for something, what do you write in the box marked "occupation"?


My real job?


----------



## Grab n Go (May 1, 2013)

I remember Dick Dale saying years ago that he was an entertainer rather than a musician. I think Joe Bonamassa said something similar-- that he doesn't consider himself a guitar player, but an entertainer.

I'm not sure why being labelled either is something to be avoided. They don't elevate or denigrate anyone. It isn't something you have to earn. You don't even have to be trained or be a professional.

Kids will happily accept being a musician even if they're singing while banging away at pots and pans. Because it describes the thing that they enjoy.


----------



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I encourage *ALL* my students to think of themselves as musicians. Also, we should *ALL* consider ourselves students of music. Therefore we are *ALL* musicians.


----------



## HighNoon (Nov 29, 2016)

Paul M said:


> If you are filling out a form or application for something, what do you write in the box marked "occupation"?


I've always put in musician. Sometimes artist. At the garage, can I just get the brakes on the front fixed....You must be a musician. At the dentist, how much, yeah well just pull it.....What are you, a musician? At the hotel, when you sign for the one room and you're by yourself, but the clerk notices other guys slipping in later....What are you, a band? At the Buffalo border, when they search the van and find a bag of weed and the officer later on tells you, you're looking at seven in Attica, and your bro tells him about growing up and playing with Rick James....You guys are musicians?


----------



## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

I think when you can assemble a song or entertain someone else w/ your playing, you're a musician. I used to think of myself as that years back when I recorded, produced and toured. Now I mostly make controlled noise.


----------



## Doug Gifford (Jun 8, 2019)

This is a bit of a "but is is art?" question. Plumbers don't have these discussions.


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

Doug Gifford said:


> This is a bit of a "but is is art?" question. Plumbers don't have these discussions.


I think it's a Canadian thing.


----------



## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Paul M said:


> If you are filling out a form or application for something, what do you write in the box marked "occupation"?


I used to put "Parent" but these days I put "Musician" as it is the largest use of my time and my only source of income. However, I think that we can safely apply labels to ourselves that aren't how we earn a living. Among other things, I am also a hockey player, cyclist, camper, plumber, and painter.


----------



## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Paul M said:


> If you are filling out a form or application for something, what do you write in the box marked "occupation"?


Musician. If it’s good enough for my tax return it’s good enough everywhere.


----------



## Eric Reesor (Jan 26, 2020)

If you play so called classical music, what ever that is, you know you are when people actually shut up and listen to what you are playing. Plain and simple. Then if you find duende the magic begins to happen. 

I guess for some rockers it is when the audience lights up their bics and starts head banging and screaming loud enough that you have to crank up the amps so they can hear you on Mars.

Before the pandemic hit I was at a night club here in VIctoria run by a moron rock oriented owner. The band I went to experience was of great Cuban musicians and was incredible, The band was formed around the brother of Alex Cuba who is a very great instrumentalist, composer and singer. The trumpeter was an out of this world virtuoso with a soul that absolutely hit me down to my toes.
HOWEVER because the guy on the mixing console was a complete rock dance oriented moron with no taste at all, the audience was blasted to the point that my ears hurt for almost 3 days. In a room that was no more than 60' the poor trumpeter had to blast his brains out to get a lick in. The balance of the drums was all wrong and the bass sounded like a cheap Honda Civic with 300 watt subs rattling the door panels.

So all and all if you pay no attention to the sound you produce you will never become a musician regardless of how well you play.

Just my two cents on the matter.


----------



## silvertonebetty (Jan 4, 2015)

I’m a noise maker .


----------



## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

You have no job, you smoke a pile of weed, you sleep all day, you come up with great ideas that make people look at you funny, and you play an instrument. Extra points if you still live in your parents basement.


----------



## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

As Geddy Lee puts it, regarding his mother;
_“When she saw me on TV for the first time, she realized that I was an *entertainer *and not just some drug crazed lost soul."_


----------



## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

If someone ever tells me that I am entertaining, then I will call myself an entertainer too. 😁


----------



## troyhead (May 23, 2014)

bw66 said:


> When you make music, you are a musician.
> 
> You can use the word professional when you make a living at it.


To me, that sums up the answer to the original question quite well. 

You can be a lot of things in life: artist, photographer, dancer, carpenter, magician, gamer, video editor, coach, etc. One of those might be a current occupation for you, but that doesn't mean you can't be more than one of those things in addition to your occupation.

Just as owning a camera doesn't make one a photographer, having a guitar or singing along to a favourite song doesn't make one a musician. But if someone puts in enough time and effort into making music that they want to call themselves a musician or crafting photos that they call themselves a photographer, have at it.

I don't think there is anything wrong with being proud of your accomplishments and abilities, even if they aren't at a "professional level".


----------



## Paul Running (Apr 12, 2020)

When the dog stays in the room as you are playing.


----------



## theroan (Oct 7, 2008)

It's something you know you are. I never felt comfortable saying I was a musician. I would always say I play guitar. Even though I probably made more money at it than most. But after I started doing stand-up, someone asked me if I was a comedian and when I said yes it didn't feel like a lie.


----------



## marcos (Jan 13, 2009)

Hmm, good question Mark. The odd time i will answer yes, i am a musician and sometimes guitarist. It doenst mean much to me either way as i dont take myself too seriously. Now being an entertainer, thats another ball game. Charm charisma and of course talent is required.


----------



## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Musician: make an instrument make noises that please the person playing it (because ymmv - some people like harsh noise). 

professional: getting paid, in any capacity, to play said instrument.


----------



## Chito (Feb 17, 2006)

Good question Mark. For me to simplify things, a person who composes, conducts, or performs music is a musician.


----------



## Rick in the Patch (Feb 28, 2021)

You gotta read the room. If it's an office in the mortgage department of a bank, you are anything but a musician. If it's a really cool party and you're single, talking to a groovy chick, you're a musician. ;-)


----------



## BlueRocker (Jan 5, 2020)

in 1977 I played the organ, in a shopping mall, dressed in a raccoon suit, and got paid.

Professional Musician


----------



## laristotle (Aug 29, 2019)

Rick in the Patch said:


> If it's a really cool party and you're single, talking to a groovy chick, you're a musician. ;-)


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

BlueRocker said:


> in 1977 I played the organ, in a shopping mall, dressed in a raccoon suit, and got paid.


That is still way better than playin yacht rock.


----------



## Rene Asologuitar (10 mo ago)

1SweetRide said:


> Is it when you earn some income? When you write your own songs? Are you a musician if you noodle at home? I’ve never called myself a musician and have only recently become comfortable with calling myself a guitarist.


I agree with bw66, 100%!
Rene


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

If you are, others will say so.


__
https://soundcloud.com/user-566229450%2Fbarretts-privateers-2


----------



## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Milkman said:


> If you are, others will say so.
> 
> 
> __
> https://soundcloud.com/user-566229450%2Fbarretts-privateers-2


I have a Newfie buddy who'd love this.


----------



## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

1SweetRide said:


> I have a Newfie buddy who'd love this.


Stan Rogers was awesome.

Here are a couple more. One by Great Big Sea and another by Stan Rogers.


__
https://soundcloud.com/user-566229450%2Fgeneral-taylor-2


__
https://soundcloud.com/user-566229450%2Fnorthwest-passage-2


----------



## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Listening to Danny Bryant right now while I BBQ some ribs. So, I’ll happily check these out later.


----------



## Wardo (Feb 5, 2010)

@Milkman here's another privateer song for ya;


----------



## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Perfect east coast pub music. Good for St. Patty's day too.


----------

