Do any of you actually have any real musical talent?

[gjm]

What is musical talent? Is it that you play an actual instrument? Is it that you can read music? Or is it that you CAN'T read music? Is it that you can operate software that makes musical sounds? What makes you talented?

Try and state in one short paragraph, perhaps a couple of sentences, what Musical Talent actually is, not what it means to you, but what it is in and of itself so that others can measure themselves objectively.

[djshiva]

no. i have no talent. i continue doing this because i enjoy the ridicule.

[Nod]

What is musical talent? Is it that you play an actual instrument? Is it that you can read music? Or is it that you CAN'T read music? Is it that you can operate software that makes musical sounds? What makes you talented? Try and state in one short paragraph, perhaps a couple of sentences, what Musical Talent actually is, not what it means to you, but what it is in and of itself so that others can measure themselves objectively.

Interesting article: http://geniusblog.davidshenk.com/2007/0 ... sical.html

Personally I'd add in the ability to either join in any process of making sound and almost instinctively, by virtue of experience, knowing what and when to add and, more importantly, when to be quiet. It certainly isn't sitting in front of a computer, the worst haptic instrument imaginable, for weeks on end dibbing around with files or merely mixing pre-recorded sources together. Imho and ymmv.

[gjm]

So its about the process and not the result?

[popslut]

I pwn.

[Nod]

So its about the process and not the result?

As a genuine measure of some form of ability then yes imo - the road is more important than the destination and all that Dylan...here's a silly example to illustrate:

5 guitarists/bassists/drummers/singers/triangle players/all of the above meet in a bar. They get drunk and start playing...instinctively.

5 bald guys with laptops meet in a bar. They attempt to play minimalist techno together and, after 2 hours of trainwrecks trying to get everything synced via MTC, they get drunk instead...

If your instrument of choice doesn't allow you absolute, and I mean absolute, immediacy & control of any expression then it ain't a very good instrument

[kevin Willoughby]

...And What skoool did you went to when you was a children?
Who' di best drummer..? Tony Williams or John Bonham??
Who di best guitarist..?? lee Ritenour or George Benson??
who di best pink oboe player..?? monica Lewinsky or linda Lovelace..??
innit !.... pluggit in an be happppppy....... javascript:emoticon(':roll:')

[kevin Willoughby]

...And What skoool did you went to when you was a children?
Who' di best drummer..? Tony Williams or John Bonham??
Who di best guitarist..?? lee Ritenour or George Benson??
who di best pink oboe player..?? monica Lewinsky or linda Lovelace..??
innit !.... pluggit in an be happppppy....... javascript:emoticon(':roll:')

[kevin Willoughby]

...And What skoool did you went to when you was a children?
Who' di best drummer..? Tony Williams or John Bonham??
Who di best guitarist..?? lee Ritenour or George Benson??
who di best pink oboe player..?? monica Lewinsky or linda Lovelace..??
innit !.... pluggit in an be happppppy....... javascript:emoticon(':roll:')

[aisling]

I LOVED TAD, back in the day. Long time since that name was uttered in my parts.

Yeah I also absolutely loved TAD. Remember going to see them when they toured the UK. I still have all the records. Guy was so big he could only hang the guitar off one shoulder ! Way before Nirvana had hit major success, they pioneered that rreally massive bass and drum heavy chugging sound which arguably was a major influence on the Nevermind album. All I know is I was in a band at 16, and we just wanted to sound like TAD so badly.. the bassist went out and bought a massive amp and cab (big Fender thing 5" tall by 4" wide) just to get the rythmn as fat as TAD.
Sorry had to chip in with that.. not really relevant to the post !!

Help me Jack Pepsi

[silverlulu]

it's an interesting question that gjm raised regarding
how you define musical talent...

i can't "play" any instruments but i have a midi keyboard and when i press the keys and mess around with ableton i make melodies that i think are really good. i have no idea what key/chord or whatever they are they just sound right. i make music that brings out emotions in me that a pianist would do. the only difference i guess is that the pianist knows what a G sounds like or how one key relates to another. i just go with what sounds good to me

i know it sounds corny but i kinda feel the music. so in some respect i have no musical talent but in another sense i have lots of musical talent when i use a computer program.

i think i had a point somewhere but i lost it cos i'm tired.

[-art-]

yes i believe i am talented. finding discipline, confidence and focus is a whole other issue for me.

music talent is how well you can speak the language.

[gjm]

The original post had Two questions. 1. Do you have any real talent? 2. Do you add to pop culture? I am pretty sure it wasn't intended, but having 'talent' does not give you the right to add to pop culture, or even culture in general. The talent thing is a hard one. People take so many different roads to get to the same finished product. One persons weakness is anothers strength. But just because you are genuinly good at something, dosen't mean you will actually produce something that is good! There have been many people with mediocre skills and talents that have made significant contributions to culture. The reason they are 'recognized' is often due to things other than their talent. Sometimes people get too hung up on wether they are good at one thing or another. The truth is that success is never about ONE thing. People often talk about their 'lucky breaks' or succsess by describing freaky coincidences or chance meetings etc. Yes I have a certain amount of talent, more than some of you, actually probably far less than most of you. Music might be my vehicle, but many other things make up the mechanics. Thats why it is important to work on the whole package, not only on your music making skills, honing your musical talent, but on your people skills, self management skills etc, etc.

Yes I am talented musically (obviously in my own opinion), but its because I am more talented in other things that I actually make a contribution to culture.

Thanks for the original post, I really enjoyed the challenge of thinking it through.