 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: Cindy
Date: 2002-03-07 03:23
Why is it that people who do not participate in and do not love music cannot understand musician's love for their instrument? They always think that music is just extra, and can be easily put aside for other things. Its not fair, having one legally rule your life. Okay, I just had to rant. Thanks.
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-03-07 03:40
Similar gripe: When a non musician has a snide comment to you after you mention that you'll busy working this weekend doing a club date / big band gig / theater pit / etc... and they say:
"That's not really work, is it?" ...GBK
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Author: Jim E.
Date: 2002-03-07 03:43
I have the same problem understanding the fasicination with soccer that some have with things musical. My younger niece who played college varsity soccer has had her playing career permanently ended (she's a sophmore) by injury, (yes, she'll coach) and it really took some thought process on my part to realize what it meant to her. Soccer just isn't my passion.
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Author: JMcAulay
Date: 2002-03-07 04:29
GBK: The next time someone says, regarding one of your gigs: "That's not really work, is it?" please suggest that it does not make a gold-plated hoot what the job is... if you have to be there on time, do some specific task or tasks, get money for being there, can't leave until some other time, and if you don't show up you might get fired, I don't care if it's testing mattresses -- it's work!
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Author: GBK
Date: 2002-03-07 04:34
John...Great comeback lines. I'll definitely use them...Thanks...GBK
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Author: Sally Gardens
Date: 2002-03-07 04:37
Even simpler: If it involves an expenditure of labor toward a given end -- whether imposed by others or self-initiated -- it's work. Even if you don't get paid a penny for doing something, if you are working at it, it's work. Even if (shock, horror) you ENJOY engaging in the work, if you are working, it is work. Heaven forfend that we should actually be happy when we work.
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Author: Jim
Date: 2002-03-07 09:26
GBK: I've heard that "it isn't work" line more than 50 years and I always said in reply: "You better believe it isn't, but I make so much money doing it that I am embarassed. What do you do for Extra loot?" Reply not always well received, but I had a good chuckle!
Jim(M)
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Author: Mindy
Date: 2002-03-07 10:19
I know what you mean......my teachers in high school (especially my math teacher) doesn't think band is important. But if you talk to my band directors.....they will say all the other subjects are also just as important. Teachers have to understand that some people are not going to be people who like the subject they are teaching
Mindy
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Author: Brian
Date: 2002-03-07 11:33
Thanks for all the great replies to Cindy's post.
Now if I could just get my wife to read this thread...
Peace
Brian
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Author: Brian
Date: 2002-03-07 11:43
Ok folks I know I already replied to this post but I had a thought ( imagine that...and I was conscious too! ).
We as musicians and great lovers of music are very lucky. No one else can feel music as we can. How many people do you know have gotten goose bumps on their arms or tears in their eyes when they have experienced a great musical performance? For myself,not many.
Call it a blessing or a gift or whatever you want but we are lucky to have this "thing" inside of us that allows us to feel this way about music. It is a gift for which I am eternally grateful.
Thanks for listening!
Brian
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-03-07 14:20
Indeed ---- my wife (totally non-musical, unfortunately) always refers to music as my 'hobby', as if it were analogous to building model airplanes or raising pansies --- she believes I can turn music on or off at will, set it aside for a while to do MUCH more important thing like hanging a set of blinds or building a deck, etc. This attitude is a constant source of irritation that I'm sure is faced by many of us who have non-musician 'significant others' ---- I wish I had a good solution ---- if and when I find it I'll be sure to let everyone know!
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Author: Bob Arney
Date: 2002-03-07 15:42
Dave, you might suggest to her that her 'hobby' horses are eating too much hay. That ought to start a good conversation. ;-] Bob A
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Author: LynnB
Date: 2002-03-07 18:06
I've got the opposite spouse situation. My husband (non-musician) is very supportive. It impresses the heck out of him that I can play, and complains when I don't play enough! He starting to nag at me about doing a recital with my trio. Oh Brother!
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Author: David Spiegelthal
Date: 2002-03-07 18:16
Bob A,
Tried your suggested approach. Bad idea! Backfired. Big time. You see, horses are living things (aka 'critters'), therefore they're like, well, family members, dontcha know? Therefore they are not a hobby --- see? So the fact that the horses cost our family many thousands of dollars a year in maintenance and infrastructure, not to mention the numerous hours I spend watching the kids while she rides or takes care of the horses, is not admissible evidence in the family court of law. You may say the rules seem unfair, but they are what they are and my challenge is to find creative ways to observe the regulations while maintaining a semblance of a musical avocation. I don't mean to sound harsh -- I love my wife dearly and I knew before we got married that we had vastly different interests. It's just that, in a perfect world, I wouldn't have to deal with these problems. But, needless to say, the world is not perfect (heck, not even the "Legendary R-13 by Buffet" is perfect.............)
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Author: Bob A.
Date: 2002-03-07 19:00
Dave, Try playing "On The Trail"---On your Bass over and over to the horses. They may bolt!
Bob A
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Author: ron b
Date: 2002-03-07 20:32
Early on I learned that we're not all on the same wavelength and... it's okay
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-07 20:52
Ron b - well said - concise and defined!
I fortunately have a supportive "significant other" who happens to be vaguely musical. I'm just vague but musical - so we make a damned fine duo.
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Author: Brian
Date: 2002-03-07 22:09
Hey Dave...with my wife it's her chihuahua...or as she refers to the dog her "daughter"!
Brian
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Author: Ambuoroko
Date: 2002-03-07 22:16
A note on work... Technically, by the scientific definition of work, you just need to exert a force which moves an object. You could perhaps go into a long explanation of what work REALLY is, and quote several nice equations for figuring out the amount of work done. Take someone who works at a "REAL" job (yea right), and calculate the amount of work THEY do versus the amount of work a clarinetist does. Also account for the amount of practice time and everything, and you're moving considerably more mass than they are. Not that anyone who can't see the beauty of music would understand such things, but they could try. Perhaps I shall figure out the amount of work various professions perform and calculate who does the most. I'll let you know if I'm ever that bored.
Ambuoroko
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Author: Chrissie
Date: 2002-03-07 22:23
Kinda on the soccer and music tangent... and others... I played soccer until my Junior year in Highschool, when I also was cut out by injury. It was really traumatic to have that so severely cut out of my life, but luckily enough (in my opinion) I still had (have) music, and was able to dedicate myself to that more completely. Some people can't understand either passion... but then, I really can't comprehend *why* some people *enjoy* spending 10+ figuring out the PH level of sodium propolynate...or however you spell it....
Anyway, that's enough rambling out of me...
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Author: diz
Date: 2002-03-07 23:02
I'm always terrified of sitting on such little critters - I weight 250 pounds - so they normally don't survive!
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Author: allencole
Date: 2002-03-08 11:13
Another interesting facet of non-musicians is that they often assume that you're totally absorbed into the style or repertoire in which they hear you play.
I work primarily as a saxophonist/doubler, and in most public engagements my primary repertoire is Motown & classic rock. When the inevitable questions of 'where did you learn to do that' come up, you should see the looks on their faces when I tell them that I learned it from Benny Goodman records. If I reveal an interest in or knowledge of classical music, you'd better call an ambulance!
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Author: David Pegel
Date: 2002-03-09 23:14
What tends to get non-musicians to me is their inability to think that the music is original on occasion. I play at my church, and when I play some instruments I go improv, knowing only what chords the guitar is playing and making up something nice each time. Only three times has someone noticed right off the bat I don't have a music stand in front of me like everyone else. Then, when other people DO notice (Oh gosh) they freak out. "Whoa! You memorized that whole thing? What? You made it up as you went? So you had NO CLUE how you'd SOUND?"
Grumble...
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