What I dislike about pianists or musicians in general

[mmro]

My english is soooo out of practice 
 I'll  do what I can...

Why do they have to be so insanely competitive! THat's terrible!! I know a great deal of people that have been brainwashed by their parents since they were too young to think for themselves! I think that's why....It's not good to put so much preassure in young kids telling them to be the best and making them study hours a day.... All of it it's wrong. Some don't even like what they're doing...

The result??? Mentally unbalanced and unstable adults recentful for not becoming famous... always critisizing everyone else, pointing at others mistakes so they can feel better about themselves.

It should be all about enjoying.... it doesn't matter if your not good (i'm not).. it's about enjoying the magic of music... one of the greatest achievments of mankind in my opinion....


I do need to practice my english  it took me a while to write that... 

[m19834]

it's about enjoying the magic of music...

Well, who says most musicians don't enjoy the magic of music, even if they are great at it ?  I generally feel that the better I get, the more magic I will be able to enjoy, so I find I perpetually (so far anyway) would like to get better.  I am hooked on the magic  .   

Other than that, my opinion of your post is that it has some good points, some huge generalizations that are not necessarily accurate, and it is a bit hypocritical.

[etcetra]

i think you are generalizing too much.  Not all musicians are resentful like that.  I met a lot of very well accomplished musicians, and most of them are very humble and nice people.. perhaps the kinds of people you are talking about didn't make it professionally because of their negative attitude. 

In the case of what you are describing, the problem is not in music but how parents are using it as a way to push their kids.  I see this a lot in asian parents, and a lot of these people end up hating music by the time they grow up.

Music is a very difficult thing to make a career in. Its not that much different than a being a professional athelete.  Imagine if you were a playing in the major league baseball.. you spend thousands of hours training and you are constantly on the road traveling and competing.. They have really love what they do to keep on doing what they are doing.

[tds]

My english is soooo out of practice 
I do need to practice my english 

what u talkin about? ur english is like like..sooooo..likee puuurfect..

be me english teacher, will u?

[ryanyee]

actually that's what's happening to me. u see i've always had my sight reading and quick learning to fall back on. and now i'm feeling like im losing it and whenever i hear someone play magnificently, i look back on those days when i was capable of more and feel that im incapable of anything. but no one instigated this competitive notion in me.

[db05]

Is that true where you're from? Because here it's true for academics, NOT music. Music is just for rich kids, not much pressure there because it does not dictate your life as much as your high school diploma (or lack of one).

Most of the "being competitive" comes from the musicians themselves. Who knows if they genuinely want to be able to play music, or just show off their skills? But what I hate is how they get hooked on vices. I haven't met any that did drugs yet, but most smoked. I have to admit the pressure gets to me and I have my cravings too (food, sleep, internet). Music study is just stressful; haven't met anyone who tells me it is easy. Especially if you want to study and get better. You put the pressure on yourself. Not your parents or teachers.

[gyzzzmo]

My english is soooo out of practice 
 I'll  do what I can...

Why do they have to be so insanely competitive! THat's terrible!! I know a great deal of people that have been brainwashed by their parents since they were too young to think for themselves! I think that's why....It's not good to put so much preassure in young kids telling them to be the best and making them study hours a day.... All of it it's wrong. Some don't even like what they're doing...

The result??? Mentally unbalanced and unstable adults recentful for not becoming famous... always critisizing everyone else, pointing at others mistakes so they can feel better about themselves.

It should be all about enjoying.... it doesn't matter if your not good (i'm not).. it's about enjoying the magic of music... one of the greatest achievments of mankind in my opinion....


I do need to practice my english  it took me a while to write that... 

Maybe youre talking here more about yourself and your own parents than 'pianists in general', and youre the one that isnt enjoying anymore.

[tompilk]

I think it's natural to be competitive in anything. I'm studying medicine, and it seems everyone is really competetive, much more than me. I've always stayed well away from thinking competitively, and I am really uncompetetive. But this is perhaps because I'm afraid of being inferior others, in which case means I'm competitive!
I'm not sure whether I'm naturally uncompetitive or whether it's due to being competetive! haha... that's ridiculously paradoxical...

[Petter]

I can understand if being blessed with enormous talent and dedicating ~20 years of your life by neglecting all social activities and then spending major $$$ by rising up to the challenge of attending a prestigious school with brutal competition only to find out that your speech impediment isn´t charming enough to turn you into an artist could invoke some bitterness... 

[tompilk]

yes, i suppose the recent dropping of Yundi Li by DG would make him bitter... it's a shame. He's a million times better than LL ever was/is/will be.

[lostinidlewonder]

All musicians secretly within themselves believe that what they artistically do with their music  is unique and special. It is not bad to think this but sometimes it can push a few of them into arrogance. But musicians reason for living in this world is to produce music, and this is what sets them apart from the rest of the world, makes them feel more unique, appreciated and needed. Some defend this with bad behavior, but you find that in any profession, it is just a  natural human reaction for some.

[tompilk]

All musicians secretly within themselves believe that what they artistically do with their music  is unique and special. It is not bad to think this but sometimes it can push a few of them into arrogance. But musicians reason for living in this world is to produce music, and this is what sets them apart from the rest of the world, makes them feel more unique, appreciated and needed. Some defend this with bad behavior, but you find that in any profession, it is just a  natural human reaction for some.

Personally, I don't think the arrogance is due to the fact musicians want to be artistically unique - I think that as humans we desire a feeling of purpose, and this is best achieved through a feeling of uniqueness.
I think the arrogance (which I don't think is as common as mmro makes out) is probably due to spending 6+ hours a day with yourself alone, with the sole aim of bettering yourself. I think to excel in anything, it's necessary to be obsessed, and  it doesn't take a genius to think what being obsessed with performing brings...