»

[Subbacultcha]

By this i mean are all good bands filled with good musicians? Obviously a band needs to have enough technical ability to play in time ect, but i can think of what i percieve to be excellent bands that really have average drummer/guitar/bassist skills at best. A classic example would be Mclusky. Discuss.

BTW Hi, im new to this forum and Aberdeen, like it a lot. I'm at Aberdeen uni and originaly from London, the scene here is very good on first impressions!

[Monk Rocker]

Yes. A good band need to be good musicians, but that's not to say good musicians make a good band!

[RF Scott]

Not really, there are loads of examples of really amazing bands who were technically average (or worse!). I think thats what you're getting at, right?

eg
Daniel Johnston (granted he's not a band)
Pavement
Silver Jews
Young Marble Giants
Cat Power
Beat Happening

[Monk Rocker]

I disagree. I think Pavement are good musicians. They have to be to pull that style of music off. Take Les Dawson's sketches were he used to play piano badly - that's actually really difficult to do, and he was regarded as a very talented pianist.

[RF Scott]

Originally Posted by Monk Rocker

I disagree. I think Pavement are good musicians. They have to be to pull that style of music off. Take Les Dawson's sketches were he used to play piano badly - that's actually really difficult to do, and he was regarded as a very talented pianist.

Its not really difficult to play piano badly! Are you suggesting that in order to play averagely, or even badly, you need to know how to play well? I don't understand.

The Ramones are perhaps another example of average (maybe even below average?) musicians who wrote ace songs.

[shaun]

i'd think the moldy peaches also

[Monk Rocker]

Originally Posted by RF Scott

Its not really difficult to play piano badly! Are you suggesting that in order to play averagely, or even badly, you need to know how to play well? I don't understand.

The Ramones are perhaps another example of average (maybe even below average?) musicians who wrote ace songs.

Aye, but it's very difficult to intentionally play the piano badly. Being unable to play well is a totally different kettle of fish.

I can't really comment on the Ramones musicianship as I'm not really into them, but I think that a band need to be of a reasonanble standard on their instruments. Some bands write really simple songs, but are still really great musicians.

And what's an "average musician"? It's all relative really.

[Alex]

I think an ability to think objectively and creatively about the sound you're creating is essential. People with this ability will generally realise that proficiency at a given medium/instrument is neccessary to be able to manipulate the sound. The converse flaw with trained musicians is that they can believe a given level of proficiency translates into a sovereignty over the instrument where it's soley them creating this music. This leads to a blindness of how the instrument is affecting their musical choices, the musician seeing the instrument/medium as merely a vehicle for their perfect ideal, unaware of (and thus, exacerbating) an inherent conflict (hence: horrible 80s wank). True creativity is a dialogue between the artist and the tool.

[calum]

I personally am happy as long as a band plays within their limits, and keeps it fairly tight. Alkaline Trio are one of my favourite bands, and most of their songs are really simple; just power chords and octaves.

IMO, being technically exceptional or at least very good just gives you options.

[daveofficer]

i think technical skill is a different thing from being a good musician. you can be the worlds greatest guitarist but still be a poor musician imo. a good musician is someone who listens to what's happening around them and works to the music not to their skill. a band is a group effort and not a showcase for solo's. if a guy doesn't know his instrument very well but what he can play fits the style of the band then there's no problem. people can learn as they go but a band lives and dies on how the members fit together.

so technical skill gets a thumbs down but the ability to listen to music around you and play to that gets a thumbs up