What makes a guitarist a musician?

[pageplant77]

So this thread is open for debate. What would you all say makes a guitarist more than just a guitarist? What makes them a musician?

[Scooby Dooby Drew]

Musician
1. a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music.
2. any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/musician)

Guitarist
a performer on the guitar. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/guitarist)

So from a purely denotative standpoint, a guitarist is a musician if he is skilled at making music.

[Rutherford The Brave]

Im big into the soul. If the player doesn't have the soul it isnt going to sound. Thats obvious. To me, as a Bassist. I hate playing with those oh hey look at me I can melt your face off with my wicked fast licks kids. Thats why I love my friend Joe. He can't play like the guy from Anthrax, but the soul he puts into our bands jams is sweet. Everything sounds so much better, because when its slower you cant hear the sound better. Anything I hate as well is a bad rhythm guitarist. My job is to set the overall rhythm and the drummer and I are playing well together. Then you get someone who isn't keeping the rhythm and it all falls apart. (BASS PLAYERS IN BANDS. When the song falls apart. The Lead is always going to look at you.) Guitarists play in numerous keys and the note structures and coordination are just troublesome to learn.

[Clawhammer]

I see a musician as a person who plays art, not just blank noise.

[Amnesiac]

I see a musician as a person who plays art, not just blank noise.

Indeed. Justin Bieber, for example, isn't a musician because he plays chords and only chords, and his singing is autotuned to hell and back.

[Sugaree]

Indeed. Justin Bieber, for example, isn't a musician because he plays chords and only chords, and his singing is autotuned to hell and back.

WOW, yet another mention about Justin Bieber! I so didn't see that happening!

In all seriousness though, this isn't limited to guitarists. Each musician puts in some type of emotion into the music he/she makes. Guitarists, drummers, vocalists, bassists, pianist...they all do it. I don't think it's just emotion either that defines a musician, creativity plays an important part of that also.

[Amnesiac]

WOW, yet another mention about Justin Bieber! I so didn't see that happening!

https://www.teefury.com/images/avatars/36626/Trollface_HD.jpg

I did it purely for the reaction.

[Scarface]

I think that a musician is born with the talent. Some are really talented. Some will learn when they get older and take lessons, but in the end I believe that musicians are born, not made.

[The Joker]

Musician to me is a mindset that you are born with.

[Fact]

Musician
1. a person who makes music a profession, esp. as a performer of music.
2. any person, whether professional or not, skilled in music. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/musician)

Guitarist
a performer on the guitar. (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/guitarist)

So from a purely denotative standpoint, a guitarist is a musician if he is skilled at making music.

I think that a musician is born with the talent. Some are really talented. Some will learn when they get older and take lessons, but in the end I believe that musicians are born, not made.

Musician to me is a mindset that you are born with.

I agree with all these three points.
I don't play guitar myself, but my boyfriend does. He's never had 'real' lessons, his dad just taught him how to do basic stuff when he was little. Now when he plays guitar, he can just make up songs and tunes on the spot and I usually find it really magical to listen to because I can't imagine being able to do that myself.

[Scooby Dooby Drew]

<.< Frankly I fail to see how that contradicts my point.
"Skilled at making music" is an extremely subjective statement, it can mean anything from playing something that is extremely technically difficult well to playing something that is enjoyable to hear. If listening to him is "magical", then that definitely qualifies as being skilled.

[Apparitions]

Solos. End thread.

[Sugaree]

Solos. End thread.

No. Solos do not make guitarists. Solos are merely extensions of playing. It's like ketchup with fries. Some people like it and others don't.

[Shenron]

Well to me, a guitarist is only as good as his passion. If the guitarist does not have passion for the instrument, then his music will not sound good to me. When a guitarist pours his soul into the music he plays and you can listen to it and know exactly how it was meant to make you feel, that is when he becomes more than just a guitarist.

As far as musician goes, in order to be a musician you must be able to play music, and play it well. You must also have an understanding of how and why to express emotion through music. Just because you can strum a bunch of chords and make them sound like they kinda go together doesn't mean you are a true musician. People have to be able to feel what you play, and you have to make them feel it. This goes for any instrument, and bands as a whole.

[Number02]

I think that for a guitarist (in particular) to be an actual musician he should have clear knowledge and understanding of the different roles that each instrument plays within a piece of music, be it flute, violin, electric bass, whatever. I also think that a large amount of passion for music in general is necessary, as is a varied taste in musical styles and open-mindedness towards new artists. Just my 2p.

[Alfred Pennyworth]

In my opinion, a musician can be defined as someone who makes/plays music. However, if a guitarist simply plays guitar just because it makes him "cool" and doesn't even take the time to learn real sheet music and instead reads only tabs, then, I don't really think of them as a musician.

[MoveAlong]

I think guitarists are musicians because they make music - some of them are not very good musicians, though. Some of them can't read music.

I think you're a better musician if you can read music - it's what the standard is. Sure, you can do everything by ear and still rock, but when it comes down to reading music, you're out of luck, while everybody else has that upper edge on you.

[Zazu]

I think anyone can be a guitarist / pianist e.t.c. but to become a real 'musician', you need originality in your playing, you need passion in your playing, it needs to be something that comes from your heart and soul and not just your brain. It needs to be a gift, something 'natural'.

I remember that throughout my time of playing piano in my secondary school and going music GCSE, you could spot in an instant those who just 'played' an instrument and those who were real musicians. Their music just had something that others' didn't, they played with a flair that other people didn't have. There was a marked difference.

[Donkey]

I think anyone can be a guitarist / pianist e.t.c. but to become a real 'musician', you need originality in your playing, you need passion in your playing, it needs to be something that comes from your heart and soul and not just your brain. It needs to be a gift, something 'natural'.

I remember that throughout my time of playing piano in my secondary school and going music GCSE, you could spot in an instant those who just 'played' an instrument and those who were real musicians. Their music just had something that others' didn't, they played with a flair that other people didn't have. There was a marked difference.
To be honest i think that little "flare" comes with time, if you learn an instrument long enough it will eventually develop. You can't just start playing amazingly because you're a born musician. I would say it's just about how long you've been playing, or how experienced you are in that sense.

A musician is someone who makes music, a guitarist is someone who makes music with a guitar. We can look into dopey usage of the word "musician," but that is really what it is.

[spfreak]

I see a musician as a person who plays art, not just blank noise.

Yep!

[Bharris13]

a guitarist has to have his/her own style of playing to a certain degree. must put heart and soul into music to class as a musician.