Everybody wants to be great. But not everyone gets there.
What separates the exceptional musician from the crowds of mediocre?
Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of working with some great musicians. There has been consistent qualities that I’ve noticed.
Here they are:
1. Great musicians serve the song – they don’t try to be “different” all the time. Matter of fact, they understand how messy that can sound. They’re not afraid to play driving eighth notes on the bass. They play simple grooves with passion and intensity. They know that their part is simply a piece of the whole.
2. Great musicians bring life to the room – nothing deflates a project more than a complaining band member. A professional is solution-oriented. They lift those around them to be better. They bring their full energy every time.
3. Great musicians pay the price – I’m not talking about finances. When you see an accomplished musician, you know they’ve paid the price behind the scenes. Hours upon hours have been invested in learning fundamentals.
They didn’t just learn a few chords. They played the classical music everyone made fun of and learned to love it. While others were hanging out, they were practicing scales. Greatness comes with a price. Some have even said that price is 10,000 hours.
4. Great musicians never stop learning – I find it interesting that the best musicians are the ones who are still learning the most. Many of them take lessons their whole life. They don’t talk about themselves as if they’ve “arrived”. They’re learning new styles, developing new tones, researching what the greats of the past have done.
5. Great musicians don’t take themselves too seriously – When I meet a new musician, I can usually gauge their skill level simply by a conversation.If they rant and rave about their experience and incredible skill, I know they’re probably average or awful. If they’re modest, I know they can probably play.
It’s interesting – the best musicians don’t take themselves too seriously.
6. Great musicians are curious – They don’t stay stuck in one box. They look for inspiration everywhere. They test new ideas, learn new instruments, and try to find more creative ways to make music.
7. Great musicians love what they do – You can’t become great if you don’t love what you do. If you don’t have a vision, you can’t sustain practicing for 3 hours a day. Great musicians love what they do.
I know this list could expand. That’s why you’re here.
Question: What else sets apart great musicians from the rest? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
Great musicians respect other musicians, even those of a different genre.
Good one, bro. That can be a major challenge between the old(er) and the young.
Love it!!!
A great musician has voice on their instrument. they can copy others but they have a
Way of making a part their own.
David, I love that. Great musicians have learned how to pour their heart into their part. They have a uniqueness about them.
Great musicians know when not to play.
Great musicians do their homework.
Great musicians challenge the rest of the team to become better.
Yes!
Great list! I never realized, when I first became a musician, how much we are servants- to the song, to the band, to the artist, etc. It’s something I have grown to love the longer I play!
More musicians need to learn this. So many are just in it for themselves and their own name.
Great musicians listen to melody lines, words, and to the moment. With good musicians you hear drums or guitar or keyboard. With great musicians you hear music.
Dennis, this is great. I teach musicians all the time to listen to the lyric. It’s all about the lyric. Feeling the moment – ahh, that’s so good. Thanks!
A good musician realizes that the music isn’t about them. It is about the whole that is created when all the parts come together.
Beautiful, Diana! This is so good I want to scream! 😉
Nice article. Great musicians never forget that the music is “the thing.” It’s not about anything else.
Hey Amy, thanks for the comment. What exactly do you mean that music is “the thing”?
The really great musicians bring something to the party. They bring a fresh idea, sound or just that special “magic sauce” part.
And they have a great attitude. You want to be around them.
Great musicians are set apart by their dedication and enthusiasm. They never get tired of running over the material learned and when they do it its with a positive attitude. They know that new renditions can occur from repetition. So they know that too much is never enough.
Music is a conversation. Not every instrument can talk at once. A great musician knows how to back-up and help accentuate what another player is “saying” with his instrument, and knows when it is their own time to “talk”. As a musician in a band you will learn to listen more than be heard.
Fantastic. This is so important!
I think it’s important to look for places in songs to be quiet, an occasional absence in a song can make your presence more impacting! In a five piece group everyone can find a place to lay out from time to time! It was one of our unwritten rules!
So true, Kendall. I’m of the opinion that what you DON’T play can often speak louder than what you DO play.
man this is so awesome! the part about good musicians being honest and being good enough to just play a simple part is so dead on. this is great David.
Thanks, Josh. I’m assuming you are one of these great musicians, right? 😉
All true David. Hiring musicians is part of my job at Midway. We don’t hire very many because we have a great crew of volunteers. However the ones I bring back and even use on a steady basis are the guys who do all those things. Living near University of North Texas is a blessing, being one of the top two jazz schools in the nation. It has given me a huge opportunity to meet and work with a lot of kids who are abundantly talented. However, the bottom line isn’t always talent…but it helps. Here are the big three I look for;
1. Know where you are – this is an opportunity to LEAD from your position; are you a leader? I look for guys who are leaders at their instruments but who lead from the heart…and that is sometimes hard to find, but definitely worth the process. Being on that platform means being lead worshipers and I look for leaders that know how to worship and lead as they play.
2. Know what You’re doing – know your craft! Are you good on your instrument in a way that serves songs, sets and settings? If so go the extra mile and know each of those things on a weekly basis. The players I hire are ones that I don’t have to wonder if they’ve done their homework or not. If it’s a new or original song, they impress me with creativity and attention to details. If its a song we’ve done 100 times, they still bring that energy and creativity that is needed every time.
3. Know how to enjoy the moments – being on stage (we call it the altar 🙂 is such a privilege. It’s not a time to be nervous, overconfident, distracting or disinterested. I enjoy working with players that can laugh, move with the music, expect the unexpected and deliver the goods. If we can do all that AND enjoy the moments we have making music (doing the thing that gives us the most joy), thats an attribute I look for.
Thanks for the post David, great things for us to be reminded of.
Scott, fantastic tips. Do your volunteer musicians know that you pay some musicians? I’m just wondering how you navigate that tension.
As a gospel musician, I feel the spirit in my fingers as they move up and down the keyboard. I think I play my songs differently every time I sit down to a piano or keyboard. I’m a self taught pianist, therefore, I’m always learning.
I think a great musician is also someone who is looking to “serve” the other musicians in the band.. by that I mean someone who is looking to play the support for the soloist or lead instruments. Find me a great lead player that enjoys playing rhythm behind another lead player and I’ll show you a great musician.
I’ve said for years that there is so much more to being a great musician than playing an instrument.. others have hit around this as well but it bears repeating… be the best “band” member you can be. Many times it’s the insignificant repetitive riff that people remember most in the song. Be willing to play the insignificant part.
So good, man. “Be willing to play the insignificant part”. In reality, the insignificant part is very significant. A worship band could be defined as a lot of insignificant parts coming together to create something of incredible significance. Thanks for the inspiration!