@CarolA,
CarolA wrote:Not having formal musical qualifications certainly does not imply lack of skill! Many musicians from tribal backgrounds are extremely skilled, they often start playing at an early age and it is their major professionion.
Oh, absolutely. I couldn't agree with you more. I've posted this elsewhere, maybe earlier in this thread: Art Blakey, a formally trained, top notch jazz drummer,
the man, went to Africa to study tribal drumming. When he came back to the States, his new style of playing revolutionized jazz drumming, and all set percussion. It's great to see such players draw so much from people who's music lacks all formality.
CarolA wrote:The two you quote were engaged in music making for most of their time, they were certainly skilled. However, music industry moguls who put together pop music bands from a few pretty faces are not creating "skilled" musicians. It is a marketed product like toilet paper (but not as useful).
Oh yes, Buddy Holly and Robert Johnson especially were skilled musicians. Buddy Holly was successful because it made the high school girlies swoon. Nothing against Buddy Holly, great songwriter. Robert Johnson - well, if you listen to his work, you know. It's timeless.
The music business has become far too large. Big corporations reducing art to the bottom line... again. This is why I'm sympathetic to the punk ideal - a record label on every corner. "Power to the people!"
nicodemus wrote:you misunderstand me, i was not implying that one needed a formal musical training or background in order to create music, i simply stated that it required a certain amount of technical skill with some instrument (be it guitar, clarinet, or your own voice), as well as a certain lyrical proficiency that is beyond most members of the society we live in.
Yeah, but see, I disagree with that.
Some technical skill is required, but not much. I do not think that music is something out of the reach of most people - I think nearly everyone can learn a few chords and play good tunes. Make art, decent art.
And the issue of lyrics - music does not need lyrics. If you are going to have them, well, I hope they are good lyrics, but lyrics are not necessary. Instrumental music, anyone?
nicodemus wrote:I am not claiming that all music has to be in elizabethan english and iambic pentameter, i simply note that music cannot subsist on melody alone and requires lyrical poetry
Then you will have to explain music without lyrics. Metallica's "Orion" was a killer track.