Harmonizing the Creative Soul and the Professional Mind

Guitarist Anthony Mancini asks the question, “Is it best to be a master of one or to be a chameleon?”

There is no shortage of polemics signaling the unmatched virtue of a question musicians face; Is it best to be a master of one or to be a chameleon?

No musician lives in a vacuum, and as such we often find ourselves doing a multitude of different kinds of jobs that often appear to be wholly adjacent to the study of our instrument or even music itself. The delineation between the creative process and our role as a professional musician-for-hire appear to be fractal abstractions of themselves, and often lead the underscoring tension between artistic creativity and pragmatic precision   To this end, I posit that it is the balance of the creative and musical athleticism that should be the desired harmony of life as a musician. This harmonious dance exists as a spectrum for most musicians, but I believe conscious decisions can be made to balance both ends of the spectrum depending on the situation.

Notably, a great number of people learn the “bones” of a song and never learn the “parts.” I was and am occasionally still guilty of such, yet in the last few years, I gained a great appreciation for learning the “parts” on many of my favorite records. Only truly wholesome internalization promotes your perceived professionalism as a musician to those that wish to work with you. While some artists intimately know their songs and expect “the record,”  yet occasionally the lines between the creative and precise are blurred when asked to contribute creatively to new songs or arrangements. The foundational repertoire from which you can draw from to create parts does not forgo the necessity to be athletically astute on the instrument or professionally minded. Charge for your time, and be sincere in your creative contribution. Use wallpaper gigs to keep the creative well in overflow.  Use that corporate band for learning what David Williams was actually playing on that song..

Every situation is unique and the harmony of life exists in the joy of the creative soul meeting the pragmatism of the professional mind.

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