Re: standardization-dedication

["Ken Wolman" <kwolman@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

rainbowjimmy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx wrote:

> Pierre wrtoe:
> 
> "you can't get better without devoting your (w)hole life to
> something"
> 
> Actually you can. If you practice a couple times a week and take a day a week 
> most weeks to play with a friend you will get better. You do not have to
> dedicate yourself. You can relax and have fun. You can work on an album, a
> novel, and study Karate, hang out with your family, take bike rides, and have
> time for work.

There's the phenomenon called The Day Job, as in "don't quit your." 
Even people who are out of day jobs, as I was for 18 months, devote most 
of their time to looking for the next one.

I disagree that you can't get BETTER unless you become single-minded. 
Singlemindedness is scary stuff: you're either a genius or a monomaniac. 
  Or both.  And you'd better be as good as your obsession, or you're in 
for a colossal disappointment.

Probably a lot of people who play any instrument, even those who make a 
few bucks playing in a band, simply cannot afford the kind of 
single-minded devotion required.  One of my uncles played clarinet and 
saxophone for years, weekends, at weddings and bar mitzvahs.  The usual 
stuff.  He was probably pretty good but the life of a professional 
musician can be tenuous if you've got a family to support.  My younger 
son plays rhythm guitar and does songwriting and vocals for bands around 
Baltimore: he's now considering the next level, working the bar band 
route in central Jersey.  In the meantime he keeps his paying/health 
coverage gig working as a security officer for Baltimore County.  There 
are probably a gazillion guys at least as good as my son and my uncle. 
The people who are able to attain full-time status are not only 
dedicated, they're also extremely fortunate.

ken
- -- 
Kenneth Wolman
Proposal Development Department
Room SW334
Sarnoff Corporation
609-734-2538