focus points for jobs in music

[emanresu]

I've heard if you play 10 instruments, you can't really play much at all. I sort of agree and disagree the same time.

But. When you're a great in composing, can you be as good in playing an instrument?
Can you play some instrument real well and also be a great mixing technician?
If you have spent zillion hours mixing, can you do mastering well?

[fep]

Jacob Collier does all that and ends up with multiple Grammys.

[emanresu]

Grammy is not about peaking an instrument.

[fep]

I guess you're not familiar with Jacob Collier. Got to 5:04 of this

an improvised version of a cover of Fix You, he can play, he can create

A composition

Coaching a singer

? Jacob Collier X Tori Kelly recording Bridge Over Troubled Water - YouTube

Opening the curtains on a DAW session:

[RJVB]

I've heard if you play 10 instruments, you can't really play much at all.

Stop listening to what people say, listen rather to what they play.

(Or, as my mom would say, "they're just jealous".)

[emanresu]

Stop listening to what people say, listen rather to what they play.

(Or, as my mom would say, "they're just jealous".)

Without jealousy, I don't care at all about Collier.

[mr. beaumont]

Without jealousy, I don't care at all about Collier.

Collier is a once in a generation type musical genius.

He also uses that genius to make music I absolutely can't stand.

[emanresu]

That other Collier is cool though.. George.

[Jimmy Smith]

Bruh JC sux bad. What importance is how skilled he is if his music is annoying af?

The most formidable multi instrumentalist work I've ever encountered is Elliott Smith's Either/Or album. He played every instrument and it's an incredible album. To me, it's like if 1 person created a Beatles album by themself.

There are countless great instrumentalists. When you go to quantify the amount of truly good multi instrumentalists, the number drops significantly. Although they still exist.

I tried playing different instruments and working on songs entirely myself. I determined I don't have the talent for it. I prefer to just focus my effort on 1 instrument.

[mr. beaumont]

Bruh JC sux bad. What importance is how skilled he is if his music is annoying af?

The most formidable multi instrumentalist work I've ever encountered is Elliott Smith's Either/Or album. He played every instrument and it's an incredible album. To me, it's like if 1 person created a Beatles album by themself.

There are countless great instrumentalists. When you go to quantify the amount of truly good multi instrumentalists, the number drops significantly. Although they still exist.

I tried playing different instruments and working on songs entirely myself. I determined I don't have the talent for it. I prefer to just focus my effort on 1 instrument.

Funny you should mention Smith, I've been doing this thing every few months, I pick an artist and listen to 5 consecutive albums on 5 consecutive nights...tonight I'm going to finish off a run of Roman Candle through Figure 8...

Either/Or is definitely my favorite of the bunch. Absolutely incredible songwriting.

[Jimmy Smith]

Funny you should mention Smith, I've been doing this thing every few months, I pick an artist and listen to 5 consecutive albums on 5 consecutive nights...tonight I'm going to finish off a run of Roman Candle through Figure 8...

That sounds cool.

Either/Or is definitely my favorite of the bunch. Absolutely incredible songwriting.

Yes indeed.

[digger]

Rory Hofman plays a number of instruments very well indeed. Not sure if it's ten, though.

[emanresu]

The OP only mentioned playing multiple instruments. I was more curious about the other stuff.
It is possible to spend more time with some instuments and say kinda "yeah, I play drums and bass alright".

But the other stuff. Like when a really badass player tries to compose and it just doesn't... it's not you know, doesn't tickle.
Or when a composer can't understand why the piece sounds "thin" when mixed.

[emanresu]

Daniel Lanois is an accomplished multi instrumentalist, producer, songwriter.

The multi-instrumentalism is no problem. Keep 5 hours/day on the main one, the rest available on anything else. All good.
Producer almost equals to "songwriter". Almost is a "composer".
The problem of the topic is that "almost".

See, the massive talent of J.Collier - trying to do everything at once. That massive talent is not enough to please everybody.

As Steven Seagal asked: "how much is enough?" one time in an environmental movie.. That's the question.