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Eeviac · 02-04-2008, 02:26 PM

Rowuk I agree. You have to get exposure to music early on, hopefully get handed a trumpet at age 8 like Haken Hardenburger did and have the kind of situation where you can take lessons like he did. Then you have to get out there and play, or in a sport get into competitions.

In what I was doing, I was probably in the best part of the country, the level of skill is the highest in the US and there were lots of competitions. Nationals was held there (they've since changed to hold it half of the time there, and half of the time out East). I found myself jobless, with no pressure to get another job or live in a cardboard box right away due to Unemployment Insurance, discovered I was talented at this, which I'd never suspected, and was in a very fertile environment. It all came together. Others who came up fast had similar sets of fortunate conditions. International competitors had been put into "talent identification" type sports programs with the same sets of circumstances - lots of time, lots of competitions, basic survival needs taken care of.

I wish I'd put the time/effort into learning an instrument, any instrument, even the accordion would have been time better spent. The harmonica, anything. Because what I did isn't that entertaining, so it has to get sheltered, as a "sport" and not even one people will generally pay to see, so it's one of those hothouse flowers that only gets attention every 4 years, and hardly any even at that time. And unlike music, you certainly can't meet cool people doing it to any great extent. Or make a living any time by doing it on the sidewalk with the hat out.

But music is different. It's probably the only thing that justifies our existence on this earth. It's completely, utterly, useless. So unlike most everything else we do, like plundering the earth or other peoples, it can actually be called harmless and good.

So, maybe I should look at moving to where there are a lot of bands or open mics, and buskers and so on, to be in the right kind of stimulating environment? Maybe it's something to think about, for any of us. I don't have a lot of hopes for the US economy and it does not have a lot of hopes for me, maybe I should look at being a bum in New Orleans or San Francisco, since I'm going to be a bum somewhere anyway. Those are very fertile areas for musicians.

02-04-2008, 02:26 PM	#4 (permalink)
Eeviac Piano User Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: chino valley arizona usa Posts: 477	Re: Ten Thousand Hours. Rowuk I agree. You have to get exposure to music early on, hopefully get handed a trumpet at age 8 like Haken Hardenburger did and have the kind of situation where you can take lessons like he did. Then you have to get out there and play, or in a sport get into competitions. In what I was doing, I was probably in the best part of the country, the level of skill is the highest in the US and there were lots of competitions. Nationals was held there (they've since changed to hold it half of the time there, and half of the time out East). I found myself jobless, with no pressure to get another job or live in a cardboard box right away due to Unemployment Insurance, discovered I was talented at this, which I'd never suspected, and was in a very fertile environment. It all came together. Others who came up fast had similar sets of fortunate conditions. International competitors had been put into "talent identification" type sports programs with the same sets of circumstances - lots of time, lots of competitions, basic survival needs taken care of. I wish I'd put the time/effort into learning an instrument, any instrument, even the accordion would have been time better spent. The harmonica, anything. Because what I did isn't that entertaining, so it has to get sheltered, as a "sport" and not even one people will generally pay to see, so it's one of those hothouse flowers that only gets attention every 4 years, and hardly any even at that time. And unlike music, you certainly can't meet cool people doing it to any great extent. Or make a living any time by doing it on the sidewalk with the hat out. But music is different. It's probably the only thing that justifies our existence on this earth. It's completely, utterly, useless. So unlike most everything else we do, like plundering the earth or other peoples, it can actually be called harmless and good. So, maybe I should look at moving to where there are a lot of bands or open mics, and buskers and so on, to be in the right kind of stimulating environment? Maybe it's something to think about, for any of us. I don't have a lot of hopes for the US economy and it does not have a lot of hopes for me, maybe I should look at being a bum in New Orleans or San Francisco, since I'm going to be a bum somewhere anyway. Those are very fertile areas for musicians. __________________ Conn Pan Am made in 1950 silver + Bach 7C King American Standard cornet made in 1940 + Olds 3C Striving for a Touchy Tone, rather than obnoquious