stu -- As both a crazed audiophile and a crazed amateur musician I agree with a lot of what you say, but the bottom line for me is that the two passions largely remain separate pastimes despite the fact they allow me to worship at the same altar -- music. Sure, the two pastimes do indeed interact on certain practical levels. Music I relentlessly listen to on my stereo has indeed led me to buy a new instrument or attempt to play in a new style. But I also graciously accept the fact that I'll never out-Clapton Clapton or out-Horowitz Vladimir Horowitz.
Why Don't More People Into Music Reproduction At Home Play Around With Musical Instruments
In the pursuit of music reproduction in the home it is my firm belief that you must listen to live music every now & again so that you know & understand how real music,with real instruments,in real physical spaces sounds...
With that as a foundation I used in judging equipment's "voice" I also believe that playing around with a musical instrument is an excellent way to gain first hand experience with musical sound...EVERY person that reads this can learn a few musical notes,on ANY musical instrument on the planet..For instance I play around with electric guitar.NO I can NOT play,but I can play the notes EFG,on first string & BCD on the second string...Now I know those few notes & easily recognize them in any song..I am just this coming week going to start playing around with an electric keyboard....So I wonder,why don't more audiophiles simply play around with real instruments as part of their pursuit of honest reproduction in the home?Surely the education in reality is worth the $100.00 it takes to get an entry level guitar,keyboard,horn etc...
With that as a foundation I used in judging equipment's "voice" I also believe that playing around with a musical instrument is an excellent way to gain first hand experience with musical sound...EVERY person that reads this can learn a few musical notes,on ANY musical instrument on the planet..For instance I play around with electric guitar.NO I can NOT play,but I can play the notes EFG,on first string & BCD on the second string...Now I know those few notes & easily recognize them in any song..I am just this coming week going to start playing around with an electric keyboard....So I wonder,why don't more audiophiles simply play around with real instruments as part of their pursuit of honest reproduction in the home?Surely the education in reality is worth the $100.00 it takes to get an entry level guitar,keyboard,horn etc...
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I want to play like this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KsYa5gOdT0 Or, like this guy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T10dDr35hck She's not too shabby either: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7-JRUyKV08 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sv5w--YW850 |
Here's a link from Dr John's Cheapskate Audio Blog with a review on Musicians as Audiophiles from a few years ago at Stereophile Magazine: https://cheaptubeaudio.blogspot.com/2020/05/click-to-enlarge.html?fbclid=IwAR0uCEx_pzSVdl-XJAlwIc-Sn... |
I'm a retired semiconductor engineer. I'm also keyboard, bass and guitar musician (order of competency) and have played professionally (classic rock, blues, originals) on and off. I also work on instruments (primarily repair and restoration of Hammond organs and Leslie tone cabinets) as well as stereo equipment. I have recording studio in my home (pro ATC active monitors). My older son, 24, is a professional EDM musician; headlining an outdoor festival this weekend in the forest just south of Flagstaff, AZ. My younger son is also an aspiring EDM musician. My wife enjoys playing our Steinway piano. All of my professional musician friends think my stereo systems are silly. My sons, even they grew up around great stereo sound, have no desire to own anything that isn't relatively portable. I applaud them for their relatively non-materialistic lifestyle. |
One of the strange things that happens when I suggest Audiogon'ers support local music programs is the number of people who come on and say you don't need to teach music, people just magically know it or don't. But still, I persist. We need to fund education, including music programs if we want to be worthy of being called leaders. |
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