Office Overlord tipped me on a great discussion going on over at pop culture site A.V. Club — the music editors discuss whether musicianship is required to critique, and how/if musicianship benefits songs, etc. If you’ve ever encountered an elitest lead guitarist that rips on bands you like, you’ll enjoy the discussion.
A few good quotes:
"I don’t think it’s impossible for we untrained music-lovers to explain what we love about music, especially since the audience we’re writing for is most likely just as untrained. What matters more is the ability to write, concisely and clearly, and a rich knowledge of musical history." – Noel Murray
"One thing I’ve learned by being in bands is that there are two fundamental types of musicians: songwriters and shredders. … A songwriter sees technique as a means to an end. A shredder sees technique as an end unto itself." – Jason Heller
"It’s best to be open to what captivates us, whether it be an intricate Deerhoof chord-change, a 3-year-old’s kazoo jam, a strange synth glitch in a Chicago house track, or a radiator that has as much to suggest as a composer with a music-theory degree." – Andy Battaglia
Sweet. These guys just helped me further justify my dabbling aimlessly with a new cello that I’ve only "played" three times.
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