Multi-Instrumentalist: Curse Or Blessing?

Multi-instrumentalism. As many as one in seventeen musicians may be afflicted with this chronic condition.  I am one of them.

I relate to stories of falling in love with an instrument at an early age.  It happened to me.  I was seven.  It was piano. Then a few years later I first heard mandolin and I was thunderstruck; had to be able to make that sound. Then the first time I picked up a fretless bass I couldn’t leave the music store for hours.  It was a case of soul recognition again: “Don’t I know you from somewhere? You look (feel) so familiar...”   Accordion, too.  Just keeps growing on me.  And guitar.  I mean--to go through life without playing guitar? 

 Multi-instrumentalists are not dilettantes.  We are not fickle.  It’s not that we’re dissatisfied with one instrument.  We’re more like polygamists and their harems, to use an unfortunate analogy: “Don’t be jealous; I love all of you; now stop bickering and vying for my attention! Just be patient.  I’ll play you again soon, honey.”  

 Are there any advantages to being a  multi-instrumentalist other than the pleasure of making music on instruments you love to play--i.e. career-wise?  I can only speak for myself.  As a pianist, it helps me to be able to think like a bass player, for example;  and vice versa; and for composing/songwriting, voicings on one instrument can take a fresh new turn when translated onto another.  Gigs?  I do get the occasional call for a recording session with the request, “bring everything,” and am given freedom to suggest and play different instruments—co-producing. I’m a kid in a candy store.   When I record my own material I don’t have to pay a lot of musicians on the session if I’m willing to overdub.  And with The Buskers (my #1 multi-instrumental platform), that’s part of what the band is all about —that big palette of acoustic instruments.  

But let’s face it, there are reasons they don’t encourage this at Juilliard.  You can’t be great at everything. I admire my musician friends who have dedicated their lives to mastery of one (1)  instrument.  On the other hand, it just doesn’t seem like as much fun.  

 

Comments

[Pedro]

Good post. I started out playing drums because I always had that nervous energy and it seemed like an easy instrument to learn by imitation without formal training. I took a piano class in college and learned a bunch about theory and reading, which helped me when I decided I HAD to sing in a choir. When my work hours got too weird, I picked up the guitar, which I could practice relatively quietly. So my guitar playing has a certain percussive emphasis and a singer's concern with correct intonation. In my experience, being a good singer and songwriter my be the best thing to differentiate yourself as a musician - nobody sings like you or writes like you.

[craig]

Thanks, Pedro. Good point about singing and songwriting - harder not to imprint who you are there, though unfortunately a lot of singers never get past imitating their influences to find their own voice.