How well do you have to play an instrument to say that you play it?

[KalosCast]

If you care enough about playing X instrument and are competent enough in your ability to call yourself a player of Xist, then you're an Xist.

 

[Mikeyfell]

I think you have to have been payed at least once
either that or have at least one other instrument accompany you while you're playing

for sake of example
I play drums
when I play solo I'm a nuisance
When my guitar playing friend comes over I'm a drummer

If I put my kit on a street corner and collected tips for my playing I'd be a drummer
If I was playing on a street corner and not collecting tips I'd be arrested

I'm off on a tangent here but I find it weird that drums are the only instrument that ends in an "ER" (correct me if I'm wrong)

if you play a guitar you're a guitarist
if you play a bass you're a bassist
violin violinist
cello cellist
piano pianist
even if you sing you're a vocalist

but if you play drums you're a drummER

the IST ending is so much more prestigious then ER
like a scientist
ER is so primitive like wrestlER

Hence forth I will be considered a percussionist

 

[gostlyfantom]

as far as I am concerned if you can play the instrument with a bit of proficiency then your a ______ist. on a similar note I play the tuba... does anyone know what a tuba player is called?

 

[ForrestDeath]

One concert where you preform in front of people you are not related to, though relatives are allowed to attend, with a minimum of three songs preformed.

You may do so at a church, bar, or old folks home, but until others hear you preform, you are a noodler.

I guess you could in theory preform to a recorder and put it on youtube, but there is something about the can't take it back performance that makes you a musician capable of handling your instrument.

"-ist" status I usually reserve for those who get invited back.

 

[sam42ification]

I think the abillity to learn somthing say a song with out some one showing makes you a guitarist or a drummer. If you can look up the chords for a song learn it and play it then next day then i think that makes you a guitarist. For drumming it's a little different because most of the time you don't learn songs but being able to play along with them diffines a drummer pretty well but it's debatable.

 

[Brandon Lum]

I've been playing guitar for seven years, and I see myself as a guitarist. Personally, I see it as - If it's something that you do seriously, and you like it, and you want to continue doing it, than that's what you are. Whether it's carpentry, welding, music, whatever. That's how I see it.

 

[Dunvi]

So today, one of my friends started giving me drumset lessons. I'm normally a guitarist so I figured it'd come in handy sometime, but why I am taking is irrelevant to this thread.

But afterwards, for some reason, it got me thinking: how well do you have to be able to play something in order to be considered a "guitarist" or a "drummer" or whatever term applies to the instrument you play? One could argue that being able to play a simple beat on drumset doesn't make you a drummer, any more than being able to play a chord on guitar makes you a guitarist.

But what is the line? I myself don't really have an opinion, but what do you guys think? What is the point at which you personally consider someone able to say that they play something?

Your a whatever instrument-ist when you can play it without having someone tell you that your doing it wrong, you aren't blasting riff after riff on the guitar, but you aren't constantly screwing up either, it goes n00b->guitarist->professional.

Technically, you're never capable of playing without someone telling you that you're doing it wrong. Ever. Ever ever.

(What's really depressing is when those people live with you...)

 

[InsomniJack]

If you get paid to do it then thats when you can consider yourself a "drummer, bassist, guitarist" etc, otherwise you just play the instrument.

The same goes for actors. You can only call yourself an actor if you are getting paid.

That I would have to disagree with. There are plenty of community theater actors and such that don't get paid to do the things they do (although most of them have been paid before for their acting), and plenty of musicians that don't get paid either.

Yes, but we are talking technicalities. If somebody asks someone what do they do and they respond "oh I am a musician" or "oh I am an actor" and they currently aren't getting paid then they are wrong.

So, the folks who received money at one point for playing music and don't anymore aren't musicians? Even if they've been playing music for years and years (and may still continue to do so)?

Or, for that matter, how about the folks that regularly jam with others? Are they not musicians either because they're not getting paid to do that? Do we just call them "other friends who are into music"?

I get what you're saying, but there has to be more to it than just a paycheck. I'm not making any money currently with playing music, but I play music on a regular basis. Like, every week, if not every day. Am I just "some guy that's into music" since it's technically not my job?

 

[Nautical Honors Society]

If you get paid to do it then thats when you can consider yourself a "drummer, bassist, guitarist" etc, otherwise you just play the instrument.

The same goes for actors. You can only call yourself an actor if you are getting paid.

That I would have to disagree with. There are plenty of community theater actors and such that don't get paid to do the things they do (although most of them have been paid before for their acting), and plenty of musicians that don't get paid either.

Yes, but we are talking technicalities. If somebody asks someone what do they do and they respond "oh I am a musician" or "oh I am an actor" and they currently aren't getting paid then they are wrong.

So, the folks who received money at one point for playing music and don't anymore aren't musicians? Even if they've been playing music for years and years (and may still continue to do so)?

Or, for that matter, how about the folks that regularly jam with others? Are they not musicians either because they're not getting paid to do that? Do we just call them "other friends who are into music"?

I get what you're saying, but there has to be more to it than just a paycheck. I'm not making any money currently with playing music, but I play music on a regular basis. Like, every week, if not every day. Am I just "some guy that's into music" since it's technically not my job?

Yea technically. I don't like it either, but if you aren't currently a working actor or musician you are just someone who acts or plays music.