Poll: So... are singers still musicians?

[GiantRaven]

Well... Some drummers? They really are no more than the "hit-things-with-sticks" equivalent of rappers.

And some guitarists are no more than "strum strings with pick". Some pianists are no more than "slam keys with fingers".

But most drummers are genuine musicians, their work involves genuine art.

As does the work of many rap artists.

Performing rap is little more than speaking which is why I am discounting it.

Well, to put it bluntly, no. Talking =/= rapping. Do people actually talk how rappers rap? Not even vaguely...

You don't like rap, I get that. That isn't grounds for disqualification as a valid musical practice. Hell, I could say that people who play brass instruments don't count of musicians because I think it sounds like shit. Wouldn't make me right.

 

[sizzle949]

Sure, in the sense that it is making noise in such a manner that it contributes musically to the song. Hell even if someone stood on stage and farted in tune I'd call them a musician. But if you meant to ask if the lyrics being sung are music in their own nature than no. That's literature and is a different form of art.

 

[trooper6]

Of course singers are musicians. They are producing music.

When people say "singers aren't musicians--they don't play an instrument"--it is usually just anti-pop bias...usually from people who prefer some form of rock.

Because you know what? I almost never hear someone say that opera singers aren't musicians, or jazz singers.

Same thing with the "real musicians write their own music." -- agains just a way to disparage pop musicians in favor of rock. Frank Sinatra didn't write his own music, neither did Ella Fitzgerald or Pavarotti. Everyone considers them musicians.

The voice is an instrument. Singers are producing music. They are musicians.

And really the idea that someone who may be mediocre on the ukelele thinks they are more of a musician than a singer like Billie Holiday is a joke.

 

[Jonluw]

Are they doing music? Yes? Then they are a musician.
Anyone can sing (to some degree), but the word 'musician' implies a degree of investment in the craft.

 

[GiantRaven]

Same thing with the "real musicians write their own music." -- agains just a way to disparage pop musicians in favor of rock. Frank Sinatra didn't write his own music, neither did Ella Fitzgerald or Pavarotti. Everyone considers them musicians.

Hell, you could dispute that argument within rock music as not every member of a band writes the music that they play.

 

[bigwon]

someone singing notes to me is someone making music. I think it'd be reasonable enough to call a voice box an instrument. You have to learn how to use as well as take care of it throughout your years. It's an instrument that you only get one of...hehe....gotta be even more careful with it then you would your ukulele's, violins, trombones, and such you have lying around your room.

as far as rap goes, it's music. Not sure i'd quite compare it to a drum kit as rap is meant to ride the beat...i'd consider rap more of a percussion (like the way you'd shake a marraca/tamborine with the beat...kk i might have the terminology wrong but that's beside the point) then anything else. I'd call rap a percussive addition to a song (kk that sounds funny to me for some reason....hehe...)

hell it's all music to the ears though

hope your getting all the ammo you need to strike back at your bro OP! hehehheh

god trooper love this part! xD "And really the idea that someone who may be mediocre on the ukelele thinks they are more of a musician than a singer like Billie Holiday is a joke."

 

[Altorin]

a musician is a creative artist that uses music as their medium. If the singer is creative with their work, then they're a musician.

 

[zehydra]

a musician is a creative artist that uses music as their medium. If the singer is creative with their work, then they're a musician.

I usually like to differentiate the two with the terms, "creative musician" and "performing musician", though they are not mutually exclusive.

A creative musician is someone who comes up with music.
A performing musician is someone who performs music.

 

[Astoria]

Voice counts as an instrument so vocalists are musicians. Vocalists usually are the ones who write the lyrics too.

 

[NathLines]

I have to say no. I often say that the voice is the best instrument, but it really isn't an instrument. A singer is no more a musician than a musician is a singer imo. I consider those who plays instruments to be musicians.

 

[The_Yeti]

A Musician is one that understands and performs music in whatever manor appropriately and well.

Therefore a singer, say, brittney spears, she doesn't have the IQ to work a drum or write lyrics. shes terrible at singing, and gets by only on being a whore, so, shes not a musician.

but others who sing, say, Weird Al, sure he does mostly comedic parodies and ect. but he understands his tools, his vocals, his lyrics, and does them all perfectly, at least in any publicly released audio. He composes most if not all of it himself, He is a musician.

 

[GiantRaven]

Fuck yes. Vocals are hard, and they require actual talent, just like every friggen member of a band.

Except bassists, the lazy root note playing bastards...

 

[Fifty-One]

Fuck yes. Vocals are hard, and they require actual talent, just like every friggen member of a band.

Except bassists, the lazy root note playing bastards...

Say that to Geddy Lee, Cliff Burton or John Paul Jones. To be fair even lazy root note playing bassists are musicians ... kinda.

 

[trigz04]

Most singers, yes I would consider them a musician. But others like rappers and people like Kesha I would say that they are not singers.

 

[RedDeadFred]

The human voice is a musical instrument.........so yes.
Ask anybody in music in university (like me) and they will tell you this.

 

[plugav]

My brother, on the other hand, thinks that the term 'musician' should only be reserved for those who actually play an instrument.

There's a nice term for that: "instrumentalist."

"Musician" seems indeed most often used to describe instrumentalists but it covers singers, composers and even conductors as well. As it should.

 

[pyramid head grape]

Vocals are just as much a musical instrument as any other. Both take time and practice to achieve consistent quality, and a bad vocal line will always be more noticeable than a bad guitar riff, at least to me.

very true

 

[PleaseDele]

I voted yes, but a musician to me is someone with a body of knowledge. People who can play covers ona guitar without realising why the song is so cool is just a guitarist to me. If he tries to write songs that already improves my opinion.

But singers often get the job of "write your own [random profanity] vocals." So usually singers have a basic of understanding on how to use melodies and harmonies to add to the song. THis is why I think of them as musicians.