ukulele player, musician, or both?

Aloha all... something I've been pondering a bit as of lately that I thought I'd put out there: Do you think of yourself as a ukulele player, or as a musician who just happens to play ukulele? Or perhaps both?

I've always felt kinda like a... fraud whenever anyone would refer to me as a musician - mainly because I've been surrounded by super-talented musicians all of my life (who have been playing all of *their* lives). As I've only been playing seriously for a few years, and didn't start until I was in my mid-40s, the label "musician" has always felt far too... big for me. But I think I've finally started to grow into it, and it feels like it fits.

I think many of us are uncomfortable with the idea of being only one thing, all the time, but there seems to be something about the ukulele that does pigeon-hole us into that "all ukulele, all the time" box. For instance - I'm sure we all have those friends who relentlessly email us ANYTHING ukulele that they come across. Good intentions, but the issue I have is this: just because there's a ukulele in it doesn't mean I like it. Or for that matter, doesn't mean it's even good!

There's a LOT of ukulele stuff I don't care for. A LOT, just like there's a lot of music in general I don't care for. But I love music, and I love playing music, and I just happen to do so by playing ukulele.

Anyway, yeah, rambling here but thought I'd put this out there and see if an interesting discussion can come of it... Do you love all things ukulele, always? Or are you more selective? If you see yourself as a musician, how do you define that?

Both...........

I call myself a "musician", but also an "ukulele player" depending on who I talk to, like you I feel a bit of a fraud, so I always add "amateur" to that and explain that I'm no where near professional...like, at all!

I would say both, although I'm a complete hack at both!

I usually say "Entertainer", as my ukulele playing is more a means to the end, rather than the end... although it is the absolute core of what I do. So, given those two choices, I'd say "Ukulele Player".

joeybug said:

I call myself a "musician", but also an "ukulele player" depending on who I talk to, like you I feel a bit of a fraud, so I always add "amateur" to that and explain that I'm no where near professional...like, at all!

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I don't think one has to be a (paid?) professional to be a musician, not by any means. Some of the best musicians (and artists, and writers, for that matter) I know pay the bills by doing something far more mundane.

I tend to think of "musician" as one who plays, studies and is knowledgeable about music in general. Whether or not it's their profession doesn't really matter.

UncleElvis said:

I usually say "Entertainer"

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Aha! This is another thing I've recently pondered - entertainer, vs. musician. I play music, but I most definitely do not "entertain"!

Thanks for adding this element to the discussion, as I'd overlooked touching on it.

janeray1940 said:

I don't think one has to be a (paid?) professional to be a musician, not by any means. Some of the best musicians (and artists, and writers, for that matter) I know pay the bills by doing something far more mundane.

I tend to think of "musician" as one who plays, studies and is knowledgeable about music in general. Whether or not it's their profession doesn't really matter.

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Totally OT, but as for the "artists and writers for that matter" and it does have something to do with the topic.

I'm a writer, I've had my books published, therefore I am a writer, an author, whatever, but I don't make enough to support myself, therefore it is not technically my "profession" though I would say I was a professional...tying it to the musician/ukulele player/entertainer, I still wouldn't consider myself anything other than amateur even if I was paid. I have an icon on my blog, that states I am a "writer/student/musician" even though technically speaking professionally, I am unemployed/medically retired/unable to work due to illness...

Hope that all makes sense, my pain level is high and my brain foggy!

Neither, I am merely a hack in training.

I'm definitely a musician as I've been playing bass professionally for 35 years. Matter of fact, if there was any one word that described me, it would be "musician". And I say that above words like "husband" or "employee" (at my full time regular job) or any other such word. My passion is music and I am a musician. However, that is with bass. I am still a beginning ukester, so when I tell people what I play, of course I am used to saying that I am a bassist. I also play a little guitar but I have never called myself a "guitarist" because I never took it too seriously. But even as a beginner I am taking ukulele seriously, so now I am saying I am a musician that plays bass and ukulele. It sounds right, but also kind of weird since I am advanced on one and a beginner on another.

Given the choice between musician and ukulele player, I think of myself as a ukulele player. This is weird, though, because it is the newest and least accomplished of my musical pursuits (not that I am much accomplished in the others). I've fooled around with the piano for a million years, and while I'm not very good, it's probably the one at which I am the least bad. I've taken flute lessons for almost three years, and classical guitar for two. Out of the four instruments, the uke seems to be the one that "fits" me the best. I'm definitely not an entertainer, except maybe to my cat.

Kathryn

I'm a musician, a musician that loooooooves to play ukulele.

Both. Other people may think of the ukulele as something other than a "real instrument". But it's self-defeating for us to think that way. Have faith in yourself -- you're a musician.

There's an ongoing debate that beginning standup comedians have as to when they can call themselves a "comedian". Is it after they've done a few open mics, after they've been paid for comedy once or after they make their living that way? Comedy is really subjective in my mind and I still don't have an answer for that debate.
But music and calling yourself a musician seems to be a little easier to quantify. I have a hard time calling myself a musician because I've only been playing ukulele for a year or so. I can play some things pretty well but I don't have much music theory under my belt and I can't even begin to play by ear. I would feel comfortable calling myself a musician if I had a fairly solid understanding of music theory OR had the amazing ability of playing by ear. Both of those are disciplines that people spend a lifetime developing but I'm talking about just having a basic ability to jam with people or create music using theory or ear. I'm hoping to work on both of these things over the next couple years because I've always wanted to be able to legitimately call myself a musician... So to me, being a musician has nothing to do with earning money - it's more of a level of understanding and ability... Are you still reading this? That's impressive because I'm beginning to bore myself. Sorry about the long post.

Sorta like way back then, the ukulele was not accepted as an solo instrument...is it or isn't it?? it is....and so you are musician and a ukulele player...

I don't know... calling yourself a musician seems a little pretentious. Like saying "I'm an athlete" instead of "I'm a runner."

janeray1940 said:

I think many of us are uncomfortable with the idea of being only one thing, all the time, but there seems to be something about the ukulele that does pigeon-hole us into that "all ukulele, all the time" box. For instance - I'm sure we all have those friends who relentlessly email us ANYTHING ukulele that they come across. Good intentions, but the issue I have is this: just because there's a ukulele in it doesn't mean I like it. Or for that matter, doesn't mean it's even good!

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I am an ukulele player, and proud of it. It is the only instrument I play and I am serious about it. But while some might call me a musician, it sounds so serious. Ultimately I do this for fun and peace of mind.

good question Jane, I've debated this one in my own mind too.

Looking at dictionary interpretations of the word musician, there seem to be two different approaches taken, and a line drawn down the middle:
All focus on the ACT of 'performing, composing or conducting music or playing a musical instrument'. Others take it one step further and add the proviso...'As a profession." so, two schools of thought there.

eugenie has always introduced me to people as a 'musician' which does embarrass me. Not sure why exactly....I think that, even though I played professionally for a number of years (that is, got paid) I never had any formal music training or study and was laughed out of choir rehearsals as a kid in school. Maybe it's an issue that gets back to one's own self-confidence.

Thing is, if you just began 5 minutes ago as a uker, you are a musician technically, because you are involved in the act of playing an instrument...After that it's all semantics as to how we choose to qualify and quantify it.

My advice to anyone just starting is to cultivate a positive self attitude to your playing, because that's where the rubber hits the road.

If someone asked me, "Do you play an instrument?" I would answer "Yes. I play the ukulele."

If someone asked me, "Are you a musician?", I would answer "Yes. I play the ukulele."

If the response to that answer was "Huh. Just a ukulele? You're not a musician", I would just smile, and think, "Your loss".


But when I'm making music with Michael Eck, one of our local Pro Musicians/Journalists, I think of him as a musician, and me as a ukulele player.

He tells me I'm a musician.

It is all perception. I just like playing the uke.

(Was that rambling? Did I seem as if I was talking to an empty chair? Oh, nooooooo.....)

joeybug said:

I'm a writer, I've had my books published, therefore I am a writer, an author, whatever, but I don't make enough to support myself, therefore it is not technically my "profession" though I would say I was a professional...tying it to the musician/ukulele player/entertainer, I still wouldn't consider myself anything other than amateur even if I was paid. I have an icon on my blog, that states I am a "writer/student/musician" even though technically speaking professionally, I am unemployed/medically retired/unable to work due to illness...

Hope that all makes sense, my pain level is high and my brain foggy!

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I think it makes sense, this goes into a whole other level of self-identity that I wasn't even thinking of when I first posted. I had a recent conversation with friends about the question of "What do you do?" which is a question I hate since I don't have one single, strong self-identity. Over my almost half-century on this planet, I've gotten paid to write, take pictures, model, cook, and all sorts of other stuff having to do with computers - yet I never identified as a writer, photographer, model, chef, or even my current profession, information architect. And while I suppose that while supporting myself with those activities I was (and am) indeed a "professional," when the workday was over and done, what was my passion? Music, even though in the past I spent far more time watching others play it than actually playing it myself. So when I am asked "What do you do?" I always ask for clarification in return - do you want to know how I pay the bills? Or what really matters to me? Because even though I spend 40-60 hours a week as an information architect, when the workday is done, I'm a lot of other things as well.

BassGuyukin' said:

My passion is music and I am a musician.

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Well said!

kvehe said:

I'm definitely not an entertainer, except maybe to my cat.

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Ha, same here Although he tends to leave the room when the uke comes out of the case...

TheOnlyUkeThatMatters said:

I'm a musician, a musician that loooooooves to play ukulele.

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Yes. This!!!

Bob Bledsoe said:

I would feel comfortable calling myself a musician if I had a fairly solid understanding of music theory OR had the amazing ability of playing by ear. Both of those are disciplines that people spend a lifetime developing but I'm talking about just having a basic ability to jam with people or create music using theory or ear. I'm hoping to work on both of these things over the next couple years because I've always wanted to be able to legitimately call myself a musician... So to me, being a musician has nothing to do with earning money - it's more of a level of understanding and ability... Are you still reading this? That's impressive because I'm beginning to bore myself. Sorry about the long post.

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LOL that wasn't long at all, and yes, I read it. And I pretty much agree - now that I'm finally coming to that understanding and ability, I'm more comfortable with the label.

mm stan said:

Sorta like way back then, the ukulele was not accepted as an solo instrument...is it or isn't it?? it is....and so you are musician and a ukulele player...

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Good point Stan! Once can certainly be both.

itsme said:

I don't know... calling yourself a musician seems a little pretentious. Like saying "I'm an athlete" instead of "I'm a runner."

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In conversation - take for example the "What do you do?" cocktail-party icebreaker - I say "I play music" rather than "I'm a musician" precisely because of the pretentious thing. Maybe it's all the same, but it sounds less... serious? More casual? at least that's my intention.

dkcrown said:

I am an ukulele player, and proud of it. It is the only instrument I play and I am serious about it. But while some might call me a musician, it sounds so serious. Ultimately I do this for fun and peace of mind.

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Same here, although we all may have different interpretations of fun and peace of mind My idea of fun may be getting lost in a John King arrangement for hours, which *does* give me a sort of peace of mind in a focused, meditative sort of way. Another UUer might find that sounds like absolute torture to them, while strumming a three-chord song in first position and singing their heart our might be their preferred way.

eugene ukulele said:

good question Jane, I've debated this one in my own mind too...

Thing is, if you just began 5 minutes ago as a uker, you are a musician technically, because you are involved in the act of playing an instrument...After that it's all semantics as to how we choose to qualify and quantify it...

My advice to anyone just starting is to cultivate a positive self attitude to your playing, because that's where the rubber hits the road.

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Excellent points. And sadly... this is a bit of a digression, but just this morning I was talking about it with a couple of other musicians... sometimes the positive self attitude gets lost!