Re: [Harp-L] Gifted Players, Who I Play For

["Splash" <celtiac@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I was in the local music shop last week and they have a big jar where people
are stuffing entries to win the Epiphone Les Paul Deluxe guitar sitting in a
stand next to it.  One woman asked when the drawing would be held.  I
replied, "Nice guitar.  You play?"  She said no.  So I asked, "You a
musician?"  Again she said no.  So I asked, "Do you sing?"  Again, no.

So I finally said, "Do you clap?"  And she laughed and said yes.

I said, "That's good enough.  We all need at least one person to clap."

Other musicians nearby all chuckled and it started a great conversation on
the value of the audience and how many of us (musicians) get so caught up in
our creative thing that we often overlook the other side of the equation.

So, back to the question, who do you play for?

I play for that One Person who spontaneously hollers, "Yeah!" right after a
solo.

I play for that One Person in the audience who nods their head and murmurs
"yep" after a certain lyric.

I play for that One Person who comes up to me after hearing me play a song I
wrote, sometimes months later, and tells me how it meant something to them.

And I play for the Universal consciousness of which we are all a part, that
Magic! place where the music actually originates before it is loaned to me,
a gift to pass on to that One Person who gets something from it.

I guess that makes me a "gifted" player.  No matter how much work and time
it takes, it is a tremendous gift and I am extremely grateful for it.

PEACE
Scott
Believe in Magic!

----- Original Message -----
> > When people approach me and say, "I could never play like you--I'm not
that gifted/talented,"
> > I thank them and show my appreciation.  But on the inside, I am nearly
offended and I can't help it.
> > I wasn't given the gift of music.   I earned it through a great deal of
work.