Good

What does it mean to be “good” at something?

Okay, well, for instance: Currently, I can find no better way to express myself than through music. And being some sort of artist-type person, I like to pretend I can play the guitar, and I like to think I am reasonably skilled in writing, as far as jotting random philosophical thoughts down on an internet blog. However, I am not a musician, nor am I a songwriter, so the results of my labored sonnetry are completely inadequate. And so, because of this, I often wish I was “good” at songwriting, and also playing instruments.

Alright, now alternately, the Elton John/Bernie Taupin team has been writing music and lyrics for songs since 1967, and have put out arguably good material for almost as long. I can probably say without too much critique that, other than the regular singles from each album, most of the songs Taupin writes are pretty bad. I mean, purposeless and meaningless, and full of empty words. John is a gifted musician, and Taupin is definitely a gifted wordsmith, but he uses his gift to just…write music (and make gads of money). If something you’re “good at” isn’t used to its full potential, it really manges to go to waste, doesn’t it? Suddenly, despite being “good” at something, the outcome of that something can be bad.

So now for the token question: Is it better to be really “good” at doing, or making, or being something, and have a less-than-adequate product as a result; or is it better to be that guy singin’ off-key on his poorly-tuned instrument to badly-timed chord repetitions at your local coffeehouse, but actually meaning what he’s singing, and making you tear up anyway?

I’m making a point here. Obviously, it’s possible to be both. Elton is a bad example.

….Yeah.

Journal

ability, bernie, elton, gift, good, john, music, musician, question, song, taupin, words, writing

5 responses to “Good”

Gary Stewart Smith

October 22, 2010 at 10:28 am

Errr… better to be good at something and produce something mediocre than be the guy who can’t sing or play, any day, Matt!

I get the impression that folks like Messrs John and Taupin will write two or three good songs that will sell an album, and come up with another six or seven to fill the rest of the space – why waste all your great songs on one album!? In the early days, the 70s, these two used to churn out albums by the dozen (slight exaggeration maybe), so many that one or two that were released in the States weren’t even released over here in the UK. But how many of those songs were any good?

Actually, I just read that last line of yours, about getting an emotional response. Yeah, I guess I’d rather be getting an emotional response from my audience. But I guess the only way people are going to listen to you in the first place is if you are at least competent in your singing and the instrument of your choice.

So, best be a competent singer songwriter guitarist with something to say… which is something I’m currently working on!

Reply
1. Matt Chimento
  
  October 22, 2010 at 9:54 pm
  
  Hi Gary, thanks for the comment.
  
  Yeah, I was using the example of songwriting to ask a general question…it probably got confusing. But you got it! Have you much to say in your writing? What sort of goals do you want to meet with your talents?
  
  Reply
Gary Stewart Smith

October 23, 2010 at 3:02 am

My songs? Well, they tend to be mainly “relationship” songs – they say “write what you know”, and I guess I don’t know about much else! But hopefully my audience (if anyone ever gets to hear my songs!) can identify with what I’m saying.

My goal is to record the hundred or so songs I’ve already written to a decent enough standard whereby people can listen to them properly without getting distracted by production standards, so I’m on a level playing field with your Elton Johns and Bernie Taupins – I like to think, for example, that my lyrics are less cringe-worthy than Mr Taupin!

I think I also need to find “my voice” – I’ve spent a long time doing covers, and when I do my own songs I think I often unintentionally imitate (for want of a better word) established artists (whether that’s James Taylor or Gary Lightbody or Bryan Adams or whoever). So I need to be sure I’m singing like “me” when I commit these songs to tape.

What about you? I get the impression from this post that you do sing and play but don’t rate yourself?

Reply
1. Matt Chimento
  
  October 23, 2010 at 11:49 am
  
  Hey, that’s pretty cool! Good luck with your music career! It’s much easier now to record and get music out to people, so you shouldn’t have too much of a problem. It’s a challenge to define your own sound, but once you get comfortable with your own songs, it gets easier. Let me know if you need any album art. Haha.
  
  Not really…my art of choice is video and graphic design, but I’ve recently begun playing the guitar for my church, and I enjoy writing, and started dabbling in songs for a little while. I’m not a skilled guitarist, and I don’t have a trained voice, but I enjoy worshiping, and playing the 15 or so chords I’ve memorized. It’s been interesting.
  
  Reply
  1. Gary Stewart Smith
    
    October 24, 2010 at 3:02 am
    
    Well, good luck with the guitar playing – the more you play the better you get.
    
    True, it’s easier to get ones art out to a worldwide audience – though it’s probably just as hard to get noticed, as everyone else is doing the same thing! But once I get together a decent-sounding body of work that I’m confident, I’ll work on the publicity side of things. Hopefully by the start of 2011, I’ll be at that point – I’d like to have a shot at playing some of the smaller music festivals they have over here.
    
    Now go play that guitar, man!
    
    Reply

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5 responses to “Good”

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