Paul, is that you?

This simple statement applies to so many things that are wrong with people.

Could an 10 year old boy, who just flawlessly performed a beautiful piece of classical music, on a big Steinway Concert Grand, in front of a packed house at Carnegie Hall be classified a Serious Musician? Gee, I don't know, just asking.
Rocky

Many band ads ask for serious musicians.

You guys may be serious musicians or not.

Me, I'm a timewaster...

Cheers

Graham

Better ask the kid himself.

Let's see
- still lives with parents
- no day (or any other) job
- no means of transportation
- plays on a borrowed instrument
- still watches cartoons
- never finished high school
- is attracted to under-aged girls
- most likely a whiner when things don't go his way

Sounds like half of my current friends.

Best post of the day, award ! ROTFL

For some of us this is far too close to the truth.

Why do you have to post such uncomfortable things?!?!?

My son is 24 and a guitar player.

Hmmm...I've always thought of myself as being one level below "serious," and taken compliments from those who call me serious, without having referred to myself as serious in perhaps nearly 2 decades (we can all be asshats in our 20's).

I know you all know this but I thought I'd acknowledge the elephant in the room.

"Serious" is a codeword for developing (typically young) musicians who want to do more than just get together and jam or have pointless rehearsals.

However, just because they want to do more doesn't mean they know how to do more, i.e. book shows or record CDs.

In other words, they have a goal but they don't know how to reach it. Usually it's a lack of business knowledge/experience.

So while they think they're being "serious" and having productive rehearsals they really are just spinning wheels and wasting everyone's time.

The current trend in upcoming musicians (usually singers) is to want to be discovered. They think the way to do that is to post a bunch of half-@$$ YouTube videos and then use the disclaimer that "I'm actually better than these vids". And then they sit at home and wonder why no talent agents are answering their CL ads.

I think "serious" is more about what you do than an attitude expressed.

I consider my daughter a "serious" musician -- she's in college studying to be a music teacher. That means she has to take both the music classes and the education courses -- long hours, lots of classes, and many extracurriulars required.

Her primary instrument is voice, and she plays flute and piano. She's also take classes in brass, strings and percussion. She sings in the choir and the chamber singers (tough to get into) at her college.

I see how hard she works at it. But she never calls herself a "serious" musician.

Quite funny: My wife and I were arguing (yeah, that never happens) and she was complaining that I spent too much time playing the damn bass, and practicing with the band. Of course, I replied, (with almost no laughter) "I am a SERIOUS musician!". Her response, "No you're not. Your the same asshole you've always been, just louder."
I'm not a serious musician, I'm just a loud asshole, because that's who I am. So, maybe one has to be a serious person, before they can be a "serious" musician.... Just a thought.

I'm serious about putting on a good show and playing the music the best I can but I am far from being a serious musician. I lack the discipline to be a truly serious musician. Then again I'm getting too old to be that serious. I just want to have fun.

Loud asshole=serious musician.
I think that works.

That's it, in a nutshell. Turn up the discipline, and we can be taken seriously, but life is getting too short for that, especially if you are already happy with where you are in it.

Well, you can be serious as in working hard at it and taking pride in your work, without thinking that you invented music or something like that, can't you?
Not all hard-working musicians are arrogant assholes. Some of them are goodhearted people who love to help others. Just for the record.
Me? I INVENTED MUSIC, and anyone who doesn't realize it is a major league moron, tone deaf or both......... Do any of you tone deaf major league morons know where I can get a gig? Just asking......

Since time is relative, I'd say one year could be considered "a serious lenght of time"

The serious musician is the guy who, during practice/rehearsal, plays an extra 16 bars after everyone has stopped.

Give me hilarious musicians every time.

The scenario you just offered sounds kinda hilarious to me.

How did I miss this post?

Check.
I flaked out a year early.
Check.
Check.
Nope. I suck at writing music.
Used to.
Nowadays I do...kinda sad when I think about it.
Check.
Check.

*whew* Dodged the bullet on that one. I don't want to be mistaken for someone who's serious about anything...I don't like serious people.

Davio, how about these?

No
Yes
Yes
No
Yes
No
I plead the 5th
Sometimes

I'm still riding the line.

A serious musician is kinda like a really baaaad dude. They don't spend much time talking about it, they don't really feel the need.

Picker.... Agreed on this last point. Real tough guys don't need to brag about being tough--they just are. Great musicians are similar.

So if Chuck Norris were a musician he would be a serious musician NOT a Serious Musician.

This is not a serious musician. This is a guy wearing a sign that says, "Taint-smite me. Frequently."

In truth I thought "orchestra for at least a year" was going a bit far. Unless that was irony? I'm blessed to work with three guys who are serious enough to get the music right without anybody getting his panties into a bunch about it, or copping a 'tude. We laugh and joke a fair bit at rehearsals while we NAIl the sumbitch. That's all...

From the posts so far, I think 3 types of "serious" musicians have been described:

1. Those who take themselves too seriously (they think they are the s--t).

2. Those who are willing to do the necessary work to play/sing/perform well. Stuff like practice, help to carry,set up and repair equipment and make sure the non-serious lead singer or lead guitar player makes it to a gig on time.

3. Curly on double bass.