Women Musicians

[J. Dan]

Don't know if this has ever been discussed, but I was thinking about this. It seems like a lot of women play the piano. Growing up, in high school there were a lot of the gals who played piano. Where I took lessons, they had a lot of female students. If anything, in my youth, I would say that more of the girls played piano than boys. A lot of the guys gravitated towards guitar or drums.

 

So why is it that in live performance, it is dominated by males? What happened to all the women. Why don't they take their talents out live? The most prevelant position I see filled by a female is lead vocalist. But what happened to all those piano players?

[eric]

Interesting topic and may bring a few of the cool girls on this forum that are too quiet in general.

 

When I reflect on the awesome girl piano players from my high school and college days in the '80s into early '90s, a few went to be chorus teachers or church musicians. I don't know any that went to being "rock star" type musicians...I honestly don't see many girls doing the keyboard player spot in live bands in my area.

 

Regards,

Eric

[DanL]

I think a lot of them never get past the piano lesson stage even if they were more advanced, and if they do, a lot of them head to the church arena. I knew a couple girls who were real good in high school but they were classical players who went on to conservatory type schools.

[ProfD]

Most female piano players I know either teach and/or play in church. Best gigs since instruments are provided.

 

Also, I don't think very many women feel a great need to schlep gear at 2 am.

[SMcD]

Interesting point. Perhaps testosterone fuels us lads into more "heavy" music-The live rock, blues, and jazz scenes, as opposed to the aforementioned church/classical route.

 

Actually, in my school there's a good number of female pianists and a few guy pianists, but I'm the only "keyboard" player. I think that most people see the piano as "uncool", and don't want to take it anywhere, but I did.

[J. Dan]

Also, I don't think very many women feel a great need to schlep gear at 2 am.

 

Maybe they're the smart ones!

 

Actually, in my school there's a good number of female pianists and a few guy pianists, but I'm the only "keyboard" player. I think that most people see the piano as "uncool", and don't want to take it anywhere, but I did.

 

Well, for a little bit, I was thinking of the "techno-geek" angle when it comes to synthesizers, programming, etc. But that wouldn't explain piano bars, jazz trios, solo pianists, etc. You don't see many Women out playing B3's, but quite a few church organists. Everybody seems to be acknowleging this, but WHY? Just differences in interests/personality? Lack of confidence? I would buy that it's difficult to break into a male-dominated industry if not for the fact that I think every band I've been in would have killed to get a gal in an open slot if one were available.

[Moonglow]

I've always liked this twisted up chick (Fiona Apple). As far as I know, she has always played piano on her recordings.

 

http://mysite.verizon.net/resvht4v/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/fiona.jpg

 

 

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

simply put: because they don't have the need to wave their dicks around. The playing of piano is one thing, the need to play it in front of a bunch of strangers is another. Boys by nature are show-offs.

[Tonysounds]

Except for that whole "vocalist" thing. Lots of female musicians in Chicago, just the minority again. More women vocalists than musicians.

[Cygnus64]

So why is it that in live performance, it is dominated by males?

 

It's not in classical. On the touring circuit, there are probably as many females as males, if not more.

[DanL]

Maybe it's the more "make it up on the fly" nature of a lot of the music we play? Lack of improv skills? I know there are killer female players out there who can jam with the best, but there are not a lot. I had a female keyboard player in my band for a while. She was a church player- could read anything, but couldn't memorize a part to save her life. She'd get frustrated when we'd change an arrangement because she'd have to rewrite her part, which were usually things like string lines or other secondary parts. She played everything like she was playing church organ- no expression at all. I kept trying to teach her that when you play a string line or a horn line, you have to think about those instruments and how they are articulated, but she never got it.

[BillWelcome Home Studios]

"Maybe it's the more "make it up on the fly" nature of a lot of the music we play?"

 

I don't think so. I've played with a lot of women that were simply fantastic. But they grew up and learned in that environment, same as we did.

[Dave Horne]

As long as we're discussing female pianists, does anyone remember Ellie Frankel from The Mike Douglas Show? She was a monster player and her name never gets mentioned.

 

This added ... while Googling Ellie Frankel I came across a rather long but interesting behind the scenes account of The Mike Douglas Show written by Joe Harnell who also played that show. It's worth your time ... http://www2.xlibris.com/book_excerpt.asp?bookid=11862

[Cygnus64]

Maybe it's the more "make it up on the fly" nature of a lot of the music we play? Lack of improv skills?

 

I think part of it is lifestyle. Girls don't like carrying amps. They hate wires and chords. If they are even remotely hot, bars will be nothing more than fending off every drunk guy hitting on them.

[KeyMoe]

I have recently seen a couple of female keyboard players in the Dallas area. Certainly a rare thing. I did have a great female drummer in my band back in Chicago during the 90s. (great dirl that also looked good)......

[Joe Muscara]

I'm not sure it's any different than any other male-dominated field, such as engineering. Why some fields tend to attract certain genders I'll never understand. To me, gender means little or nothing when it comes to things like this, so I'm always pleased when the barrier is broken.

[B3bluesman59]

Bill said: Boys by nature are show-offs.

________________________________________________________________

And women aren't?????

 

[gangsu]

Maybe it's the more "make it up on the fly" nature of a lot of the music we play? Lack of improv skills?

 

I think part of it is lifestyle. Girls don't like carrying amps. They hate wires and chords. If they are even remotely hot, bars will be nothing more than fending off every drunk guy hitting on them.

 

haha the drunk at the bar's not a problem, it's the one you left at home you gotta worry about. Maybe times have changed... night after night sucking up to the crowd, crawling into bed at 3 am with a smile on your face... yeah, I know a lot of guys who'd be cool with that.

 

Don't underestimate your church organist, DanL. We've got improv skills you've never even heard of.

 

kidding.

 

sort of.

 

[Cygnus64]

I've always been somewhat fascinated with choice of instrument (usually as a young person) and sexuality. I am going to keep it primarily male/female. I'm very liberal and accepting of anyone's sexuality, but I certainly don't want to turn this thread the wrong way. As an example, I don't recall ever meeting a gay male brass player in my career, yet gay flute players are a dime a dozen. Anyhoo, as far as male/female:

 

Harpists are 99% female. I'm not quite sure why, it weighs 16 zillion pounds and requires you to drive a van. Timpani is male. Brass are 99% male, yet French horns are equally male and female. Percussionists are usually male, bassoonists too. Oboe players are pretty much always nuts, no matter what sex they are.

 

 

[fjzingo]

Couldn't agree more, but there are female keyboardplayers Hiromi for example.....

 

Why aren't they represented here in this forum?? Is there any girl reporters for keyboard magazine

 

/Fredrik

I'm not sure it's any different than any other male-dominated field, such as engineering. Why some fields tend to attract certain genders I'll never understand. To me, gender means little or nothing when it comes to things like this, so I'm always pleased when the barrier is broken.

[Chris Link]

Looking back at a two-three year run when we hosted a weekly blues jam, I'm pretty sure there was not a single woman who ever came in and played KB. Not that there were many woman jammers of any sort.

 

They were usually singers who got talked by their friends into coming up and were clueless, but once in a while a really good singer that knew what they were doing. An occasional guitarist, but they were typically playing rhythm rather than lead.

[fjzingo]

I guess the gender of the players are reflected in the general listener, especially when it comes to blues??

/Fred

[rainbird]

Hmm...maybe some of us female amp-hauling, synth-geeking, regularly-gigging and mostly forum-lurking musicians hate to

be generalized about. Or maybe we just like being mysterious.

 

But then again, I might be generalizing here..

 

 

[DanL]

rainbird, i think the point is, there are not many of you who actually gig. maybe it's a generalization but I tend to agree with it. I've seen lots of singers, some outstanding, some pretty bad and a lot in between. A handful of guitar/bass/drummers. with only a couple of them who were really good. A couple of all girl bands whose only attribute was they were girls, because their playing was nothing to write home about. Not many keyboard players outside of the church/classical/orchestra arenas. I think it's a bad thing- I wish there were more who got outside of that box and got on stage and jammed it out.

[Morizzle]

I'm sure the ratio will change in the next few years. At the jazz/pop faculty where I study, there are: 5 girl pianists (out of 10 players), 3 (7)saxophone players, 3 (12 million) guitar players, 1 bass player and even a drummer lady.

I could very well imagine that there is a similar ratio in other faculties all over the world.

Of course, the majority of girls is still enrolled in the vocalist program, but all those others are going to enter the stages in the next few years, which is great!!!

[ProfD]

The swinging syndrome makes some sense until we consider the fact that there are many female arists out there.

 

Beyonce has toured with an all-female band. Yet, most female artists are backed by male musos.

 

So, this begs the question of why female artists aren't demanding a talented band consisting of of their gender.

 

With more opportunities to play and get away from "us" i.e. male dominated bands, maybe more female piano/KB players would take it to the stage.

 

Still, at a certain point in life, I imagine many female musos find something else to do other than play at jam sessions, clubs, bars, etc.

 

It happens with male musos too. Many reach a high level of proficiency but choose to either work behind the scenes and/or not pursue music for one reason or another.

 

All of this explains why MI flourishes. There are a boatload of hobbyists. Folks who can play to varying degrees but mainly do so because they can.

[DanL]

Beyonce's female touring band was miming to backing tracks, we all know that!

[Dave Pierce]

Where's geekgurl at? Oh Michelle............

 

--Dave

[Dave Horne]

Wendy Carlos.

[Mr. Nightime]

Wendy Carlos.

 

First laugh of the day. Thanks Dave!