I am opposed to “hero worship” – it means “you can’t do it.” Imitation, however, is another matter. We learn to walk by imitation. We learn to talk by imitation. Mirroring is a thing.
There's a school of pedagogy that holds that imitation precludes originality. I disagree. If a student imitates several great artists, something original will evolve – if the student is capable of originality – and most are.
These may be apocryphal, but here goes:
These are not:
And:
Branford Marsallis shares some wisdom here; John Clayton here.
In Short: LISTEN – endlessly – steal them blind! (You can steal from singers, too.)
That said, Caveat Emptor!
AND . . . LISTEN when you play with others. I'm not a conservatory graduate. I dropped out of Cal State Long Beach (that is not the best path these days) to go to work in the Disneyland Band. I stumbled through 30 years in the Pacific Symphony on the theory that "She went to Juilliard. I didn't. Maybe I'll play it that way next time."
Or as Stan Getz said, "You can read all the textbooks and listen to all the records, but you have to play with musicians that are better than you." I learned as much playing duets with Phil Teele for a year or so as from any of the great teachers I studied with formally.
Denis Wick speaks to Ian Bousfield about "theft" (among other things) here.
There's a school of pedagogy that holds that imitation precludes originality. I disagree. If a student imitates several great artists, something original will evolve – if the student is capable of originality – and most are.
These may be apocryphal, but here goes:
- “A good composer does not imitate; he steals.” – Igor Stravinsky.
- “Immature artists copy, great artists steal.” – William Faulkner
- “Good artists copy, great artists steal.” – Steve Jobs
These are not:
- “In every art form, you imitate something you admire, and then it grows into your own.” – David Letterman
- "I steal from everyone. Picasso did it. Modigliani did it. So did da Vinci. Rufino Tamayo stole from the Mayan civilization. The thing is, a big talent steals; a small talent borrows." – Anthony Quinn
- “When you’re starting, I think you’re always doing an impression of someone else – in any form of entertainment. But then, as you keep going, you hopefully become you.” – Sam Morril
- "When I'm about to train a new opera, I first listen to how Jussi Björling did it. His voice was unique and it's his path that I want to follow. I would more than anything else wish that people compared me with Jussi Björling. It's like so I'm striving to sing." – Luciano Pavarotti
- "In order to outflow music, you need to inflow music." – Phil Teele
- “Personal style is synthesis of thefts.” – Bob Sanders
And:
Branford Marsallis shares some wisdom here; John Clayton here.
In Short: LISTEN – endlessly – steal them blind! (You can steal from singers, too.)
That said, Caveat Emptor!
AND . . . LISTEN when you play with others. I'm not a conservatory graduate. I dropped out of Cal State Long Beach (that is not the best path these days) to go to work in the Disneyland Band. I stumbled through 30 years in the Pacific Symphony on the theory that "She went to Juilliard. I didn't. Maybe I'll play it that way next time."
Or as Stan Getz said, "You can read all the textbooks and listen to all the records, but you have to play with musicians that are better than you." I learned as much playing duets with Phil Teele for a year or so as from any of the great teachers I studied with formally.
Denis Wick speaks to Ian Bousfield about "theft" (among other things) here.
LISTEN! – IMITATE! – LEARN!!
STEAL.
THEM.
BLIND!
STEAL.
THEM.
BLIND!