WHEN ARE YOUR INSTRUMENTS GOOD ENOUGH ?

[Isaac]

I found this quote
that got me thinking. Perhaps acquiring the best instrument
is all part of the natural progression of our growth
as musicians. In the end it's still got to be the music
that should be our primary focus. The learning & striving
to be better should never stop.

"Eventually, the search for the perfect instrument gives way to the search for the perfect music."

- Gary Burton, Modern Percussionist, Fall 1984.

[Mike]

That is a very convincing sentiment indeed, Isaac.
I can fully subscribe to it.
Striving to improve goes beyond collecting dozens of ever more expensive drums.
Music comes from within.

By the way, the fact that today is the "No Music Day" - at least according to British musician Bill Drummond -
fits to the philosophy of listening to one´s inner voice.
True inspiration comes from silence.

And silence means concentration and finding an own, sometimes new way of expressing oneself in music.

I wish everybody a nice weekend!

Mike

[bongosnotbombs]

The instruments make the music so for me there is no separation.
I can understand the sentiment though, the instruments serve the music and not the
other way around, whether those instruments are pots and pans or $1,000 congas.

[No.2-1820]

I think I've arrived there now Isaac, I'm very happy with the (mismatched) set of drums that I have and while I love to read about, see or play other peoples beautiful drums of all makes I am no longer searching continuous for the ultimate conga, since I have settled with the drums I have I've become more focused and more successful at producing the sounds I desire from them and I've learned so much about the breaking in of skins and the overall need to get to know your instruments. That being said I realize I do indeed have some excellent drums (Matthew Smith, Valje, JCR) and believe that my initial period of obsessing with finding the best sounding instruments did lead me to the place I'm at now. Incidentally Isaac that mule you sent me that I put on my Matthew Smith requinto seems to get better and better everyday.

Cheers,

Barrie

[windhorse]

An instrument can influence your inspiration by making you smile at the fullness of the tone, or whatever about it that makes you glow.
Then, with that new inspiration, new stuff comes out of you. So they can influence your playing like you can influence them. but you've got to hear the music in yourself for your playing to sound like music, and not just a nice sounding tone..

[Whopbamboom]

Yes, music comes from within. But different instruments (often, but not absolutely necessarily of a higher quality-- just different) will facilitate and even inspire music that just won't happen on other stuff. Of course, higher quality stuff often makes the difference. If you've ever played piano on a cheap Chinese spinnet, and then tried to play the same music on a very expensive concert grand piano, you'd see what I mean in a second (in this instance I use cheap and expensive pianos for comparison). Sometimes something cheap or old makes the perfect sound, so it's not always about expense or quality-- just often.

For me, I will never stop trying to improve the sound of my music-- whether that entails improving the sound of the instruments themselves, or whether that entails improving my own arrangements (i.e., WHAT I play), or whether that entails improving my technique (i.e., HOW I play it), etc.

[windhorse]

Thank you Whop,, that's really what I meant! You said it much better!

[Mike]

I second that. WBB, you said it all and all right!

EDIT: Additionally, when you REALLY feel that it is YOUR instrument,
you feel and play in a sort of unity as the instrument is a part of you
and you are a part of the instrument.

[Joseph]

I think an instrument is “good enough” is when you (the owner, the player) love it (or accept it) unconditionally for whatever qualities that it possesses.

Then, one is able to concentrate on musicality: technique, repertoire, interpretation…the important stuff that comes from within, because, after all the instrument is just a medium for self expression.

Those who have instruments they love know the feeling: Every encounter is rekindled love: the feel of it in your hands, the sound, the look, the brand, the vintage, the new-ness, whatever!
You just love that thing!
You have no excuses…the only thing now is to make it sing your song.

To those on the musical path, who feel they have yet to find that "good enough" instrument , I leave you with the words of Stephen Stills:

“And if you can’t be with the one you love,
Then love the one you’re with”

Regards
~Joseph

[Gallichio]

The answer to this question in my mind actually creates more questions. I think the answer would be different for everyone. A practical point of view might be - If the sound that the instrument produces is pleasing to you and the instrument is built well then it is good enough for you. The key word here is "good enough". If we as a people don't evolve and try to improve things then we stop growing. If we stop trying to make things better then things become stagnant and everything would remain the same. When is your playing good enough? I bet most would answer never. If we stopped trying to make everything better then everyone would probably sound the same and we would all play the same drum. Life is about choices, options, different sounds. We play the drums that make us happy. Today we are lucky to have at lease a dozen conga builders. Each drum has it's own voice. None of the voices are better or worse just a different voice. Some people find their voice with the very first drum they ever owned and some people search their whole lives. If you look beyond the "good enough" then you seek other qualities and you will find so much more. If I were a Violinist I would want to play a Stradivarius because I have heard the instrument and it is the most pleasing to my ear. I do think the Stradivarius sounds better than the violins today. So as far as sound it is up to the individual and the same applies as far as when the instruments are good enough. I hope all the instrument company's keep trying to make the instruments better. I am happy to say at this time, I have found the instruments that are good enough for me. I am very happy.

[congamyk]

Congas have no moving parts and are simplistically made of only 3 different materials.
It's this simplicity which makes them unique.

Is it any wonder all the greats; Gio, Anga, Patato, Barreto, etc. all play and record using factory drums (LP, Toca, Pearl, etc)? IMO the differences in sound and quality between them and "designer congas" are slight.

So when someone asks me "monkeypod or Matador?"... I say Matador!
But someday I may buy some Islas.

[Tonio]

Nice sentiment you bring Isaac !!

"Eventually, the search for the perfect instrument gives way to the search for the perfect music."

Eventually/perfect instrument: after you have found that instrument(s) that has encompassed your need and capability of your performance tonal ability for expression.
Perfect music: the transition of when you find the connection of yourself( ultimate instrument voicing/competance) and instrumentation of your idealism.

1984, was Gary in his prime at that point?

T

[Novato]

Hello all.
I'm fairly new here, but here's my opinion.
It seems to me that "good enough" like Mike said are the key words here. Good enough, weather in business, arts or your personal life is never good enough.
Good enough to me implies way more room for improvement. Businesses owners who have the attitude, of I did a good enough job, are seldom successful. In my opinion the same applies in whatever you set your mind to. What might be good enough for you today, will probably not be good enough tomorrow. You probably will find a way to improve on what you did good enough yesterday. I realize that some of us say that I think my Islas or Gon Bops are good enough for me, but in actuality we truly believe that they are way better than good enough. Perhaps we're being modest. I guess it could be a matter of semantics.
Since I'm now learning how to play, my LP Accents are good enough for where I am today. However, I suspect that they will not be good enough in the future when my skill set has reached a certain personal level. Thank God I will have a lot of good choices and I can make an educated decision based on the likes and dislikes of experienced musicians I have the luxury of encountering here everyday.
That being said, I don't believe the instrument makes the musician, just like the camera does not make the photographer. You could have the most state of the art camera in the world, but if you don't understand exposure, apperture, shutter speed etc, you will probably be unable to produce good photographs. A good photographer understands his camera and knows how to use just like the musician knows his instrument and knows how to use it.

[docarroyo]

Hey guys some great answers and opinions that I have read so I thought I would add my two centavos. I buy sell and restore old guitars but play congas for over 40 yrs. or so. For guitarist owning several guitars is not uncommen but its not the quest for the perfect instrument as much as a quest for different tones. I learned on old cajones form La marqueta and was not allowed to touch the skins untill I could keep a perfect clave. I have or do own so many drums I forget how many, from Ecotones in the early 60's to the mismatched favorites I now play at home. I have always looked for the tone not the drum I have used all the different skins. One of the reasons I keep many drums are for different applications a drum well suited to Bomba may not be well suited as a quinto in a Bembe setting. But you all know that, you must also remember that the player also knows how to use the instrument to coax the most out of it. We must remember that its not the hammer but the carpenter using the hammer that creates his craft. Keep banging away with your hammers until you find the way to create your craft the way you want to with what ever hammer works best for you. Gracias mi hermanos en la Rumba por su tiempo. By the way look at Tata on the cover of Descargas in minature one Vergara and one drum without hardware. My first drum was like that I still remember the smell or sterno or candelas on skin and wiping away the soot LOL and midway thru a jam stoping to Retune ( who has a match?)

[burke]

When I got my bops I opined some buyers remorse [while waiting for them to arrive] to a friend who was also a musician. He made me feel much better when he talked about how owning good gear can be inspiring.

For me this was very true. I found that just owning decent drums made feel like I wanted to be worthy of owning them and I upped both my practice time and overall seriousness. That was about 2 years ago and the love affair and practice/commitment has not abated one bit.

So for me they are assuredly "good enough".