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Musical integrity ... What does this mean? Are all musicians measured by how many covers they know? How well they copy a certain artist? How many originals they have? What is the difference in writing a good song and throwing a couple riffs together and trying to model the music to what is going on at any given time? What is a sell out? Is that someone who attempts to gear their creativity to popular styles to increase their odds of monetary success? theproducer2010.ws

its the guy who will carry the equipment while his bandmates laugh

Hey Cat Killer ,man....quit talkin about me BUT , this ole PA packin , drum totin,cord windin , amp haulin band member let a full size Gretch 88key electric piano make it way down a flight of stairs by its lil ole self becuase the keyboard player didnt wanna help carry..He was tunin 3 days on that damn thing. ..Anyway, what were we talkin about?? OH yeah,Musical Integrity....I found over the last 35 yrs there are 4 groups out there...The pioneer who writes , records and markets matierial regardless of the current scene thus possibly creating a new one...Then theres the one you described Dionysus who follows current trends with thier originals...THEN , theres the Jobber (what we called them in the 70s')...The guy/girl who bounces around the US ,Canada, Mexico playin covers from all genres reeking havoc on the local populous while there.(Thats Me)..THEN , the copy/ tribute band / single artist ...I ve played with them ALL and their reasons for being in the bis,how they learned to play, to what drives them differ greatly....I find that I have absolutely nothing in common with some musicians ..I used to think it was the universal language...SO, in closing, I think each group will have its own definition of "musical Integrity"....I write some and have even recorded my originals BUT, thats not what drives me..I tend to size up musicians by their over all knowledge of all genres, working theory knowledge , and abilty to change styles from tune to tune...Musical Integrity to me is the ability to communicate all of that effectively with a good atitude...

John

Musical integrity, to me is all about the attitude you have.
If you're a conceded hack that thinks you're beautiful on stage, you've already lost integrity...even if you can shred with the best of them.
If you don't share your load in the actual labor, you know...disappearing into the woodwork when setup and breakdown is going on.
Having an open ear and mind to what your bandmates contribute or don't contribute, it's a 2 way street here; me, me, me doesn't cut it.
A lackadaisical approach to personal practice, if you only practice when the full band is together you're ripping off yourself and the other members so why waste everybodys time? Being prepared whether it's practice or a show, don't get there and say "i forgot my cord, my strap" shows you really aren't concerned with the overall "musical health" of the group. Enough crap happens by itself without being 'not prepared' one of them.
As far as trying to get into other peoples integrity, we all like to think we have high commitment to our craft, and as such, we feel everyone else is supposed to too. The level of integrity you have and display should coincide with your situation, if you're with a bunch of friends just having fun and jamming, by all means have FUN, if you're playing to entertain and make a few bux...still have fun, but raise the bar on your personal integrity...going for an audition? raise the bar even more.

A sellout? an example; Mariah Carey her "Vision Of Love" hit, really let her vocal capability shine, she has one of the better Blues and Jazz voices out there...Corporate got ahold of her, hip-hopped her up, turned her into a so-called Diva...and wasted a vocal force that could stand on it's own merit in the Blues/Jazz realm, alas; their is no money in Blues and Jazz for the greed of the Corporate stuffed shirts. Thats what a sellout is...throwing away talent for greed.

Musical integrity means:

* Being who say you are.

* Playing to the ability you say that you can play to.

* Having the training and experience you say that you do.

* Meeting your commitments to a band or client who has commissioned your musical talent.

GOD, I hate that phrase. Usually "musical integrity" means "I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm too stuck on myself to listen to anyone else."

Every time I hear someone going on, blowing out blurbs like that, I want to say, "JUST SHUDDAP AND PLAY YER DAMN GUITAR!" Or bass. Or whatever. You're not curing cancer, you're playing music. Stop trying to puff up your shirt.

that you sound good and people want to hire you again. Later...

phboo wrote:GOD, I hate that phrase. Usually "musical integrity" means "I don't know what I'm doing, but I'm too stuck on myself to listen to anyone else."

Every time I hear someone going on, blowing out blurbs like that, I want to say, "JUST SHUDDAP AND PLAY YER DAMN GUITAR!" Or bass. Or whatever. You're not curing cancer, you're playing music. Stop trying to puff up your shirt.

Amen!!!

phboo,
you said " . . . You're not curing cancer, you're playing music. Stop trying to puff up your shirt."
I'm with you, man.

I love it! I have been away from my computer for a while but the responses to this entry are awesome... I was not judging anyone, just trying to see if there would be any negative remarks to a neutral question that really isn't as corny as one would think. I can always tell there are those who started to jam to increase the amount of times they could get laid! Those people usually feel real threatened by musicians that might have a little writing confidence, because they are alright as long as they can try to make themselves cooler than every one else.
For those of you who had REAL answers I thank you, for those of you who think I am being arrogant, stay away from those evil big words "integrity" "musical" ha ha ha... I'll try to talk about cooler stuff like What strings should I use? can I get lessons? Hot chicks!

Music Is. [pause] 'THE BIG BANG' Infinity, Universe, Religion, Our World, People. EVERYTHING

Dionysus wrote:I love it! I have been away from my computer for a while but the responses to this entry are awesome... I was not judging anyone, just trying to see if there would be any negative remarks to a neutral question that really isn't as corny as one would think. I can always tell there are those who started to jam to increase the amount of times they could get laid! Those people usually feel real threatened by musicians that might have a little writing confidence, because they are alright as long as they can try to make themselves cooler than every one else.
For those of you who had REAL answers I thank you, for those of you who think I am being arrogant, stay away from those evil big words "integrity" "musical" ha ha ha... I'll try to talk about cooler stuff like What strings should I use? can I get lessons? Hot chicks!

Dionysus some wouldnt know "integrity" if it were shot up their urethras with a rusty needle. Dont sweat it.

So Dionysus, whats your take on it?

I love music so much I have made it my job, hobby, obsession, friend, therapy, and purpose. It has cost me jobs, relationships, safe careers, lack of respect from my peers, yet I never seem to be able to respect myself musically unless I am writing! I don't mean throwing a couple power chords together and trying to sound like Green Day or something. I want to make people feel how Zeppelin, and Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple made me feel, ( like they went far out of their way to bring their art to a level that would easily distinguish them from everything else ).
I respect ALL musicians, I just have a problem with the cover Gods that want to make fun of anyone who takes them self seriously as a writer. I mean if you set your bar at the level of playing local clubs that is fine, but don't dog me for spending a year on one song because I think it is that important to get it right. Some of my critics on this topic can't even tell what chords they are playing! Some post hot chicks on a musical site, as if pu**y is the great motivation and measure of how successful you are. And then they think I am trying to cure cancer, while they can't even get a band together. In a nutshell, if it makes you happy do it, but don't make fun of people who take their music more seriously than you, everybody has their own reasons for being a musician, and some times people really do spend hundred of hours on something they care about, that doesn't mean they think they are legends, maybe they just don,t want to be Hacks...

Dionysus I think that many musicians (call them "cover Gods" or whatever) who like to poo-poo serious musical pursuit, are doing so out of anger and disillusion that they cannot do that themselves. It's some of the most obvious cases of projecting low self esteem I've ever seen. Don't let it bug you. Do what you do. And if what you do, and how seriously you take yourself in your pursuits, bugs others then hell - they'll just have to stew in it.

The more introspective amongst them may be moved to examine why it bothers them so. Hope springs eternal.