# Participant or Sideliner?



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

When it comes to music, listening to music, or anything similar, do you consider yourself a Participant or Nonparticipant? Not judging anyone for either side, I'm just curious.

Participant - you don't only want to listen to the music: you want to play it, learn an instrument, be a part of the music.

Nonparticipant - you're satisfied to only listen and enjoy music that way. You don't feel it necessary to actually play the music yourself.


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## Jeremy Marchant (Mar 11, 2010)

I consider myself a participant in that, with others, I am editing the symphonies and choral music of Havergal Brian and producing high quality performing materials for UMP (the publisher).

I also write for _Fanfare_.

I used to have time to write and arrange music. Anyone curious about the latter could go to Spotify, add me to their contacts (I'm jeremymarchant), and check out the two playlists of Philip Glass's _Songs from liquid days_ - the original album and my arrangement of it for soloists, chorus and small orchestra.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

As far as music in general, I'm a participant; I play it regularly. As far as classical, I'm a nonparticipant, mainly because none of my friends plays classical music.


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## Delicious Manager (Jul 16, 2008)

I suppose that I am a participant in an indirect way because I generate concerts for the musicians I manage, but don't actually perform any music myself. As a non-participant, I listen to MANY genres of music.


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## emiellucifuge (May 26, 2009)

Participant.

I play, analyse and learn


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

Non. Had organ lessons as a teenager (it's been a while) and that's it.


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## Argus (Oct 16, 2009)

Manxfeeder said:


> As far as music in general, I'm a participant; I play it regularly. As far as classical, I'm a nonparticipant, mainly because none of my friends plays classical music.


Let me guess. I predict you play country music.:tiphat:


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## World Violist (May 31, 2007)

Participant. When I hear a symphony I really like, I want to be able to conduct it; piano piece, learn to play it; etc. It gets rather annoying, really.


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## mmsbls (Mar 6, 2011)

Non-participant. I took piano lessons for a couple of years when I was young but stopped short of developing any real skill.

I do try to play pieces I enjoy, but they are over my head and I play them rather poorly. Still even playing what I can is very enjoyable.


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## Chris (Jun 1, 2010)

Mere consumer. The kids got a Rolf Harris Stylophone for Christmas and I managed Amazing Grace on it, but that's the sum of my musical talents.


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## SuperTonic (Jun 3, 2010)

I'm definately a participant. I played the cello in orchestras for many years, even though I'm not able to do it any more. If I can get my hands on a score, I like to follow one while I'm listening and imagine what it would be like to conduct or play the cello part.

The Dallas Symphony Orcestra allows you to purchase seats in the choir section above the orchestra on the stage for concerts that do not involve a choir. The seats are super cheap because acoustically speaking I'm sure they are probably the worst possible places to sit. But I'm in heaven whenever I can get one of those seats. It feels like I'm in the orchestra again.


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## Serge (Mar 25, 2010)

What does that bucket of popcorn in my hands tell you? (And no, I am not trying to extract any sounds out of it.)


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## tdc (Jan 17, 2011)

Participant. I play classical guitar, and am currently teaching myself tonal harmony and piano, and I am applying for full time music studies this fall. I would agree about a comment I saw member science post a while ago that classical music is easier to appreciate for participants. I don't think it is necessary, but I think it helps a lot in appreciating the art form.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

After being a non-partipant for many years I became one when I started to learn the piano at age 42. Boy, it changed my view of music forever and gave me such respect for the the participants I had been listening to for many years.

I'm also an indirect participant in that I am the home coach for my daughter's Suzuki violin and piano studies.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Argus said:


> Let me guess. I predict you play country music.:tiphat:


Ha! Actually, it's gospel music.


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

In my life I have made noises on ukulele, guitar, harmonica, piano and clarinet; some of the noises were recognizable as music. However, I base my claim to 'participant' on being involved in the music I listen to.

Involvement = Participation


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

It is always difficult for me to listen to other people play a piano piece that I know, because I always consider _my_ interpretation to be the finest. It's annoying hearing people doing odd things with their stylistic interpretations that don't suite my taste. I'd rather just perform it myself.

When it comes to pretty much anything else, I guess I'm much more of a "sideliner".


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

definitely nonparticipant. When I was 10-14 years old I would sing a little or try to play piano or guitar or recorder (which was mandatory in school, I hated it), but I wasn't really invested in it and I just don't think I would be a good musician. I don't have the patience.


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## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

My wife is the participant. She taught piano and voice for a number of years and was a semi-professional soprano soloist. She can attest (and has) rather vividly to my complete lack of musical skills. 

Someone has to be in the audience.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

Rangstrom said:


> > Someone has to be in the audience.
> 
> 
> True. Not being a player allows someone to listen on a different level than a player.
> ...


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Interesting insights!

Because, I've always saw it that if you wanted to be a musician (as I do), you need to have a Participant's kind of mentality, which I have. I'm almost never satisfied just listening to the music. Now that I'm learning piano, I love to just play stuff I hear on the radio or elsewhere, "simple piano reductions." And, I play stuff on the flute.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Definitely participant. Whenever I am moved by listening to music, I immediately want to head to a piano to improve my own skills.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I'm a participant. I play classical trombone and whenever I hear a piece I like, I imagine myself playing it, whether it be a piano piece (albeit I play it rather badly), solo trombone music and orchestral music.


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## Chi_townPhilly (Apr 21, 2007)

Sideliner?? Could I be allowed to use the term _aficionado?_

Don't really mean to turn this into a rant- but it could head that way...

My non-participation has lead me, at various times in my life, to involvement with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Radiothons, The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association, the Philadelphia Orchestra Association, the Metropolitan Opera Guild, and of course the Wagner Society of New York.

So- even though I don't play a musical instrument to a High School/Secondary School level of competency, I'd like to thnk that I and a few tens of thousands of people like me, all across America, contribute our modest verse to the stanza of the Classical Music scene in the U.S.


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## Xaltotun (Sep 3, 2010)

Non-participant. I listen at home, go to concerts, read books about music, hang around on sites like this one, and analyze the music to the best of my non-musician capability, mainly from an aesthetic angle.

Basically, I don't have the urge to "do" things, I have an urge to "try to understand" things.


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## Barking Spiderz (Feb 1, 2011)

I'm relatively new to CM but I've had a pretty full-on jazz education in alto sax, guitar, latin percussion and electric bass from age 13 and have performed at a semi-pro level on and off for over 20 years as well as having a full time career in a completely unrelated area. Every time I hear 'new ' music I want to learn other instruments but only lack of time means I cant.


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