Credibility with Drumming

J

Jayson

Member
How to gain serious credibility? Well, practice is one way. Also, to add to that - maybe a music degree, though, not necessary.

Anyway, certainly a lot of people will notice if you're good and put yourself out there - but credibility is still a problem - if say - you want to make a living from it.
 
Your credibility lives in the mind of others. You have no control over how credible others think you are. Don’t waste any time on it. It’s just an unnecessary complication. All you can do is play the best you can and be a total pro in your dealings with others. Your playing is the most important thing, focus on that and getting yourself out there. Good players that are available and a pleasure to deal with get the calls.
 
You are judged by the company you keep?
 
In my opinion, it's a strange thing to chase since it's soley dependent on what others think and so many people have bad taste in everything lol.

Play what you like and be happy and judge yourself however you want to according to your own standards.

Technical expertise doesn't necessarily make a good artist!
 
larryace said:
Your credibility lives in the mind of others. You have no control over how credible others think you are.
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True. We don't decide if we're credible, or how well we did at an audition, etc etc. It's always the other person whose assessment matters. You can practice all day and have all sorts of Vinnie skills, and listen to nothing but pop records and get real-world sensibilities, but none of it pays off until someone else sees and hires you.

Bermuda
 
You can’t control what others think of you, but you can influence opinions through your playing and ability to form relationships with other musicians. Being a good player is important and you have to be competent at your craft, but that’s only one factor. Be a professional and develop a good reputation in your scene and you’ll earn credibility.
 
Jayson said:
How to gain serious credibility? Well, practice is one way. Also, to add to that - maybe a music degree, though, not necessary.

Anyway, certainly a lot of people will notice if you're good and put yourself out there - but credibility is still a problem - if say - you want to make a living from it.
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Do you really care what other people think? If so, why? It isn't worth it.
 
MrInsanePolack said:
Do you really care what other people think? If so, why? It isn't worth it.
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It depends on the other person. If it's someone who can hire you, perhaps further your career, it is mandatory that you care what they think, and present yourself accordingly. If it's someone else, also act accordingly. You never know who's paying attention to your behavior.

Bermuda
 
bermuda said:
It depends on the other person. If it's someone who can hire you, perhaps further your career, it is mandatory that you care what they think, and present yourself accordingly. If it's someone else, also act accordingly. You never know who's paying attention to your behavior.

Bermuda
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Okay, I agree, to a point. But if you aren't trying to make a living, who cares?
 
Is something only credible if it earns money? I struggle with this one. Can't it be art for arts sake? Many of the greatest Jazz musicians died penniless.
 
nolibos said:
Is something only credible if it earns money? I struggle with this one. Can't it be art for arts sake? Many of the greatest Jazz musicians died penniless.
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Sure it could be credible but how would anybody know? Paying to see a band is at least kind of concrete way of communicating the art this particular band produces is worth the time to and money to see. So good I’d actually spend money to see it. It’s ok to create art for the sole purpose of creating art, but it’s also ok to be compensated for the work it takes to do so. Just depends on what you’re looking for I suppose.
 
wow, sort of shocked by how many people think it is not up to the individual to build credibility...

growing up, we were always taught that credibility is based on punctuality, reliability, preparedness, flexibility, the ability to discern opinion from fact, the ability to know when to chime in versus when to shut up, the ability to fit in socially in a situation, but to also stand for and be yourself...then, it is on ability to play, chops, style knowledge etc...

maybe it is a generational thing, but I think that credibility is totally on me, and NOT, the other guy. The other guy is going to react to whatever I give them, and if I want to be credible...if I want to be the guy who other people say "yes...definitely hire that guy", it is 100% on me, and not everyone else.

While I do have a Music Education degree, that is only one small part of my credibility resume. I know TONS of people with degrees who the least credible people around; I know a few guys who play/lead in upper level groups that IO would not trust or work with...
 
MrInsanePolack said:
Okay, I agree, to a point. But if you aren't trying to make a living, who cares?
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Instead of the word "hire", let's say "involve". The relationship dynamic is important for playing with other musicians at any level.

The only time another person's opinion doesn't matter, is if somebody wants to do something all by themselves. So, literally playing drums in the house, by yourself, forever. Maybe that's fun or satisfying, I don't know. I don't want to know.

Bermuda
 
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Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX said:
if I want to be the guy who other people say "yes...definitely hire that guy", it is 100% on me, and not everyone else.
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Our credibility as a player is absolutely determined by someone else.

Let me explain it this way. When you go audition for a gig, and you think you did great, does your assessment actually matter in terms of getting of the gig? No. What matters is the other person's assessment. They make the decision about how you did, not you. Obviously you have to do great. All the time. There's no reason to not be your best. But it's always the other person who determines if you get to move forward or not.

It's no different than a regular job interview. No matter how well you think you did, it's the interviewer who makes the assessment that determines whether you get the job. It's what they think that matters.

Bermuda
 
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bermuda said:
Our credibility as a player is absolutely determined by someone else.

Let me explain it this way. When you go audition for a gig, and you think you did great, does your assessment actually matter in terms of getting of the gig? No. What matters is the other person's assessment. They make the decision about how you did, not you. Obviously you have to do great. All the time. There's no reason to not be your best. But it's always the other person who determines if you get to move forward or not.

It's no different than a regular job interview. No matter how well you think you did, it's the interviewer who makes the assessment that determines whether you get the job. It's what they think that matters.

Bermuda
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Right, but the interviewer is not responsible for me learning all of the facets of credibility that got me to that interview/audition. Credibility got me to the interview. Technique, timing, tuning etc get me the assessment afterwards. The assessment, and then consequential outcome add to, or take away from my credibility.

I have control over my credibility be not being a jerk, showing up on time, having all the i's dotted and t's crossed

I think in this thread, the term credibility and ability are being confused . They make an assessment on our ability. We have little control over the assessment of our ability...
 
Xstr8edgtnrdrmrX said:
I think in this thread, the term credibility and ability are being confused . They make an assessment on our ability. We have little control over the assessment of our ability...
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I'm thinking the same thing. Was leaning more towards reliability though. By definition, credibility is someones quality of being trusted and believed in. Yet just because someone trusts and believes that you can play the part, that doesn't make it so. Credibility comes from the other person, not from one's self. So again I say it doesn't matter if you think you are credible. Be reliable and learn the part. You can't give yourself credibility.
 
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