For musicians, which matters most?

Рет қаралды 3,266

2 жыл бұрын

Making music, or any kind of art, demands talent and soul - but often, as musicians, we get the balance wrong. In this video essay I look at a couple of quotes from Stephen Sondheim that explores what talent and soul actually are, the balance between the two, how one serves the other, and ultimately how soul (maybe) matters more.
Special thanks to Sarah Beecroft - / sarah_a_bee_ - for playing Chopin with a one-eyed pug on her knee.
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Пікірлер: 83

@bryan.w.t 2 жыл бұрын

This will definitely be an important video for me in the future. I’m trying my hardest to improve my talent to express the soul trapped inside. I have an idea of what I want to play, but limited to my talent. Thank you for this video, I highly appreciate it.

@janetgoodall6372 2 жыл бұрын

I am always told by my husband, "Its the journey that counts'. 🤩

@JensLarsen 2 жыл бұрын

Super cool video! Well done!! 🙂

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Jens - I appreciate this from you more than from most!

@michaelungar3405 2 жыл бұрын

Well done. I enjoyed this departure from the usual format. Creative use of visuals to accompany your thoughts. Aah, to find that sweet spot where one has talent to adequately express their soul thus creating something artistic.

@sanathkumarshenoy9955 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much, even I was confused with the same. Soul gives it substance, while talent materialize's it.

@joshuarhodes3487 2 жыл бұрын

Great viewpoint that a lot of people miss and beginning and ending with music

@miawhitfield Жыл бұрын

Thanks, Bill. I've used the term "craft" instead of "talent" but I really agree with your points. I appreciate your teaching style and have purchased all your materials and watched many of your videos. I've been songwriting for 1.5 years with a focus on soul through lyrics and chords and am trying to build my craft skills to be able to express myself to my satisfaction. I still have quite a ways to go, but I especially appreciate your videos on piano comping techniques. I understand most of the theory, it's more a matter of practice to get the skills into my fingers and to increase the number of technique tools in my toolbox. I'm working on that with your written materials and videos and am always appreciative of new material that can help build interesting and soulful connective tissue between the chord changes. I also appreciate when you break it down so we can learn and bridge the gap. Thank you.

@pharma2hope Жыл бұрын

Thank you for articulating this very well, "start with soul and use talent to make it happen". Lovely video, loved flower arrangement illustrations. Thank you

@Kenny_Kenneth 2 жыл бұрын

Really interesting video! I think at the end, it's all about balance (like everything), keep the good work

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Kenny - I appreciate it!

@BethanyLowe8773 Жыл бұрын

I have enjoyed this! Not sure which side(s) I fall on (or if I see three categories), but I'm glad you approve my cronky old piano!

@coltonjohnson9739 Жыл бұрын

I really loved this type of video a ton. But I like your whole channel, so either way, I’m glad you’re still making videos.

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

Thanks Colton - I intend to keep making them a while yet!

@BodyAndSoulMentor Жыл бұрын

Wonderful. This is good for my soul. Thanks.

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

You're welcome, William!

@lawrencetaylor4101 Жыл бұрын

Merci beaucoup for this. an important idea.

@kimberlylauryn2773 9 ай бұрын

Beautifully worded 💜💜🎶

@BillHilton 9 ай бұрын

Thank you - this one was a bit of a labour of love for me, so I appreciate you watching it!

@janeshaw2465 2 жыл бұрын

Very much enjoyed it!

@coloaten6682 2 жыл бұрын

Really enjoyed this video Bill, thanks.

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear it, Col! It's always going to be of fairly niche interest, but I really enjoyed making it, so I'm glad it's going down well!

@simsonsihombing5476 2 жыл бұрын

I agree your explanation

@derrickthonker4087 2 жыл бұрын

inspiring bill, thank you. well said and well done

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, Derrick!

@thinmanpaul 2 жыл бұрын

loved the video, Bill. Words of wisdom here.

@HelcaiFibla 2 жыл бұрын

This has definitely been surprising, in a good way! I'd love to see more content like this, from time to time...

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear it, thanks! Yes, it's very much going to be "from time to time" - these things take a long time to make, for starters, and they're not exactly commercial 😂 so I'm mostly going to stick to tutorials!

@aspasia-ramonaspyropoulou9847 2 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! Amazing video with essence and well-expressed thoughts! I love it.

@thehappytwist 2 жыл бұрын

Loved the message.. Please make more videos like this! 😊

@sempopo Жыл бұрын

Thank you sir! this is a veeery important reminder and will be a very important video for the days to come as well.

@Martinbeef 2 жыл бұрын

Brilliant!!!!

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Martin!

@henryjones8287 2 жыл бұрын

Wonderful video, thank you.

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome, Henry!

@lovetrainrecords9876 2 жыл бұрын

This spoke directly to me thank you so much connected many dots in my mind.

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

You're welcome - glad you liked it!

@mattkaspar2031 2 жыл бұрын

Every child is an artist - the problem is how to remain on when you grow up. - Pablo Picasso

@farshidghane1975 2 жыл бұрын

You are man of soul I Like your talent and soul deeply described how good music's made from

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you, Farshid - I really appreciate it!

@lesliegross9317 2 жыл бұрын

Nice to be reminded to get in touch with the soul of the music. When I play with soul, I perform better! But more often, I am more worried about playing the piece right. Nice to be reminded about the balance of the two.

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

You're welcome, Leslie!

@peterbodofsnik9429 Жыл бұрын

Very nice video. Gives a new thinking perspective. Thx

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

Thanks Peter - glad you liked it!

@Andreas_Straub 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for this well thought-out and realized explanation. A lot of deep thruth in this :-)

@andabien3 Жыл бұрын

Yes, indeed. "The only reason for mastering technique is to make sure the body does not stand in the way of the soul's expression". - La Meri (a dancer)

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

Exactement!

@janetgoodall6372 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Bill. Its interesting as you say we are so focused on the technical sometimes and so we lose our emotional, soul in our music. It should all come from inside. Great video!

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Thanks Janet, glad you liked it! Have got your message btw: bit snowed under atm but will come back to you tomorrow!

@brettprice527 Жыл бұрын

Loved it.

@peace4531 2 жыл бұрын

Finally someone with whom I can really reflect my little realizations about music! Absolutely loved the video much love from a student of yours from India!

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Glad you liked it - very best wishes from Yorkshire!

@peace4531 2 жыл бұрын

@@BillHilton Your wishes are my blessings!

@yemishalom9775 2 жыл бұрын

I love this,.. thanks

@drvgpandurangi 2 жыл бұрын

So true ........ soul is the expression and musici s the language znd the grammar is the talent ......al must come together....for music to be zlive znd ....captivating . Sir you have put it so simply znd rightly .....was very pleased to watch it ....do create more such fascinating znd truly educating and inspiring the future musicians .... Best wishes snd regards from India...... Dr pandurangi

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind words - I will indeed make more like this. Interesting comparison with language/grammar, too...

@henryamoatey3196 Жыл бұрын

Wow this lesson is very powerful.

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@henryamoatey3196 Жыл бұрын

@@BillHilton yeah it always my passion to be a pianist one day and watching your lessons have improve my soul to take a step and I know with your lessons it going to bring a testimony in my life. Stay blessed sir

@nelsoncolereis4058 Жыл бұрын

Great video! I've been looking for videos about expression and it is pretty hard to find among all the technical videos. If anyone knows some videos about soul/expression and how to cultivate/learn it more, please share them. I also feel like improv is connected a lot more to soul and to talent. Listening to your own playing instead if analysing it etc. Great video Bill, thanks!

@nelsoncolereis4058 Жыл бұрын

Edit: more to soul than talent.

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

Thank you! Yes, among adult learners in particular there’s a strong tendency to analyse at the expense of listening. There isn’t much in expression on KZfaq, to be honest: I mention it quite a lot because it’s so important, but usually in the context of other stuff. The KZfaq audience for this kind of thing skews to the technical/practical side, so apparently wishy-washy talk of expression isn’t always well-received, unfortunately!

@PabloPerroPerro 2 жыл бұрын

Beautiful vid!

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@lordflatworm Жыл бұрын

Excellent. Sometimes I like to pick up an instrument and move my hands around randomly making noises without thinking about it. My brain makes stories out of the pling plang tip doop goooong.

@carlgrainger2669 Жыл бұрын

Thoughtful. Even on repeat it just goes deeper. Yes there’s a load of soulless noise out there (always has been) but very occasionally you are connected to listen rather than hear. The question of any current imbalance maybe a generation perspective thing but any work of talent without soul is just a short-fix of candy coated noise

@ToastandJam52 2 жыл бұрын

Yes! Loved it! At the risk of sounding like Oliver Twist: more please!!!

@mayfly552 2 жыл бұрын

But Oliver! is Lionel Bart, not Rodgers and Hammerstein 😉

@sloperdad4835 10 ай бұрын

Dude, nice!

@BillHilton 10 ай бұрын

Thank you! I'm very fond of this video and I really enjoyed making it, but it's proving a bit of a niche interest 🤣

@sriharshaa7997 2 жыл бұрын

Until the end I couldn't guess why u are arranging alphabets talent with mechanical tools and soul with flowers. When I realised the meaning I felt wow... Great vid thank youuuuu

@BillHilton 2 жыл бұрын

You’re really welcome - glad you liked it!

@Subparanon 2 жыл бұрын

What even *is* talent? I used to think it was something you had to be born with, but now I think it's the result of hard work and practice and that anybody can become talented at something if they put in the work. Talent is what happens when you develop your skills to a sufficient point for inspiration, improvisation, and luck to take you out of the realms of the ordinary and into the extraordinary. If you aren't 'naturally good' at something it doesn't mean you can't learn it and become good at it. Some things take longer than others but it's a matter of will. Soul on the other hand is your motivation and REASON for wanting and using talent. Talent is the car, and soul is the journey or place you're going in it.

@ihatemondays33 Жыл бұрын

Click on this channel looking for more tips on stride didn't expect to find music Buddha but I'm happy where I landed I'm surprised this doesn't have more views

@BillHilton Жыл бұрын

Thanks! It was a bit of a labour of love, to be honest, and because it doesn't really fit the profile of most of my tutorials I never really expected it to go nuts views-wise. I'm glad you liked it, though!

@ihatemondays33 Жыл бұрын

@@BillHilton yeah a lot of soul went into this video for sure

@andrewstillwell1191 8 ай бұрын

💛🎶💛

@texasbrian 2 жыл бұрын

I would argue that either is great, but when you get them together... That's when MAGIC happens.

@SomeDumUsrName 2 жыл бұрын

That's IT!

@llamallama1509 2 жыл бұрын

Sure though don't knock the technical or technological side too much, some people just enjoy learning and exploring that aspect of music and I think that is fine. I think there's enough room for diversity in what interests or motivates musicians.