Are Tranposers Musicians?

[4hisglory]

A much talked about subject buuuuuutttt.......

Would you consider a transposer, a real musicians??  Yes or No??  Explain your answer.

My answer is 'No', because you are mainly tricking people into believe you can do something you really aren't doing.

[Fenix]

I cosign your no. I think Transposers are nothing but godless, idol-worshiping heathens who deserve to be caused tremendous physical harm. You are tricking people and most importantly yourself. I don't even know where my transpose button is. If i ever find it i will break it off the board and find a transposer and ram it down his/ her throat.

 

[themidiroom]

I can't say they aren't musicians.  You have all kinds of skill levels but if you can play, even if only in one key, I can't take that away from you.  Granted transposers are quite limited, but they are still musicians to me. 

[rayjohnson83]

I can't say they aren't musicians.  You have all kinds of skill levels but if you can play, even if only in one key, I can't take that away from you.  Granted transposers are quite limited, but they are still musicians to me. 

COSIGN!!!!!!!

[under13]

Yes and no.

Yes- see midi's answer + I think God would rather use a transposer with a heart for worship, than a "beast" with a bad attitude and a poor relationship with Relationship with him.
 

No- If you've been playing piano for 5, 10, 20 years, and you cant sit down on a real piano or organ and play in whatever key is thrown at you, then you evidently dont take playing seriously

[rayjohnson83]

Yes and no.

Yes- see midi's answer + I think God would rather use a transposer with a heart for worship, than a "beast" with a bad attitude and a poor relationship with Relationship with him.
 

No- If you've been playing piano for 5, 10, 20 years, and you cant sit down on a real piano or organ and play in whatever key is thrown at you, then you evidently dont take playing seriously

good answer, alot of people need to remember that its all about glorify God. Thats what Im learning as well. Im finish playing to turn ninjas head. what good is ur playing, if God doesnt get the glory out of it?

[4hisglory]

I can't say they aren't musicians.  You have all kinds of skill levels but if you can play, even if only in one key, I can't take that away from you.  Granted transposers are quite limited, but they are still musicians to me. 

"To me", someone that only plays in on key, is different from someone that transposes.  If you play in one key, fine but when you hit that transpose button, you are starting to deceive people into do something you really can't do.

[Steelpulz]

Somewhat

[under13]

"To me", someone that only plays in on key, is different from someone that transposes.  If you play in one key, fine but when you hit that transpose button, you are starting to deceive people into do something you really can't do.

That all depends on your motives as a musician. Not everbody is playing in order make an impression on others. If they are playing soley for God and themselves, then they arent decieving anyone.

[themidiroom]

That all depends on your motives as a musician. Not everbody is playing in order make an impression on others. If they are playing soley for God and themselves, then they arent decieving anyone.

True, context and motive is important.  If you transpose to get out of a jam but your intent is to be fluent in all keys, then I don't have a problem with that.  Honestly, I don't have a problem with those that are cool with transposing.  It doesn't affect me and my musical goals.  I have more issues with "producers" that sequence things they can't play than I do with some guy transposing.

[DaNatiMaestro]

I can't say they aren't musicians.  You have all kinds of skill levels but if you can play, even if only in one key, I can't take that away from you.  Granted transposers are quite limited, but they are still musicians to me. 

COSIGN times 2!!!

[chevonee]

Yes and no.

Yes- see midi's answer + I think God would rather use a transposer with a heart for worship, than a "beast" with a bad attitude and a poor relationship with Relationship with him.  

No- If you've been playing piano for 5, 10, 20 years, and you cant sit down on a real piano or organ and play in whatever key is thrown at you, then you evidently dont take playing seriously

CO-SIGN!!!!!!

There are musicians who can play in every key frontwards and backwards but their ATTITUDES are AWFUL. They have no character and absolutely no INTEGRITY what so ever...if you ask me they're faking just as bad as the transposer is .  Having said that though, I don't hate on someone who's just starting out and really have no choice. I was basically pushed into playing because we didn't have anyone else...over the years I begin to like it and thus started to learn to play in every key.

[T-Block]

Would you consider a transposer, a real musicians??  Yes or No??  Explain your answer.

Since this is a question geared toward the individual to answer for themselves, yall already know what I'm gonna say:  REAL MUSICIANS PLAY IN EVERY KEY!!!

So, to answer the question, transposers are not REAL musicians.  They are still "musicians" to some degree, but outside of their key, they are "fakers".  In the past I've said that transposers aren't musicians at all, but I have to take that one back.

The way I approached this question is with attitude, heart, behavior, and all that stuff aside.  I looked strictly at playing ability.  Like 4hisglory said, if u can play in only one key and u do just that, then u are in fact a REAL musician, who at that particular point in time can only play in one key.  As soon as u hit dat T-button, u cross the line into the "faker" category for that particular key.  Does that make sense to anyone?

[4hisglory]

I have more issues with "producers" that sequence things they can't play than I do with some guy transposing.

Is that what producers suppose to do?  A long time ago, I saw an interview where Doc Dre said he was scared to learn to play an instrument because he thought it would mess him up (but I think he eventually learned).

[seemunny]

Would you consider a transposer, a real musicians??....My answer is 'No', because you are mainly tricking people into believe you can do something you really aren't doing.

Although it is better to be able to play in all keys, if a musician can only play in three keys, he or she is still a real musician, simply because, being a musician is not an (either/or) or (all or nothing) deal, but rather dynamic varying levels & degrees of playing.

Some people can't play in ANY key. That would be consider someone who is not a "real musician". But someone who can play in 8 keys or 2 keys or 12 keys, "IS" a real musician - just on various levels.

Oh, and to take it one step further:

1) You might have someone who can play in all 12 keys, but no matter what you hear that person play, and no matter what key, they still don't seem to "move" you with their playing.

2) However, you might find somebody who can play in four keys, but nearly EVERYTIME you hear that person play, they always seem to "move" you.

Now what?  .....do you say that player #2 is NOT a real musician simply because he/she can play all that wonderful, "moving" music in only four keys?

Well...maybe he can only play in four keys, but nearly everytime he plays, he "successfully communicates" through the instrument.  And because of that, i would indeed call him a "real" musician, (perhaps with limits), but nonetheless "real".

Finally, transposing is not "deception", but rather "limitations". He's not transposing to "pull one over on the people", but rather because that's the only current skill option he has.

I mean, exactly how much does the listener really care if you successfully played the song, but each time you touched a Gb, it sounded like an Ab?  I'm not so sure that they're gonna hold their hands over their mouths; gasp and say: "how DARE he!" 

Bottom line:

• It's important and a virtue to learn to play in as many keys as you possibly can (preferably "all 12")
• But, if you can't currently play in every key, you're still a musican, just with "key Limitations, when you do key Imitations".

[musallio]

I got you T, Seemunny & Midi..
 

[under13]

The only reason musicians cant play in every key, is because they dont practice in every key.

[rador]

there are some who play in all keys but don't make too much of a sense as those playing in like 4 keys only.
well to those who transpose i believe its time they start trying other keys, i think it's laziness

[musallio]

there are some who play in all keys but don't make too much of a sense as those playing in like 4 keys only.
well to those who transpose i believe its time they start trying other keys, i think it's laziness

The only reason musicians cant play in every key, is because they dont practice in every key.

Precisely..

Rador, you made a point that some people might play in all the 12 keys but "not make much sense..."..
Let me start off...If it's about comparison, I'd say go deeper than just saying this one makes "sense"..btw, I think you wanted to say they don't play a piece as well / as advanced as the person playing in the fewer keys?

Ok, if that's the point, I'd say look at the history of how long each party has been playing for..Lemme not look any further than myself:
--It is grossly unfair for the congregation to throw unbecoming remarks at me just because I don't play some fancy runs & licks for every song just because so & so plays those..If we take a look at so & so, s/he's been playing for over a decade & can play in, say 4 keys, & me in my 1 month of playing at church I can play the songs ok (without the spices the people are used to).

So in any way (MHO), I'd rather go with that some1 who has shown a great desire to learn & develop in all the keys than the guy who's played around the different eras..

Yes, when you have an important functional you want the "4 keys" guy to play for you because it will sound better, but given that the "12 keys" guy is humble & has a good attitude generally, I can bet my all that that person can go very far in their playing & after a decade, they will sound way more polished than the "4keys" guy..

I was fortunate to be at a church where we had both these players, except that they both had 10 years in their playing..1 only plays in 1 key (very good & travels all over..they love his style) & then 1 who plays in all (he was just as good..moreover, he could play more genres of music other than gospel & was good at many other things...

My point is, the more "keys" / scales you learn, the more the relations of the notes in the board become a clear to you & you are empowered to play "that & more" since...blahblahblah..


A simple example is a song that modulates up a whole step & then modulates down a half step..or modulates by 4 whole steps..when will you get the time to hit the transpose button 4 times & still sound good

[under13]

My point is, the more "keys" / scales you learn, the more the relations of the notes in the board become a clear to you & you are empowered to play "that & more" since...blahblahblah..


A simple example is a song that modulates up a whole step & then modulates down a half step..or modulates by 4 whole steps..when will you get the time to hit the transpose button 4 times & still sound good

Exactly.

Ithink I said this before, but, the location of the notes are very important to me. I wouldnt want to reach for an Ab and hear a C.

And when you are backing up a preacher who modulates a lot, they dont always go in half steps. Sometimes they might go down 3 or 4 keys. It will take a transposer a few seconds to transpose and find the new key. A good musician will be able to hear the change in an instant, and wont break the flow.