So you're an audiophile - are you also a musician?

I started playing electric guitar almost 40 years ago. I then learned how to build classical guitars by studying under a master luthier. About 2 years later I quit building guitars exclusively and got into making wood furniture. Since then I've gone through dozens of electric and acoustic guitars. Currently I play only acoustic. I own a Martin custom 6 string and a Martin custom 12 string.

I'm currently looking at congas and expect to put a nice set together this year.

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I have been playing professionally for about 15yrs now and have three independent label releases. I have played in bars and small halls with my bands and solo. I grew up in my fathers club in Ohio and was fortunate to see people like Taj Mahal, John Hammond, Los Lobos to name very very few. It was cool to go out to dinner with them and visit in the dressing room after shows. I ran the house sound and got to open or do shows with many of my hero's this way. I have since moved to Austin TX and continued to play here, but have recently had other priority's take my time away from live music (full time job, wife, house, bigger bills). So now I seem to play my stereo more than I play my guitar.... Go figure. I have had great times as a musician and music will always be one of my greatest passions in whatever way it presents its self.

Clarinet, saxaphone and guitar. I'm certainly not professional level, but I've played in a variety of orchestras, big bands, blues, pop and rock bands, sometimes for money (perhaps that makes me professional).

I agree that being a musician brings different aspects of appreciation to listening to music, but I am very critical of those musicians who are of the opinion that a non-musician's experience is somehow less valid. In fact sometimes I think musicians get so wrapped up in the technicalities of music production that they themselves fail to see the wood for the trees, and are unable to distinguish "technically excellent, but dull as dishwater" music from "technically adequate, and great fun to listen to". It's always good to remember that the majority of your audience / record buyers are not musicians.

To be fair, I should first admit that I am not entitled to the 'audiophile' designation. By A-gon standards my system is very modest and my experience with the hobby is limited.

I played trumpet from the age of 9 up through high school. I took private lessons (on and off) when I was a teenager and I had a great time playing with the high school marching band and the jazz band. As is typical, I reached that plateau where I knew that I was not going to progress as a musician unless I dedicated myself to the instrument, concentrated on musical training, and practiced each and every day.

Needless to say, I had many other things on my mind as a teenager. Also, I found the competition at the college level to be fierce - they had people there who could PLAY! I quickly realized that while I was a technically proficient (teenage) musician, I wasn't really talented.

I am glad that I had the musical experience that I did. As you can imagine, I was required to learn and play a variety of music that, as an American teenager, I wouldn't have paid much attention to otherwise. I am definitely wiser for the experience.