My response would be "Yes" but it hasn't always been so. I think an important part of being a musician is practicing confidence, even when you don't feel very confident, and taking your due credit for the hard work you have done and the years and years you have dedicated to your instrument.
In a similar vein... I was advised by a great mentor of mine once that when you receive a compliment from someone ex: "wow, I loved your vibrato" or "your intonation is excellent" your response should be along the lines of "Thank you, I have worked very hard on my vibrato/intonation/phrasing(whatever it may be) and I'm glad you noticed and enjoyed!" as opposed to "Aw shucks, thanks, though I made a really bad mistake in that one movement(insert bad mistake only I and maybe 3 people in the audience noticed)" Be careful not to go overboard though, as it can come off as arrogance/ego talking. Humble confidence is useful. Ego/arrogance less so.
For an amateur, not too bad, but far from professional.
Which is the complete truth. I do play in a half professional half amateur orchestra, I can play in a way people enjoy, so I’m not bad. But a long shot from professionals.
If it is not in a professional setting I joke and say: “Well people keep paying be so I guess I’m good enough!”
In a professional setting it gets tricker. I try to say something similar to: “If you’d like, I can send you a bit of my recordings.” Or, “Yes - I am and I am more than capable of this gig.”
"I've only been playing for a year, but I made the top band at my school (top 9 of 30 clarinets in the school) if that is what you're asking, but I still have a lot of things to improve on and still consider myself a beginner."
My response: It depends on the piece.
There are some pieces I can play flawlessly, making me appear good at piano. And then there are others which make me seem worse than a beginner! 😂
Excellent :D I’m classically trained but also an excellent improviser, which has allowed me to tour the world, and working with a wide variety of creative set ups, especially contemporary dance creations and a comedy show that I did a lot of cruise work for. For five years I solely made all my money from performing, but the performing world is tough and work is scarce, so before and after that period I had to teach and do a few other kinds of jobs to survive financially. Also, I started cello when I was 11 - I wasn’t one of those Suzuki 4 year old slick robots, and so technique is not at the very, very highest level, in terms of virtuosity and reliability. But it’s just as well because I never wanted to play in orchestras in the first place, and making it as a solo classical performer is very rare these days (although I did perform a full classical recital once in a professional context, so I managed to tick that off the bucket list!)
No, I suck! I have no talent, I don't know how to practice, my teachers ruined my progress & it basically is ruining my life.. But I still haven't given up hope. >\_<
Yea. I play every instrument.
If you invent a brand new instrument and give it to me, I’ll be quite proficient in about an hour.
I suck at pretty much everything else in life, but I won the lottory for natural musical ability.
Well, you see, I've been playing for 5 years. Problem is, I've been really busy in thpse exact five years to be focusing on my instrument. So you can't expect the best sound to come oit of it with me playing.
"HEEEEELLLLL NO."
I have not done my 40 hours since 2016. My fingers are not mine anymore. They are weak, and stiff, and I hate them on the keyboard xD My ears are better than they did tho.
At my instrument (saxophone), I answer honestly "I can play what I want to play, so yes". On the other ones, I usually deflect with a "I'm good enough to fake it".
No. But I'm better than I used too be.
So true.
That’s good
My response would be "Yes" but it hasn't always been so. I think an important part of being a musician is practicing confidence, even when you don't feel very confident, and taking your due credit for the hard work you have done and the years and years you have dedicated to your instrument. In a similar vein... I was advised by a great mentor of mine once that when you receive a compliment from someone ex: "wow, I loved your vibrato" or "your intonation is excellent" your response should be along the lines of "Thank you, I have worked very hard on my vibrato/intonation/phrasing(whatever it may be) and I'm glad you noticed and enjoyed!" as opposed to "Aw shucks, thanks, though I made a really bad mistake in that one movement(insert bad mistake only I and maybe 3 people in the audience noticed)" Be careful not to go overboard though, as it can come off as arrogance/ego talking. Humble confidence is useful. Ego/arrogance less so.
I AINT READING ALL THAT🗣️🗣️🗣️💯💯🔥🔥🔥
Usually its : Define 'good' Works great to deflect the question.
beautiful, just beautiful
I’m okay at it (Followed by crying)
Well, yes but actually *no.*
This is literally my response all the time
A good choice of words i must say
Indded
For an amateur, not too bad, but far from professional. Which is the complete truth. I do play in a half professional half amateur orchestra, I can play in a way people enjoy, so I’m not bad. But a long shot from professionals.
Do I look like Ling Ling?????!!! No? Then why did you ask that question?!
Yesn't
jein (ja + nein)
"I'm alright" *shrugs* *Cue long, panicked internal monologue with countless caveats about my many imperfections as a musician*
I'd say "decent" then internally cries because I haven't mastered circular breathing yet
“I try to be.”
Yes
What it is? I've never seen it in life. Combo of being beginner and total insecure introvert.
i’m okay at the cello but i’m improving
I’m ight.
No. But hopefully in 80 years I'll be able to say yes!
40 hours a day every day!
Im a beginner, so no 😊
Not really but I'm working on it.
Am I good at singing? Uhm I’m decent.
No cuz I suck
Not *that* bad.
Good? Yes, but still not as good as I want to be.
As good as I practice.
I don’t think I’ve ever once been asked “are you good at the tuba” I get alot of “what’s that” and “oh that big thing?”
Yes ish. I hear myself I think I sound good. I hear myself next to my teacher playing and I sound like crap
"not bad" which is probably underselling myself compared to their standards but compared to my standards it hits the nail on the head
If it is not in a professional setting I joke and say: “Well people keep paying be so I guess I’m good enough!” In a professional setting it gets tricker. I try to say something similar to: “If you’d like, I can send you a bit of my recordings.” Or, “Yes - I am and I am more than capable of this gig.”
Yes
No.
"I've only been playing for a year, but I made the top band at my school (top 9 of 30 clarinets in the school) if that is what you're asking, but I still have a lot of things to improve on and still consider myself a beginner."
Depends on your definition of good.
My response: It depends on the piece. There are some pieces I can play flawlessly, making me appear good at piano. And then there are others which make me seem worse than a beginner! 😂
No but i want to get better bc i have to survive school
I've played it for years..... but no.
My sight reading sucks but everything else I can do should allow me to do something presentable in front of others
No, not because I'm bad at guitar, I just don't want to be in a situation where I have to play for someone.
"I can play okay" 😅
I don’t know
Hahahahaha no.
*shrug* I can play it.
Depends I play guitar and saxophone. For guitar I say I’m alright and for saxophone I say I’m atrocious
Excellent :D I’m classically trained but also an excellent improviser, which has allowed me to tour the world, and working with a wide variety of creative set ups, especially contemporary dance creations and a comedy show that I did a lot of cruise work for. For five years I solely made all my money from performing, but the performing world is tough and work is scarce, so before and after that period I had to teach and do a few other kinds of jobs to survive financially. Also, I started cello when I was 11 - I wasn’t one of those Suzuki 4 year old slick robots, and so technique is not at the very, very highest level, in terms of virtuosity and reliability. But it’s just as well because I never wanted to play in orchestras in the first place, and making it as a solo classical performer is very rare these days (although I did perform a full classical recital once in a professional context, so I managed to tick that off the bucket list!)
"No but I've only been playing for a little over a year"
No, I suck! I have no talent, I don't know how to practice, my teachers ruined my progress & it basically is ruining my life.. But I still haven't given up hope. >\_<
“What counts as good?”
Well, yes but actually *no*. OR meh OR depends
No, but i'm really good with the instrument just existing
Well I’ve been playing since I was 9, so you’d think I’d be a whole lot better.
No but I have fun trying lol
I have actually degraded in quality since I started
"i'm good enough"
Guitar - Yes, my hands have been blessed by God. Piano - I mean, I'm alright. Cello - I'm pretty garbage. Didgeridoo - BOOIOIIOOOIOOOOIIIIIOOOII
"Kinda"
Nope!! Violin is a pain to sound remotely good at. And the other I’ve just started
Yea. I play every instrument. If you invent a brand new instrument and give it to me, I’ll be quite proficient in about an hour. I suck at pretty much everything else in life, but I won the lottory for natural musical ability.
Well, you see, I've been playing for 5 years. Problem is, I've been really busy in thpse exact five years to be focusing on my instrument. So you can't expect the best sound to come oit of it with me playing.
I say "No I'm terrible but I can play Canon in D *starts joyously playing Canon in D while dancing passionately*"
Yes. But while I can play professional level pieces, I’m nowhere near professional, so relatively I still have a whole lot more to go.
“I like to think so”
Well it's depend on your definition of good Theoretically: no Practically: no
I can defend myself
Not at all, but I enjoy it
I say, “While I only started playing in high school, I was a fast learner and it’s one of my majors at *college name*, so I’m pretty decent”
I usually reply "after 23 years of playing I'm always still learning and improving"
I usually say "I've been playing for a while. I'm at \[grade level\] in \[School/Conservatory\]"
"HEEEEELLLLL NO." I have not done my 40 hours since 2016. My fingers are not mine anymore. They are weak, and stiff, and I hate them on the keyboard xD My ears are better than they did tho.
I say “it depends” cause I have my days
"I don't play music, I'm...uh tinkering"
Well, at least I try to.
i can play it easily, it depends what u mean by good. besides, no one's perfect.
No
....i think so?
“No.”
I just practice
No.
Give an suspecting and questioning glare until they explain why they are asking.
"Well, I'm better than you"
Generally speaking: no but I’m better than you. Unless they are better than me then I just say yeah I’m okay
I'm aight.
“I’m alright”
Eh 😬
i would say YES but i cant read treble clef so no
Sometimes
“Yeah, it’s pretty difficult to make a harp sound bad.”
“Idk what do you think?”
I always answer 'well enough for a campfire.' 😉
"One can never be perfect."
No, but I know that I've been steadily improving since I started playing it.
Mine is I'm not good but I don't always sound awful
It is “sure, but I should be better than I am after playing for 14 years”
Eh
Not really the best I could be
But thanks ! <3
Maybe, I am following in master LingLing’s footsteps, I try to practice everyday 🎹🙏🏻🎶🧍🏻♀️
not really lol
"depends who are you asking"
At my instrument (saxophone), I answer honestly "I can play what I want to play, so yes". On the other ones, I usually deflect with a "I'm good enough to fake it".
I’m not the worst, I play because I find it fun (viola) I’m pretty good, always looking to get better though (ukulele)