An artist is someone with a vision who is able to create music or be able to contribute to music creation. A musician, on the other hand, is someone who plays instruments, writes, and performs music. While all musicians are artists, all artists may not necessarily be musicians.
For example, many pop artists often do not write their own songs or produce, arrange, and play the instruments in their tracks. They are not considered musicians. However, some pop artists such as Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran are artists who are musicians because they sing, play instruments, and perform their music.
Note: All of the below are just titles that people use to quickly categorize people in the music industry. If you’re looking to build a music career, you certainly don’t need to box yourself into one of these roles.
Contents
Key Takeaways
- Artists and Musicians Defined: An artist in music brings creative vision, possibly without instrumental or songwriting skills. A musician is deeply involved in the craft, plays instruments, and composes music.
- Overlap and Distinctions: While musicians possess artistic qualities, not all artists engage in the technical aspects of music creation.
- Industry Examples: Figures like Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran embody the dual role of artist and musician. Some artists, however, focus solely on performance and artistic expression.
- Role Flexibility: The music field offers varied roles beyond the conventional artist and musician labels, including music producers and DJs, each contributing uniquely to music’s creation and presentation.
- Skill Development Importance: Irrespective of the role, building a solid foundation in music theory and practice is crucial for long-term success and innovation in the industry.
- Collaborative Dynamics: The creation and performance of music typically involve a collaborative effort among artists, musicians, producers, and technical staff, highlighting the collective nature of the music industry.
What Is An ‘Artist’ In Music?
Anybody who creates art can be called an artist. In music, one of the most important things is the ability to dream and conjure up what to say through their work.
While there is defined tuition on how to learn music theory and play an instrument with lots of practice, the process of creating art something often requires individual creativity.
An artist is responsible for creating their own unique sound. They also need to promote themselves and work on their own “brand”.
While major music labels often assemble a team to help an artist write, record, and release music, there is no guarantee that the artist will always be able to deliver a hit or that the audience will be able to resonate with them. Some people have a distinct ‘spark’ or x-factor that’s quickly commercially successful.
Artists such as David Bowie and Prince are examples of artists of great caliber who were able to not just play instruments and write music but also had a great ability to translate their ideas to other musicians who collaborated and featured on their records.
What Is A Musician?
A musician is someone who can play instruments, has knowledge of music theory, and can write music. Instrument virtuosos such as Steve Vai or Victor Wooten are not just incredible players but they also have a unique sound and extensive knowledge of their instrument and music theory.
Musicians are also often able to produce and arrange music. Although this is not a compulsory skill, more and more musicians these days choose to learn music production to be able to bring their music to life.
Bands are great examples of a varied bunch of musicians who have proficiency in their instruments and can collectively contribute to creating music.
To be a good musician, you need to work hard and spend time perfecting your craft. There are no shortcuts. The more time you spend practicing, the better you get.
Are Music Producers Musicians?
People often assume that music producers are not musicians because they work extensively on computers. But this is incredibly incorrect. To be a good producer, you need to first be a good musician.
Whether you write music on a guitar or use a DAW such as Ableton Live, if you do not have adequate knowledge of music theory, you will eventually face obstacles in your process.
Music producers are required to know not just how instruments work but also have the ability to arrange and compose music.
In electronic music, producers often compose, mix, and master their music. This requires many separate skills that are often underappreciated by people who do not understand the process.
Are DJs Musicians?
There is no straightforward answer to this. If a DJ is simply matching tempo to create a set with different pre-existing tracks, then no. They cannot be considered musicians. This also applies to DJs who only use music recorded and performed by others to create their sets.
If a DJ creates their own music and can add their elements to other people’s music, then they can be considered musicians.
We often see a lot of producers perform DJ sets, this means that while they are not performing their songs live, the music they are playing is either entirely their discography or they are curating a playlist with other music that meshes well to fit the mood, tempo, and vibe of their music.
DJs like Grandmaster Flash are considered musicians because they have demonstrated extreme proficiency in using turntables to create a unique sound. DJ Hahn who is part of the band Linkin Park is also a musician.
While a great DJ may not necessarily have musical abilities, what they have that many musicians or artists don’t is the ability to really understand the needs of an audience and cater to them.
Are Singers Artists Or Musicians?
A singer is a musician. Just like guitar players, drummers, and other instrumentalists, they use their voices to create music.
If a singer performs their own music then they are an artist. If they sing covers or backing vocals such as harmonies for others, then they are generally not considered artists. Not all singers necessarily want to be artists, some prefer being part of choirs, orchestras, or even teaching music.
Many famous singers often started as backup singers for artists before embarking on their artistic careers. Mariah Carey, Cher, and Elton John are some examples.
Which Road Should I Take?
If you are considering a career in professional music, then no matter what genre you choose, you should first spend time sharpening your skills and working on your musical abilities. If you do not have sufficient knowledge and experience, you might be in danger of becoming a one-hit wonder.
Also, remember that the music business is incredibly competitive. Korean pop ensembles train extensively for years to achieve perfection. This is why they are performers of such high caliber.
Summary
Creating and performing music are two very different things. Some artists simply perform music. They have limited musical abilities and are not in charge of their own music.
Some musicians are incredibly talented but cannot create music.
The music industry comprises several different kinds of people and there is always something for everyone. It takes a group of people, comprising artists, musicians, engineers, and crew, to make a record. When you are at a gig, it is again a team that puts the show together so you can enjoy the experience. The music industry cannot function without this mix of eclectic people.
