Competition

We’re a competitive lot, humans. Think about it: Everything that’s ever gone right or wrong for you, ever, has probably got roots in some sort of competition. Did somebody cut you up for that parking space? That’s competing. The person who spends $20 on a gift for someone when they agreed with you the limit was $10? That’s competing. And seeing as music is a human creation, it’s natural that competition will arise among its creators/virtuosos. And, unfortunately, it all comes down to the worst sort of competition – one person’s skill against another. And when your own performing comes into it, it becomes infinitely more personal and, in turn, more volatile.

When musicians perform, it’s all on display. Music puts you in an especially vulnerable position; especially if it’s music you’ve written yourself. The odd thing is, musicians should look out for each other. We have one major thing in common, yet we let it cause massive differences. Why? Surely we should encourage and nurture one another. But sadly, that’s not always the case. I, personally, think “Battle Of The Bands” nights are very mean-spirited, as it actually instigates arguments and comparisons. I would do an open mic night any night of the week opposed to a Battle Of The Bands, because the atmosphere’s better. Everyone’s having a go, nobody’s better than anyone else, it’s a much more pleasant situation to be in.

But there’s one thing that’s been bothering me ever since the question was posed to me – what does make us feel like performing is a form of competing? This is very deep stuff. It goes right to the very core of human instinct.

The reason why we perceive performing as a competition is because it’s the easiest way to gauge our own progress. I genuinely believe that. I don’t think it’s about satisfaction or winning (sure, there’s that side to it I suppose), I think we ‘compete’ with other musicians to measure our own skill. For example, if you’re at a gig and there’s another guitarist there, and you turn to another member of your band and ask them “is he/she a better guitarist than me?” you’re checking to see if you’re making progress. I do it all the time. In fact, I think the reason I possibly do it a little more than others (e.g. all the time) is that I’m self-taught, so I’ve never really had anyone telling me how fast I should be progressing (which is a bonus of sorts, I feel). And seeing as humans are, by their very nature, insecure, it’s only natural to seek assurance. This has nothing to do with who has the best gear, the best riffs etc. it’s about basic human psychology. The most competitive people in the world are often the most insecure, and that also applies to the world of performing.

As proof that this theory has merit, think about the last time you were in a music shop and there was a one-finger Smoke On The Water sensation doing the rounds (or something similar – it could be any of the Forbidden Guitar Shop Tunes, from Stairway To Heaven to Smells Like Teen Spirit). Did you ever compare yourself to them in a competitive light? Of course not, because you know you’re better than him. See? You don’t need to think about whether you’re better than him, so you don’t feel competitive (I happen to be very insecure at music shops, because I’m hit with Music Shop Amnesia – where you can’t think of ANYTHING to play – and, naturally there’s always someone at the classical guitar section shredding his way through a concerto while discussing the finer points of flatwound and roundwound strings and coming up with an alternative to fossil fuel).

However, the quality of your own personal playing definitely enters your head more when you watch the seven-year-old next to the Marshall stack reciting a Steve Vai solo perfectly. And you feel competitive and a little insecure in your own playing because you’re wondering if you’re better/could be better than the guitar shop virtuosos, whom I often suspect have been hired especially to stop me loitering in music shops when I’m broke. I’m not saying a little healthy competition can’t be good for you. If it makes you go home and practice then surely some good has come from it – I always practice more after seeing someone who’s a fret-board wizard. But “healthy competition” can often lead to “that lad’s wearing a Hendrix shirt, let’s dual” mentality, and it shouldn’t. Guitarists (all musicians, actually) have one brilliant thing in common – the ability to make music, and that’s something that should be shared and used to make new connections rather than used as argument fodder.

Now if you’ll excuse me, there’s a man outside in a Jimi Hendrix shirt that I just don’t like the look of…