[ocean breeze]

Originally Posted by Gem

I have recently been contemplating where what I do or have to say becomes futile, and this has given me a sense of the noise that fills places of discussion - such as a forum like this, for example.

I have recently discovered that although I have something highly relevant to say, it is often futile to do so, as things said are not necessarily heard. I have long had a saying 'the truth is in the listening', and I listen to the world around me - a habit I acquired during my years as a musician.

If a musician has an acoustic guitar he can play beautifully in the quiet of his own rooms, but when he takes to the city to busk, he can not be heard due to all the noise, so he uses an amplifier for the sake of volume, to the detriment of the timbre of the instrument.

I have seen a video in which a world class violinist artfully played a most difficult piece on one of the finest instruments ever made in a New York Subway. Only one or two people actually stopped to listen, but most bustled by completely unaware of the mastery before them. The artist earned about 40$ in coin in the hour he played there - which is pretty average for a busker.


In my years performing as a street musician I opened myself up to a lot of abuse. I would play a beautiful piece that takes some skill, like McLean's 'Vincent' or 'Classical Gas', and some yobbo would yell at me, 'you suck'. I played the same on stages and received ovations.

It doesn't matter if we call this a 'Buddhist section' any more that it does calling it a New York subway station a 'concert hall'. It's just that a world class violinist already knows that playing at a railway station only makes more noise.

There are people whom have given me well thought out responses in which i didn't reply to. It doesn't mean i'm ignoring them or that i don't feel grateful for it. Sometimes there is just nothing to say or add. Same goes with people playing music on the streets. Just because i walk right past them doesn't mean i'm not enjoying the music as i'm walking. I regularly use the new york city subways, there are some truly talented performers there. But i can understand how one can be discouraged with a few negative comments.