What Makes A Good Musician? 9 Qualities to Work Towards
Honestly, what makes a good musician anyway?
It’s hard to say exactly — or it’s incredibly easy to say…I’m not sure which. But this is my take on things.
And just remember (as you read this thing), it’s all subjective. Even my opinions here must be taken with salt. What makes someone good or bad is always open for interpretation.
Would Picasso’s seminal work be received the same if someone else made it — or if undiscerning eyes saw it?
How about John Cage’s song 4’33”, which is just four minutes and 33 seconds of pure silence — does it make him a good musician?
The lens we define this “good” nuance through is complex and individual. One person can call you brilliant, while the very next labels you a fraud. But all that matters is you and your own opinion about yourself.
So — with all that out of the way — let’s do this!
1. Knows Their Instrument
In my humble opinion, it’s hard to be a good musician without first knowing your craft. This is your principal instrument.
Whether that’s a guitar, singing, piano, sampling or even AI, knowing your instrument is foundational. You can’t be a good musician without it.
But what makes someone good at their instrument?
According to me, as long as you’re confident in your abilities and you’re able to smoothly and quickly play out your ideas and/or musical obligations, then you’re good with your instrument.
Oh, and you never stop honing your skills. That’s important too.
2. Continues to Show Up
Nothing replaces experience and continuing to show up. It’s something you can’t learn in a class or some weekend workshop.
Because continuing to show up leads to something intangible: wisdom.
The mistakes I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned are the result of continuing to show up, learn, fail and move forward. Information I used to see as absolute truth has become less dogmatic. And things I thought I knew to be true have been proven wrong, time and time again.
So now, I stay open and less attached to any one idea, strategy or signal.
I believe good musicians do the same thing.
And no, I’m not saying that I’m some amazing musician who has all of the answers (lol). But here are some quick tips that help me with consistency as a melodic artist:
Have short-term projects and long-term goals
Never stop learning
Hang around more musicians
Cultivate a growth mindset
Focus on the now and milestones (not what-ifs and finish lines)
Schedule in time to practice
3. Has Musical Soft Skills
Soft skills are personal traits that help you work better on particular projects and with people.
Hard skills, on the other hand, are technical knowledge (like knowing how to play the guitar).
Anyone can develop a hard skill, but soft skills can be more cumbersome. They’re closer to personality and intangible abilities. But great musicians have great soft skills.
Personally, I notice great artists embody these traits:
Trust in creative intuition
They stay present and aren’t easily influenced by musical trends or criticisms
Humility mixed with confidence (even when especially when scared or nervous)
Self awareness
Emotional awareness
Non-judgmental
Patience
4. Patient
Caveats aside, songwriting takes time. And a good production takes even longer. So a good musician has patience.
They have patience for the process, the obstacles and the results. Making music is a journey and the destination is rarely clear. So becoming a good musician requires present moment awareness and an appreciation for the journey and all of the meandering steps along the way.
It’s not always easy, but there's an indescribable feeling when a musician exhibits a calm and collective approach. You can feel the energy, and it’s good.
This is one area I’ve struggled with — especially when it comes to staying patient with the details and developing a song to its fullest potential.
5. Detailed
The devil lives in the details — when it comes to contracts. But with creativity, magic takes up residence.
As corny as that sounded, trust me, it’s true. This is an area I used to skip over out of impatience (and a lack of appreciation for how small things make big impacts).
A good musician is intentional and appreciates how important seemingly small decisions truly are. They’re like the spices of a good meal. You don’t always see them, but you taste them and you know they’re there, collaborating and making that shit tasty af.
Here are some examples of “magical” musical details:
Small instruments and noises that are barely audible
Sound design (whooshing, steps, people, city chatter, etc.)
The intention behind automation, filtering and other FX
Singing with moments of personality (over correct technique)
6. Knows When + How to Break the Rules
To reference Picasso once more (last time, I swear):
“Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist.”
Templates, strategies and tips are great. But there comes a time when ignoring them is greater.
This is the mark of a good musician — knowing when and how to break those pesky musical rules.
Unintentionally making a mistake is often due to a lack of knowledge or expertise. But intentionally throwing the rulebook out the window is often due to an abundance of knowledge or expertise.
Reaching this point is exciting. But you don’t need to wait to practice it.
After learning a new concept or “rule”, try challenging it. Look for examples that disprove it. Experiment with failing at it and listen to your intuition and the sound.
If you like what you’re doing and how something is sounding (even if it’s technically “wrong”), then run with it.
Recommended: How to Become A Songwriter
7. Taps Into Flow
Flow state is when you’re so involved in a task that you lose track of time and space. And the best creative moments live here.
We’ve all been there. It’s the zone, that sweet spot where writing is easy and ideas flow. A good musician knows this and will optimize their life in a way that makes it easier to reach this state.
So here are some quick tips to find more flow in your music-making journey:
Fix flow bottlenecks or obstacles
Avoid distractions
Keep your music practice time completely open and with no end time
Practice living in the present moment
Recommended: The Creative Flow State Guide
8. Has A Variety of Influences
I’m as good as the company I keep.
The same can be said for the music I let into my psyche. The more influences I have, the more inspiration I have to pull from.
We’re constantly being swayed by certain artists, genres and moments in time. And in my experience, the best music comes from the most diverse, surprising and varied combinations of influences.
Good musicians can appreciate a good song or artist (regardless of the genre or nuance surrounding it). So consume more music and listen more actively from a place of open-mindedness.
Listen to new genres. Hear older artists and the new ones too. Check out classical tunes, and then futuristic noise that confuses you right after. Seek out international melodies and stop to listen to the strange busker on the street that everyone’s ignoring.
There’s a story and sound to unpack in all of that. And the more you visit those places, the better your own design becomes.
I believe good musicians know this.
9. Owns Their Authenticity
We all have influences, whether we’re conscious of them or not. But at some point, owning what makes you authentic is required.
This is inevitable if you continue to show up and hone your craft. Because we can’t help but be ourselves (eventually).
Your musical authenticity may start as subtleties. As you give those subtleties room to play, they start to grow and expand. Eventually, your authentic points come more into focus.
Even if you do cover songs, you have a unique spin on them. It’s inevitable. A good musician highlights what makes them unique. They do not suppress their unique voice for fear of judgment or sounding different.
This is your musical identity. Your musical soul. Let it out!
(the world is waiting)
Later ✌️
Want More? Okay. Here’s More.
