Can a virtuoso musician be made?

[Jaxcat]

Saw a brief clip of an interview with Steve Vai who, technically, is a brilliant guitarist. Can do just about everything on the guitar. Personally, I wouldn't pay 50 cents to see him perform as I don't like his music. But, he is a great player of the instrument.

In this interview, he said people ask him all the time about how he discovered he was a virtuoso on the guitar. Paraphrasing, he said he'd practice 9 hours a day as a kid for years - that's how you become a virtuoso.

Is he saying, in effect, with enough practice, anyone can be a virtuoso? In my definition, virtuosity goes beyond how mechanically good you are, which extraordinary technique can be learned with practice, imo. IMO, being a virtuoso involves an indefinable feel distinct from technique that can't be learned/practiced. There are 1000s of guitarists who can shred a million notes per second with impeccable technique but they aren't Steve Vai or Brian Setzer or Jeff Beck or other guitarists who posses that 'it' factor that separates them from other guitarists.

Is Vai correct that anyone can be a virtuoso with enough practice?

[Pete Hogwallop]

All virtuosos are made, but I do not believe you can make everyone a virtuoso.

Is Vai going to make a lifelong deaf person a virtuoso? What about someone who is paralyzed. Those are extreme examples that demonstrate why I don't believe you can make anyone a virtuoso.

[Jaxcat]

Well, obviously someone who is physically handicapped can't be made a virtuoso. But, if a healthy individual practiced guitar or piano or cello 9 hours a day for 10 years, would they become a virtuoso or just a very good technician without the extra 'it' that I believe a virtuoso possesses? I can point out many 80s hair metal guitarists who could play 1000 notes a second that won't ever be remembered like BB King or SRV or Steve Vai or Jeff Beck or.... Malmsteen is a prodigious technician playing things that literally only a handful of guitarists in history have a prayer of playing. But, he isn't really considered a virtuoso, is he? More of a master technician without much 'soul' in his playing (at least from what I've read from other guitarists' interviews - I think his music is dreadful and basically musical masturbation, but that's just me).

[Pete Hogwallop]

What about someone tone deaf like me? I guess I could become a virtuoso drummer! But mentioning the physical handicap was to make a point that it's not possible to turn everyone into one.

But you hit on a key one. Without truly loving the music and putting "soul" into it, the person will sound like a clinical technician rather than a musician.

[Majoga]

vir·tu·o·so

(vûr?cho?o-??s?, -z?)
n. pl. vir·tu·o·sos or vir·tu·o·si (-s?) 1. A musician with masterly ability, technique, or personal style.
2. A person with masterly skill or technique in the arts.
3. Archaic A person with a strong interest in the fine arts, especially in antiquities.
4. Obsolete A very learned person.


adj. Exhibiting the ability, technique, or personal style of a virtuoso: a virtuoso

According to the definition of the term, the answer is yes. Beyond that, the value of the virtuosity is subject to the consumer of such art. In your definition, you are that consumer. The value is subjective to you.

[blueheretic]

I went and read in four or five places. Not one of them place as a qualification for becoming a "virtuoso" being born with the talent.

Most of them speak of "mastering" a form of art.

No one is born a master even if one has innate talent, it still takes work to bring that talent with which one is born OUT and hone that skill or talent.

I would think that one can be born with talent that makes it easier to become a virtuoso but one must put in the hours to make it so.