Is Prog For Musicians Only?

      I am a drummer, who has loved progressive rock for many years and i have noticed

that myself and other musicians i haved jammed with over the years can relate with this

style of music, but people who do not play a musical instrument do not.

     So ultimitly is prog rock for musicians only?

Yes. And even if you're not a musician, just say you are. It makes things easier. Like if you say "I like prog rock," and someone else says "What's that?" you can always say "Oh, you wouldn't understand. It's for musicians. It's like...complex and stuff."

Great. I'm not a musician. So I get left out.

I love prog but play no instruments, and I certainly cant sing. About half the people I know who like prog rock play instruments though.

GHOSTNOTE wrote:       I am a drummer, who has loved progressive rock for many years and i have noticed that myself and other musicians i haved jammed with over the years can relate with this style of music, but people who do not play a musical instrument do not.      So ultimitly is prog rock for musicians only?

Wow... how terribly condescending and presumptuous.  The only thing I play is the stereo; I also happen to value my mind and my sanity, and I'd prefer not to squander either on sh*tty main-stream music.  To suggest that good music can only be appreciated by people who play music is absurd and rather disrespectful.

   I don't play an instrument now, but I was a cellist when I first got into prog.

I studied piano and played drums for years but most of my proghead friends (Some fanatics) can't play hide and seek.

I'm not a musician but in a related story once someone was talking to me about music and I said I liked prog and he imediately asked me what instrument I played.

I used to play trumpet in the high school marching band, but I got into prog after I gave up on playing music

I dont think prog is just for musicians, its emotional music, that can apeal to anyone.

To be fair to GHOSTNOTE, he speaks from his experience of his fellow prog. enthusiasts and then he poses a question based on that experience for people to comment on and already we are seeing a range of responses. He definitely is not saying that you have to be a musician to relate to prog.I would say don't condemn him for posing the question.

In any event , it will vary from individual to individual. Are you or have you been a musician? Does that help you relate to prog? Many would answer 'yes'.

I play and I'm into prog and jazz and nearly every other style of music so long as it is played/sung well. Does that make me elitist or a musical snob? Well, I don't believe so, except when it comes to Country and Western [not even playing and singing it well saves it for me {how elitist can you get}]

I have a number of friends who do not sing or play who are absolutely 'die-hard' prog fans. I have late teenage children who sing and play, yet they are very prog intolerant [despite my best efforts to convert them]. My brother-in-law is one of the most soughtafter electric bass players in this country ,based in Melbourne,who plays mainly jazz and fusion by choice and anything else going to help pay the bills . I've exposed him to more prog than fusion and he really enjoys the challenge of it and he says that it helps to give him ideas.

So where is all this leading ? I guess it can help if you are musical but you certainly don't have to be imo.