On perfectionism in music and art

Hello everyone! I know it’s been a while since I’ve posted on here; I’m working on some big projects that I can’t wait to share with all of you! For the past few months, I’ve been thinking about “perfectionism”, what it means to musicians and how it can influence our everyday lives. And I want to start off with a hot take; I don’t believe in perfectionism. I’ve been writing and performing music for well over 10 years now, and I take great pride in what I do. I want to put out the best content I can, and I want my audience to enjoy my work. That means I put a lot of time and effort into making sure that I’m representing my best self in anything I release. But I don’t think that makes me a perfectionist. In fact, I don’t think any musician can truly call themselves a perfectionist, because there is no such thing as perfect.

I have 3 main issues with the idea of perfectionism. The first is the idea that any work of art can be perfect. For something to be perfect would mean it can not be improved upon. It would mean that any other work that artist creates could not better it, only match it. Imagine if as a composer you write a truly perfect piece. Why would you ever want to write again? If you’ve peaked and you can no longer grow as an artist, that removes a huge incentive for being an artist. The same is true for performers.  If you were to truly give a perfect performance, you would probably not want to perform again, for fear that you would not live up to expectations. Humans are all flawed, therefore all the art we create will be flawed; but those flaws are what makes us human. When I’m writing music, I have 2 goals I set for myself that don’t involve being perfect. One is growth, in my opinion the only measure of success. As long as I feel myself getting better with each project and with each performance, I’m satisfied with that. The other goal is to pick an emotion or feeling that I want this piece to give me, and don’t stop writing until it gives that feeling. That way I’m reaching for something real, something definable, rather than a pedestal of perfection that doesn’t exist. When I listen to my favorite artists, I don’t enjoy their music because it’s perfect. I enjoy their music because it makes me feel happy.

The 2nd issue I have with perfectionism is that ignores the benefits of privilege and resources. A composer who has been writing music for twice as long as I have will almost certainly write better music than me. A composer my age who has had more teachers than me, better studio equipment, or a less demanding day job will also occasionally produce better art. I think often times musicians listen to their favorite recordings, the ones that inspired them to pursue music in the first place, and use that as a benchmark. Having worked on a few different studio projects myself, it’s easy to underestimate how much work goes into a great recording or live performance. My favorite artists probably have much more studio access, more funding, and simply more time to invest in their art than I do a full-time student with a part time job; and they still probably don’t find their work to be perfect. However, I’m careful not to use a lack of access to resources or opportunities as an excuse to not make my best work, but it does humble me to know that many of the things that could make my art better are things I have limited access to.

The 3rd and probably biggest issue I have with perfectionism is what it does to the self-esteem of musicians. I go to a wonderful music school, but I think it’s safe to say that nearly every student musician I’ve met has graduated with less enthusiasm about a career in music than when they started. The culture of perfectionism in music has taken a lot of the fun out of it, and I believe this is true across genres and styles. If you had a wonderful time writing or performing something, and it doesn’t come out “perfectly”, that shouldn’t diminish your experience making it. Likewise, if you make something that is truly “perfect,” but you had a terrible time making it, I doubt you will want to embark on a project like that again. I have seen so many talented musicians delay releasing incredible projects because they don’t think it’s “perfect”, depriving the world of their beautiful art. I’ve also seen how perfectionism is often used by directors and leaders to abuse younger musicians. I’ve seen and worked with verbally and mentally abuse teachers whose tactics are defended under the guise of “results”. No musician should walk out of a lesson or rehearsal crying. If you have to be abusive to the people you are teaching or working with in order to make perfect art, you have no business being an artist.

I want to be very clear that is extremely important to respect your craft and honor it with your time and attention. Constructive criticism is crucial to success, and if it is coming from someone you respect and trust, it could do wonders in improving your art. You should also listen to your instincts as much as you can, and if you genuinely believe that a work of art needs more work before you release it, you have a right to see that through. I only caution against perfectionism because it hinders far more art than it supports. Whenever I am writing, recording, or performing, I avoid saying that “I won’t stop until it’s perfect.” I simply say “I’ll stop when I feel proud of what I’ve done” or “I’ll stop if I need to look after my mental health first. I try to never forget that as hard as making music and art can be, it should above all things be…fun.

Let me know what you guys think, and I’ll try to post more often!

Much love, Brandon K Smith.