I would like to talk about a few different kinds of “Triple-Threats” in the music world (this Blog focuses on Performers and Performance related skills rather than venturing into the realms of recording engineering, artist development, and producing). These qualities and abilities are what make up a versatile and in-demand professional. Some sports have similar concepts such as in American football where someone who can run, pass, and kick is a Triple-Threat player.
Musical Theater Triple-Threat
A professional who can Sing, Dance, and Act with proficiency and range is known in the musical theater world as a Triple-Threat. Any or all of these abilities are called upon when someone is participating in a musical-theater production. Deficiency in any area could result in not getting the part. However, someone who is this type of Triple-Threat will be able to perform anything required. Many famous film and television actors are actually Musical Theater Triple-Threats but we know them only from the silver screen.
Musical Performer Triple-Threat
Musical Performers can also be a Triple-Threat if they can Sing, Play, and Write. Being able to sing is valuable even if you are only going to be singing background (everyone needs background singers!) but if you are also a lead singer then you can front a group and it will be your name on the marquis. Playing an instrument well is also valuable and by “well” I mean able to take solos and perform complicated parts. Of course playing to accompany yourself or someone else is very useful but a Musical Performance Triple-Threat should also be able to lead instrumental passages or just throw down a killer solo when necessary. Writing one’s own music is the final ingredient; this allows the performer to truly be the “talent” at a show. A Musical Performance Triple-Threat can have their own band with their own songs that they sing lead on and also take the solos. Some examples of this are: Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Lincoln Brewster, Harry Connick Jr., George Benson, Eric Clapton, Brad Paisley, Bonnie Raitt, and Prince.
Music Professional Triple-Threat
This is a person who qualifies as an Instrumentalist, Musician, and Artist. An Instrumentalist knows how to play their instrument at a very high level. This includes techniques, gear, chops, and musical familiarity (knowing all the notes and chords). There should be nothing that has been done on your instrument that you cannot do or at least you should know of it and have some experience with it. A fully developed Musician is someone who knows music theory and how to apply it, knows many scales and chords and in which styles they are used, is able to learn by ear but also transcribe and read written music of different types, is able to arrange for other instruments, and can tastefully perform in different styles and sound authentic. These skills are invaluable for bandleaders and musical directors. Finally, someone is an Artist if performances or recordings communicate their personality and make a creative statement. This is usually done through creating original music but there are many sidemen who are great at making someone else’s music their own by contributing to the creativity and putting their artistic stamp on it.
I find all three of this last Triple-Threat to be necessary for what I do professionally. As an Instrumentalist I perform different styles of technically challenging music including jazz, fusion, progressive rock, and heavy metal, and am also a sideman for hire so I must be familiar with as much guitar music and as many guitar techniques as possible. I also know the guitar inside and out as far as where all the notes are and how to get any chord or scale that I need. As a Musician I make use of general musical knowledge in leading my bands and academic ensembles. I arrange, compose, read, and transcribe music all the time in various forms of notation. I can transpose in my head by reducing chord progressions to numbers and I know how to use different tonalities to authentically write and perform in many styles. Finally, as an Artist, I have a creative statement I am making and an expression of who I am in everything I play and compose. As a sideman I try to make the most of any recording or performance by coming up with interesting and entertaining musical ideas to compliment what is already there. I also write songs and compose pieces for different bands and instruments, so I am a creative artist on that level as well.
If you desire to be successful in the music industry I encourage you to do whatever it takes to become one or more of these Triple-Threats!