Platinum albums, adoring fans, endorsements, latest and most sought after music gear and merchandise, parties and concert tours – these do not make a rock star. You may think if someone has all these you can automatically call them a true rock star and music legend. But you couldn’t be further from the truth.

rock-star

A real rock star needs to have certain characteristics to be considered as one. These traits are what’s important and far outweighs all the material possessions and even the awards most budding musicians want.

Mad Skills

In order to become a true legend and real rock star, you must possess some mad skills in playing a musical instrument. Mundane guitar playing won’t do. You need to be really good in what you do or else you’re considered as just another musician. Some music legends learned to play instruments by themselves, while some really good drum or guitar players learned from a music school. Your choice.

Musical Flexibility

If you are a true musician, you don’t play just one instrument. You need to be familiar with other instruments especially if you’re in a band. Whether it’s acoustic or electric guitar, acoustic or electronic drums, and piano or keyboard, a real rock star knows how to use them all. Playing the same type of guitar for years may look really cool but it can also be repetitive and become boring. You can easily spice up an event with a special performance playing a different type of instrument. It gives your performances diversity.

Play Well with Others

A good musician can play really good music, but a great one can play well with others. To be a real rock star you not only have to know how to play songs by yourself, you also need to master playing songs with other musicians. Only by harmoniously playing music with other artists can you produce truly beautiful music. You can only be considered a real rock star if you know how to do this.

Great Performer

Standing up strumming on a guitar or sitting on a chair banging on the drums is not all you need to do to be called a great musician. You need to know how to put on a show to be called a true rock star. You need to be a musician who can get the audience engaged. Real rock stars not only touch people through their music, they also make an impact through the musical performances they provide.

True Music Lover

A true rock star is not in it for money or fame. They are playing music because it’s what they love to do the most. They are true music lovers who pick up a guitar after their morning coffee and who fall asleep at the end of the day listening to music. They are people who can’t live without music.

You may scout an online music store and see various artists and musicians on the list of top selling albums, but this doesn’t mean you’ve spotted real rock stars. If you don’t have the characteristics listed above, you risk just being a one-hit wonder or not make it in the music industry at all.

If you want to be a true rock star and a real music legend, all these traits must be inherent in you. Only with these can you survive the music world and stand out as being one of the most respected and adored musicians. Only with these can you really become a true rock star.

Debra Wright blogs about a plethora of topics including music and other fields. Debra considers Big Music as one of the leaders in Online Music Stores.