Top 5 Types of Musicians that are Difficult to Work With

1. Insatiable perfectionist

I think this is the prevailing type in art (not only in music). If the desire for perfection is driven by artistic ambition and a desire to achieve maximum fulfilment of the artist's vision, it can still be understood and, in the case of geniuses, perhaps even excused. Maybe you suffer, but you know that the result will be worth it. However, if perfectionism turns into micromanagement, when the person in question comments on everything that happens in the creative process, when he or she does not leave even a millimetre of free expression to other musicians, when banalities are discussed for long hours, irrelevant details are reproached and meaningless discipline is required, then you have a problem. You know that nothing is going to be good, you'll always be stagnant and experiencing the frustration of anticipating the final result, which is constantly postponed because of marginalia.

2. Dictator

From my experience, I would say that this is also a common type of musician, especially in bands, big bands and other music ensembles. It is natural and perfectly understandable that a five-piece band must have one or two driving forces who have the final say in major decisions but also bring ideas and initiative themselves. The problem arises when this natural leadership role turns into a dictatorship. When you know that your opinion is not being heard, or you know that it is being listened to but certainly not going to be respected, let alone changed.

A typical example is the transformation of the role of a singer when after the much-desired fame has been acquired they start feeling very important and, above all, a lot of schemers emerge, with their toxic praise and nodding, and assure the singer of their uniqueness. After all, they feel everything lies on them, the fans only want them and it doesn't matter who plays the guitar, keyboards or, heaven forbid, bass or drums. And so the bandmates get replaced and with the arrival of newcomers, the position of the newly established dictator becomes even stronger.

3. Egomaniac

All musicians have a very big ego, which is essential to be able to believe in your abilities and also help you get through times when no one trusts you, you're at the very beginning and the only one you can rely on is actually yourself. But if your ego interferes with your creative work, you have a problem. A bassist with a big ego will slap where it doesn't belong, spouting out licks every four bars and brushing off any suggestions from his bandmates or the producer in the studio with the comment that he or she knows best how to play the part. The same can be applied to other instruments or singing. Egomaniacs are allergic to recommendations and well-meant constructive criticism. They are controlled by their importance and consider themselves infallible musical geniuses. What a hard work then!

4. Drug user

Well, we are not talking about the drugs from the pharmacy... The music business is a struggle for a place in the limelight, the stress of a precarious financial situation and the strain of endless concert tours. So sometimes you need to exit, let off steam and drift off into other universes. But if you refuse to come back to reality from those trips, then you have... You already know, don't you? A mega-problem!

There's probably no point in wasting energy on the thousands of stories of musicians who have had not only their careers ruined by drugs, but their lives as well. If you're in a situation where you have someone in your band who has gone down this path, then try to help them and sort it out as soon as possible. Or you have to be ruthless and go on your musical journey without them. There are already enough bad habits related to alcohol, which is taken as a necessary part of the world of music. Add drugs and suddenly you can have an egomaniac, a dictator and a perfectionist in one person but in unstable circumstances and totally erratic moods.

5. Amateur forever

This type would need to borrow some of that ego from the egomaniac. These are musicians who are notoriously unsure of themselves and don't know at all why they make music. They probably enjoy the environment, feel that it makes them appealing – and have a program sorted for the weekends. But the problem is their weakness. When the moment of truth comes in the band, you can be sure they'll be among the first to abandon ship. Nor can you expect them to take any initiative (either creative or at least logistical or administrative). They are passengers who want to take a free ride.

They are not easy to spot at first glance, and it may take some time, but you don't want such saboteurs of potential success in your midst. Don't come around due to your friendship from elementary school or the fact that you have a great time playing tennis or chatting over beers. If you're serious about your music career, you need to be around people with similar mindsets. Otherwise, the machine will grind and you won't get anywhere.

Can you think of another personality type you'd like to avoid? Do you have any personal experience with the musicians mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below the article.