A former working musician, Andrew (Drew) Ross has owned and operated the Healdsburg Bagel Company in Healdsburg, California, since 2018. In the process of writing songs, recording albums, and touring live, Drew Ross sang and played multiple musical instruments.
Although multi-instrumentalists can suffer from a lack of technical focus and become confused due to cross-technique interference, they also gain a number of significant benefits from their diverse musical pursuits. Because each instrument has its own unique musical language, learning to play a number of them can greatly expand one’s overall understanding of musical conventions and music theory.
Playing multiple instruments is particularly beneficial for musicians in bands or ensembles. If one has a thorough understanding of the instruments that others are playing, one will not only become a better collaborator, but also a better leader.
Becoming proficient in multiple instruments also has a number of practical benefits in terms of income and career growth. In short, the versatility of the multi-instrumentalist can lead to more gigs and more students.
