When does Talent begin to have dimishing returns?

In a discussion about live performances, an interesting topic came up. It was this.....At what point, if ever, does talent begin to have diminishing returns? By this I mean effecting other aspects of your music business. It seems many people I would consider "musicians" keep great concern over, what I call, the "mechanical" aspect of their music. They are almost obsessively concerned with level of difficulty of the songs in their library/show and the execution of the songs on stage. I understand the need for knowing how to play your instrument and execute your songs in a live performance, that is not really my point. When is it enough for you to allow yourself to focus your efforts elsewhere.

Is the "mechanical" aspect ever taken care of? Do some artists obsess over that aspect because the don't like, don't understand, or are scared of the other sides of their career in music? Do they think they will eventually be rewarded because they are talented and it's just a matter of time before some realizes it. It reminds of a gambler. Just one more show and they will see, they have to.

How is your behavior on stage, how is your interaction with the audience? Are the messages in your songs resonating emotionally with the audience. (I just don't see many people these days enjoying music based on how good a guitar player can "shred.")

I guess this has always been an issue with me. Not that this is the same thing, but it reminds me when people would ask me about a band. I might say something like "Yeah, they are great, but I don't like them." I would hear, "you contradict yourself" and "that doesn't make any sense, " and "How could you say they are great, but you don't like them?"

I would say it makes perfect sense. I am objective enough to recognize a band I really don't enjoy listening to has talent. I think talent is less of an opinion than what people enjoy. Just because I don't enjoy listening to a particular band doesn't mean they are not talented, but just because a band is obviously talented, doesn't mean their music connects with me.

Then they would start the "talent is an opinion too" argument." They would question how I knew Rush had any talent and what was I basing it on, just silly stuff.

Anyway, back to my original point. I just think very few people are in the audience with talent meters deciding whether an artist "moved" them based on what it registering on the meter.

Thoughts?

Charlie275