There seem to be similarities and large differences in what a professional creative of visual and auditory aesthetics that don't quite make sense when viewed in real world applications. This is because the gate keepers of professional creative work defined what an artist had to be in order to have a career, more so, a profitable career.

The first point deals with an artist's style. In both creative realms, artists are pushed to have a consistently recognizable sound and image in order to relate to their fan base over time. But any true professional seeks to learn, grow, and mold their work over time. While this is encouraged in most fields of study, this is a double edge sword that hurts the artist more than their end consumer. Imagine if we tried to restrict engineers and scientists from going off on a tangent and studying something new and foreign. We would have no new inventions or thought processes. Remember, art imitates life and vice versa.

The second point is an extension of the first with a little more depth. In the past, art ateliers and guilds challenged the artist to learn as many techniques and practices and possible. They would work on their master's commissions while practicing drawing and rendering. In other words, they could paint or sculpt any idea you faced them with. They were training to be dynamic and responsive thinking artists. But this is rarely the case in modern times. Most visual artists are encouraged to choose a niche and create solely in that style. Although this can encourage sales of your work, it can also create a creative rut and a dispassionate practice.

For most musicians, they are encouraged to have a wide musical theory and understanding of what traits create each musical genre. They are taught to sample and learn from across the isle in order to inspire their own work. In visual art, that is only to pay homage to a past artist or time. Not with the intent of embodying the characteristics of their style. A musician who can do this receives high praise while a painter who does this receives scorn and doubts.