My unwavering musical principles!

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Charlie O.
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Charlie O. » 06 Aug 2018, 23:25

Some of what's been said in the last several posts registers with me. I often find myself disdaining what's playing and then realize it's because "I could do that!"

I have to remind myself not to cop that attitude, because... well, on the one hand, it's inherently self-defeating: I might as well be saying that anything I could do isn't worth listening to!

And on the other hand: just because someone is limited in technique doesn't mean they don't have something unique to say to me.
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Phenomenal Cat
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Phenomenal Cat » 07 Aug 2018, 01:29

Charlie O. wrote:I have to remind myself not to cop that attitude, because... well, on the one hand, it's inherently self-defeating: I might as well be saying that anything I could do isn't worth listening to!


Exactly! And yet I've done it forever.
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby bobzilla77 » 07 Aug 2018, 05:08

Phenomenal Cat wrote:
Charlie O. wrote:I have to remind myself not to cop that attitude, because... well, on the one hand, it's inherently self-defeating: I might as well be saying that anything I could do isn't worth listening to!


Exactly! And yet I've done it forever.



Well... I felt like our band probably COULD do everything that MOST of the bands we liked did. It was just a matter of, we didn't decide to do that. I never feel like, "it's got to be better than what we do" because, hey, that's a rarefied field. :mrgreen:
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby The Slider » 07 Aug 2018, 08:43

I love Neil Young more than almost any other musician ever
And even I can play guitar 'better' than him.

Musical shoddiness has not been an issue to me since I was about 12, when I grew out of my ELP phase and discovered the Velvet Underground.
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Phenomenal Cat » 07 Aug 2018, 15:08

Just to clarify: launching from what Quaco said and the subsequent concept of "I could do that" - My comments are more on how certain styles are in your wheelhouse and thus kind of "known" and thus not as attractive as the wild card. I wouldn't dislike a band just because I felt I could play better than them. It is when their style cottons a bit too close to my own that I tend to be disinterested. It is odd, because I really do NOT listen to music in the genres I play (I did when I was much younger). People are always pushing me towards things they think I'll like, but it's like taking your friend who owns a fine Italian restaurant to a lesser competitor. What's the point?
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Bent Fabric » 07 Aug 2018, 15:36

Exactly - to provide a given example, Neil Young's undeniable "X factor" is what attracts us (me, at any rate)...not whether or not one believes they can do what he does (I've certainly never heard anyone do it, for what it's worth). Not so much proficiency, mastery or fluidity - I think the thing we're often repelled by/attracted to has something more to do with "I'd never have dreamed that up in a million years" vs. "That feels pretty stock and in no way ". The perceived skill level needn't even enter into the discussion. I'm personally awed by a lot of borderline ineptitude, just cause the overall impact/effect is so fresh.

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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby The Slider » 08 Aug 2018, 13:50

Yet there are many among us who place value solely on prowess
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby clive gash » 08 Aug 2018, 14:03

There’s a distinction to be made between if you can play and how you play.

Prowess v feel.
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby pig bodine » 08 Aug 2018, 23:18

It bothers me whe a bassist plays with a pick. I always think less of them. It broke my heart when I saw a film of the James Gang and their bassist, who I loved, was using one of those repulsive devices.

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Quaco
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Quaco » 08 Aug 2018, 23:30

pig bodine wrote:It bothers me whe a bassist plays with a pick. I always think less of them. It broke my heart when I saw a film of the James Gang and their bassist, who I loved, was using one of those repulsive devices.

I have a friend who feels this way. In fact, he's obsessive about it. He has the utmost pride in the fact that anything someone can do with a pick, he can do with his fingers. When it was pointed out to him that his idol Paul McCartney often used a pick, for example on his career-defining bassline on "With a Little Help From My Friends", he said "Yeah ... But it would have been even better with his fingers." You can't win with some people.
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Bent Fabric
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Bent Fabric » 09 Aug 2018, 01:13

Quaco wrote:You can't win with some people.


Myself included - and I have the exact opposite view of your friend and of pig bodine on this particular issue. I'm beyond irrational about it.

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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby zoomboogity » 09 Aug 2018, 16:14

Once someone figures out HOW to write a great song, they need to keep reminding themselves WHY. So often they don't bother, which is why there is so much lousy music clogging things up.
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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Your Friendly Neighbourhood Postman » 11 Aug 2018, 17:06

Count Machuki wrote:These days I won't go to any concert I can talk myself out of going to.

:(

I'm hoping that changes soon.


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Re: My unwavering musical principles!

Postby Phenomenal Cat » 19 Aug 2018, 01:00

bump
kath wrote:i will make it my mission to nail you.


But somehow when you smile, I can brave bad weather.


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