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Post by andyhowell on Jul 22, 2016 7:27:30 GMT
I think the point I'm trying to make, if indeed it is a point rather than a discussion is this - I have the same hang ups as every guitarist I've ever met, am I good enough (for whom)? are they better (than what)? should I have took up the trombone instead (why would anyone)? - As an aside, the first time I saw Tommy Emmanuel play in a dingy little boozer in Manchester in front of 40 people, I actually questioned whether I should have took up fishing, and left music to the musicians. I view it this way, any guitar in any guitar players hands is going to start a narrative, be it to oneself or an audience, it doesn't matter. As we as people become more interested in our subject, we tend to go on voyages of discovery...a credit card being our chief companion. I personally have doubled back, I'm down to the absolute bone gear wise. I own two guitars, both are played daily, both have repaid their outlay a million fold. I yearn for nothing, am jealous of nobody, don't need the next great white hope guitar...it hasn't always been that way for me. Some wise words there. There is no such thing for me as to whether I am good enough to own a guitar or not. I've always taken the view that a great guitar inspires you to improve — at whatever level you are. But one or two of these guitars made me simply realise that my own technique simply wouldn't unlock enough of that guitar's secrets or potential. I see too many young guitar players agonising about technique, desperately slaving over tabs and playing pieces that have all the right notes in them but that sound dreadful because they are only comprehending one facet of 'playing'. For me the flow of the music is the key. A piece that flows and that has real emotion will always sound better than a piece that is very technical but has no emotion. When I was at one of Martin Simpson's weekends he was quite focussed about this and said something like this. He had seen and heard many of the new generation, the tappers and so on. Most of them didn't move him because so many them "simply have no soul" in they playing. I always think it is like a piece of literature. Great literature can be wonderfully simple and doesn't have to have you turning to the dictionary every 10 second. I guess my literary guitar player would be Hemingway, Carver, Richard Ford and Ann Tyler. Feel, flow, soul, emotion — these are all key to me. And maybe that's because I've come to the end of the technique road (for me at least). For a long time I couldn't understand the point of Andy McKee but recently he has started cutting out a lot of the flashy stuff and concentrating on the core of the music — and I find I appreciate him far more now. SaveSave |
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Post by andyhowell on Jul 22, 2016 7:28:14 GMT
'Play what you love, and love what you play'. That's what I call a good motto Sir!  The guitar is a beautiful friend. Various members of the guitar tribe over the years have seriously helped me to stay sane and made me feel there was some purpose to my intellect. A really great guitar encourages creativity and helps you play your best, however humble its origins. Obviously if you can find something of much higher quality like a Casimi that will do that, then it's a huge bonus! Sorry Andy - I've encouraged this thread to go a bit off topic.  Mark Don't apologise Mark; I' enjoying all of this. SaveSave |
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Post by ourmaninthenorth on Jul 22, 2016 8:44:35 GMT
I think the point I'm trying to make, if indeed it is a point rather than a discussion is this - I have the same hang ups as every guitarist I've ever met, am I good enough (for whom)? are they better (than what)? should I have took up the trombone instead (why would anyone)? - As an aside, the first time I saw Tommy Emmanuel play in a dingy little boozer in Manchester in front of 40 people, I actually questioned whether I should have took up fishing, and left music to the musicians. I view it this way, any guitar in any guitar players hands is going to start a narrative, be it to oneself or an audience, it doesn't matter. As we as people become more interested in our subject, we tend to go on voyages of discovery...a credit card being our chief companion. I personally have doubled back, I'm down to the absolute bone gear wise. I own two guitars, both are played daily, both have repaid their outlay a million fold. I yearn for nothing, am jealous of nobody, don't need the next great white hope guitar...it hasn't always been that way for me.
I see too many young guitar players agonising about technique, desperately slaving over tabs and playing pieces that have all the right notes in them but that sound dreadful because they are only comprehending one facet of 'playing'. For me the flow of the music is the key. A piece that flows and that has real emotion will always sound better than a piece that is very technical but has no emotion.
When I was at one of Martin Simpson's weekends he was quite focussed about this and said something like this. He had seen and heard many of the new generation, the tappers and so on. Most of them didn't move him because so many them "simply have no soul" in they playing. I always think it is like a piece of literature. Great literature can be wonderfully simple and doesn't have to have you turning to the dictionary every 10 second. I guess my literary guitar player would be Hemingway, Carver, Richard Ford and Ann Tyler.
Feel, flow, soul, emotion — these are all key to me. And maybe that's because I've come to the end of the technique road (for me at least).
For a long time I couldn't understand the point of Andy McKee but recently he has started cutting out a lot of the flashy stuff and concentrating on the core of the music — and I find I appreciate him far more now.
Andy, there's so much in your post that I can identify with. The literature analogy is brilliant. I'd say my literary guitar player would be Damon Runyon - lots of talking out of the side of the mouth, full of shady characters, hilarious, slightly made up as you go along...and no two renditions ever the same. " Feel, flow, soul and emotion " - that is about the strength of it. SaveSave |
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Jo whoever he is.
