Do you ever really hear yourself ?
 

We all emulated somebody when we started with guitar playing. For some it might have been an artist, a relative, a teacher etc., but we wanted to play just like them.
Basically, we were influenced to get started and stick with it, we had a goal.
But, as we progressed and we got over the inial aches and pains of learning the guitar, we wanted to play like somebody we heard on records and radio.
Hours we spend trying to learn songs, riffs, passages we liked. Doing this became part of us and we still do it. This is all part of learning 'This thing called guitar' :). However, when it comes to the point when we start creating our 'own' music, to what extent do these influences preventing us to hear our real self ?

This is a great question. The answer for me is, "I don't know what I sound like." This has prompted me to invest in a few basic recording items so that I can hear what I sound like. (I must say... it has been a horrific revelation :p)

You know, I don't know why this is, but when I hear myself on recordings, all I can think is, "If I heard this guy singing on the radio, I'd roll my eyes and change the station."

But people really seem to enjoy me, I've had professional musicians tell me I should consider it as a career (I'm too old for that ;)). So I've got to figure that what I'm hearing on recordings is NOT the same thing other people are hearing.

But anyway, I think the original question is more related to a songwriting/musical voice than it is vocals. The answer is that we all view life through whatever lens we've ground and all our experiences and tastes affect the way that it comes out. So it's really difficult to write and perform and not have at least some of yourself in there. For me, it's the fact that while I grew up musically trying to emulate other people, I always look for an easier way out. While that way may not be the same as the original creator of a song plays it, it works well for me and thus becomes my own sound.

Of course, because of the way that I sing (when I play a cover song I truly believe that means that you should be as close to it as you can...that includes the vocals), I tend not to know what my natural voice is. The only way to do that for me is to write my own songs. With covers, I'm going to try to sound as much like the original artist as I can, vocally. Generally, I've been pretty successful at that :D

Hi Bern,
You raise a great question!
For me it was a matter of cutting class while attending Berklee School Of Music and teaching myself how to fingerpick.

At that point I realized that I wanted to further my fingerstyle career and not be a music teacher. I also realized that all the flat picking I'd been doing to that point was not where I wanted to be.

That was 1969.........and I guess it took until 1975 or so before I developed a style that was my own, but with heavy references to other, like Ry Cooder and Lowell George.

I think the key is being able to be honestly critical with yourself upon listening to a playback. Certainly it's good to pat yourself on the back and go "Wow....James Taylor couldn't have played that better!"

However it is much better, still, to be able to say "Um, the world already has a James Taylor. How can I make that phrase sound like me?"

The answer is to never be complacent, don't accept being a clone, and focus in on what it is that you like about your favorite players, and what you don't like as well. Be fussy and push the boundaries.

All this isn't as important if you're doing it as a hobby, but if you intend on getting out there in the public eye, you'd better have something unique to say.

Hope that somehow helps.

Best regards,
Howard Emerson

that is so dang true it made me smile and stuff.

howard, were you working in the archtop room at sam ash in, say, 1992-94? when i couldn't afford an L5 to save my life but nevertheless hung out in there a little too much?

It's an interesting question. I was fortunate to encounter and pursue improv music pretty early on. Though I listened to and learned my heros' stuff, I practiced improv soloing incessantly, making up stuff on the spot. Frankly, I was afraid that copping other's material verbatim would make me appear mediocre. These guys had to come up with their own styles - why shouldn't I have to? I also like several different types of guitar playing so I began blending parts of several influences and conciously coming up with my own approach.

A couple of other things helped: A real breakthrough happened when I started playing with the first band who encouraged me to create parts for our songs. While playing with them I began listening to our rehearsal and performance tapes as well as recordings that we did. That made a big difference in that it allowed me to move further away from other player's signature licks and develop my own. About the same time, I studied classical guitar for a while and it radically altered everything including my electric playing.

As a result, when I'm playing my own stuff, I guess I really don't think about other's playing, unless something I do hits my funny bone and reminds me of someone else.

Bob

Yes, Mike, that was me hanging around in the, er.........high-end acoustic room at SANYC from 1994-1998.................I had to get out of there before I went....um...........retail!

That's kind of like 'postal', but higher priced:-)

Good to hear from you!

Best,
Howard

When I started playing guitar in 1976, I immediately started writing my own songs and never cared all that much to play covers or sound like anyone else. I developed my own style for both guitar and vocal, but still, for the life of me, I can't hear myself as others do and in my own opinion, I don't feel I sound all that good. But others think I'm pretty good, so I don't argue. It was only a few years ago that I decided I wanted to play covers, and although I try and stick pretty close to the melody, I don't care if I play the song note-for-note or sound like the original artist. I don't stive to be unique, but I tend to "make a song my own", as they say.

I agree with the other treads here, where if you play long enough, you eventually develop your own style and the only way to develop your style is to do your own stuff. Once your style is developed, you can do copy songs and make them sound like your style. Listening to your music played back is key also. Especially for solo guitar, because it may be the melodies you are hearing are not being heard by the person listening. They're somewhere in the chord you're playing and you just thought everyone could hear it. I don't play out that often (yet), but I've never had someone come up to me saying I sound like so and so.

toooooooooo funny. thought i recognized you from the photos on your site. i left manhattan in 1995, went to bklyn, then westchester, then out for good in 1997. never bought that archtop, not surprisingly. haven't been back to 48th street in a while...

but you made it out. good to hear of... the recovery, without incident. ;)

Funny..I know most folks go through the changes Bern desrcibed but, I never did...was never interestetd in sounding like anyone else. I like playing other folks music but, with my own arrangements. I've always written my own music and can't imagine doing otherwise.I suppose its true plagarism is the highest form of praise but, as for me, I don't play to elevate another writer/musician. I play because I enjoy hearing something that is new, unique and ,whether my own composition or a reworking of someone else's ,insiping.

styling...uniqueness
 

Hi Larry,
Nice to hear from you!

The majority of the planet is rooted in 'Karaoke Mentality' and American Idol. They think that a good imitation is good enough. For them, you teach as best you can and make sure they're happy and getting their money's worth.

For the ones who show a spark of originality, though, you need to give them positive reinforcement when they do a good knockoff.............Until the umpteenth time, at which point you then ask "So how would YOU play it?"

It's very hard for most of them to let go. There's a real feeling of satisfaction at having learned to play a difficult piece, note for note, and with feeling. In order to rise above that, though, they're going to have to go backwards for a time, and that's an insecure place to be.

I've had a couple of students over the years who have quit, and the reason they gave was that they couldn't play the songs like me...........I would just look at them and say "Schmuck:There's only one of me. We don't need another! We need your musical opinion and vision! You're learning this technique precisely so that you can apply it to something of your own making!"

I don't know what you teach in particular, but what you might try is something as oblique as having your student try to play a song they already know, as a waltz..........That will make them look at the song in a totally different light. Another trick would be to have them do a fast song slowly.

I would guess that maybe 1 or 2 students out of 50 would be willing to go down the path of making something into their own style.

Enough of my rambling..........I hope some of this makes sense.

Take care,
Howard

methods or mentoring or coaching or teaching??
 

Larry,
I know now that you teach, but I would be very interested in your creativity and your thoughts. For a moment, forget what you teach others. What are your wildest dreams ?
Bernie