Classical has lost me to 3chords and a story - Page 2

JohnW63 · #16 10-06-2019, 10:31 PM

Consider the lights on the stage. If the place still uses halogen spot lights and general stage lights, the place they were playing would get rather hot ! I know from talking to our music teacher at a HS, the temp makes all the students nylon string guitars go out of tune. We just spend a boat load of money converting to LED. A really NICE system of LED lights.

whvick · #17 10-07-2019, 05:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JohnW63

Consider the lights on the stage. If the place still uses halogen spot lights and general stage lights, the place they were playing would get rather hot ! I know from talking to our music teacher at a HS, the temp makes all the students nylon string guitars go out of tune. We just spend a boat load of money converting to LED. A really NICE system of LED lights.

Good idea, but this is a large sanctuary with no stage lights. I feel it was more from their inexperience.

musicman1951 · #18 10-07-2019, 06:01 AM

I like a great deal of music, and any genre that's done well. I also like a song with a good story, but I'm not going to listen for very long if they all have three chords.

Instrumental guitar music requires really good music with as much dynamic contrast as the player can muster on an instrument with admittedly limited quantities of such contrast. When you compare all the colors (contrast of sounds and volume) of a symphony orchestra and a lone guitar you can see how much harder the guitarist has to work to be interesting for more than a few minutes.

For me the video of Asturias was the opposite of what I find interesting. The marching band bass drum was incredibly irritating and there was virtually no dynamic contrast.

I like music that touches me emotionally, although I admit I do require more than that - a screaming baby is a brilliant sharing of emotion. That has little to do with genre or the complexity of the music (although, again, some occasional complexity is nice), but maybe the honesty of the performance. If you love what you play, and you play it well, other people will often love it as well.

DaveKell · #19 10-07-2019, 09:00 AM

Many years ago when I finally had a new Martin D28 my only goal was to be able to play as good as Andy Griffith on the tv show where he actually played his D18 on the porch. Back then I didn't realize he hadn't gotten very far with guitar playing and 3 chord songs, being a dime a dozen, were incredibly easy to master. I set my sights higher and became a passable bluegrass flatpicker for a few years.

Then I set my sights on fingerstyle and never made it as far as I did with flatpicking. I have a good friend who is one of the top fingerstyle pickers in Texas and is regularly asked to do studio work. I have 3 of his cd's of all instrumental songs. I can't listen to one all the way through. The intricate, lush playing can't hold my attention long enough. I've heard others say "yeah Stan is one of the best but he plays too many notes for anybody to listen to for very long".

I decided to be content with 3 chords and the truth in my songwriting, occasionally even throwing in a 4th chord into the progression! While I can't entertain anybody very long solo, I can present my new songs at open mics adequately and I'm as good a strummer as anybody I've ever heard. Judging from what I see of others, that's not an accomplishment to back away from.

dwasifar · #20 10-07-2019, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaveKell

I decided to be content with 3 chords and the truth in my songwriting...

There it is. The ghost of Harlan Howard, smiling.

mr. beaumont · #21 10-07-2019, 10:06 AM

Whatever it is, Go on and do it. Do it. Do it 'til you're satisfied.

icuker · #22 10-08-2019, 03:04 PM

I think, for me, part of it is just wanting to hear a song and hear it sung. I love classical guitar, gypsy jazz guitar, bluegrass guitar and jazz guitar, but sometimes it all gets too instrumental to my mind and I yearn for a good ol' song. So, I like a mix of various stuff the best between songs and good instrumental stuff.

Goat Mick · #23 10-08-2019, 03:44 PM

I love the sound of a beautifully played guitar and some of these amazing classical players can stop me in my tracks. But only for a few minutes before my ears grow tired. I'm more a fan of the song than I am the instrument. I like to hear a story in a song, I like to hear the instrument support what the lyrics are saying to me. So while I am a guitar player with a love for the instrument, I'm much more a lover of the song.

I really can't listen to instrumental pieces of any genre for an extended length of time without wanting to move on.

JohnW63 · #24 10-08-2019, 09:33 PM

Quote:

I like to hear a story in a song

For me, if done well, the instrumental is the story in the song.

Now, I get it. Some styles and players CAN be rather repetitive. That's why I need instrumentals done right. They can be smooth like a good jazz player, or really toe tapping like Jerry Reed or somewhere in between. I like some of Lee Ritenour or Larry Carlton for that stuff.

I've always found Tom Petty's ability to write a really catchy 4 chord song that doesn't sound like EVERY other 4 chord song too.

I like them all and don't exclude one over the other.

whvick · #25 10-09-2019, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goat Whiskey Picks

I love the sound of a beautifully played guitar and some of these amazing classical players can stop me in my tracks. But only for a few minutes before my ears grow tired. I'm more a fan of the song than I am the instrument. I like to hear a story in a song, I like to hear the instrument support what the lyrics are saying to me. So while I am a guitar player with a love for the instrument, I'm much more a lover of the song.

I really can't listen to instrumental pieces of any genre for an extended length of time without wanting to move on.

I think you just hit it for me also!