Why do I need to sing if I can play like this?

[Cecil6243]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xduk..._pJt2paZSq7_AI

[rick-slo]

Good playing and sound, however a rather boring arrangement and one which goes on too long for the material.
That would part of the reason. A good voice and words will always win in the popularity contest.

[SprintBob]

I’ve always enjoyed solo acoustic instrumental music but we connoisseurs of that genre of music are a relatively small lot in the general population of music listeners. Without lyrics and vocals, it really needs to have a melody that stands out and as Derek points out, you have to keep it relatively short and not let it get repetitive.

I’m learning Doug Young’s arrangement of For No One by the Beatles and what makes that arrangement interesting is Doug’s take on the French Horn assisted McCartney solo section as well as subsequent variations of the main melody. It keeps the listener engaged IMO.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xduk..._pJt2paZSq7_AI

Hi Cecil

Very few Tommy Emmanuels around. People appreciate David Wilcox (the acoustic one), Eric Clapton or Mark Knopfler (name your favorite player/singer).

Tommy's crowds are enthusiastic, and half-full of excited aspiring and/or appreciative players with their 'dates' either texting their way through the concert (or wishing they could).

I love great instrumental music…be it blues, jazz, fingerstyle, classical. I also love great lyrics, melody, harmony etc.

[reeve21]

LJ hits the nail on the head. My wife had a priceless comment after I dragged her to see TE (she only went of pity because it was my birthday) “Not as bad as I expected “

[Cecil6243]

Originally Posted by rick-slo

Good playing and sound, however a rather boring arrangement and one which goes on too long for the material.
That would part of the reason. A good voice and words will always win in the popularity contest.

As a former lead singer in a garage band, and one that goes bonkers over great singers and vocals with the guitar I respectably disagree. I think there is place for both, and I don't even find Soren BodkerMadsen's arrangement close to boring. I could listen to his arrangement of HC and flawless technical ability all day long.

But we all have our opinions right?

[Cecil6243]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi Cecil

Very few Tommy Emmanuels around. People appreciate David Wilcox (the acoustic one), Eric Clapton or Mark Knopfler (name your favorite player/singer).

Tommy's crowds are enthusiastic, and half-full of excited aspiring and/or appreciative players with their 'dates' either texting their way through the concert (or wishing they could).

I love great instrumental music…be it blues, jazz, fingerstyle, classical. I also love great lyrics, melody, harmony etc.

What about Soren Bodker Madsen that arranged and played the piece I linked to?

[JonPR]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xduk..._pJt2paZSq7_AI

You don't.
But it might depend on how many people you want to appeal to. Singers always have a wider audience than guitar players.

Personally, it's very skilled playing, but I was bored after 30 seconds - in fact before that, but I though I'd give it more than 20...

And I'm a guitar player! I like good guitar playing! And that's good guitar playing! It just didn't grab me. (I did dip further into the track, but again, meh...)

YMMV, obviously. And I recognise your question is kind of rhetorical. But personally I'd rather be able to sing well than play that well.

It actually reminds of me a little of a free improvisation of my own (not based on any existing tune) that I made a couple of months back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PisbU-t-J-c.
I'm not saying my playing is as good as Madsen's; there are mistakes because it was one unedited take. Just so you know where I'm coming from. (Hey I'm only jealous because Madsen has an album and my video has 42 views and one like .... )

[Andyrondack]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xduk..._pJt2paZSq7_AI

Well If you can play like that Cecil6243 you can do whatever you like as far as I'm concerned, I thought that was just great.

[rick-slo]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

As a former lead singer in a garage band, and one that goes bonkers over great singers and vocals with the guitar I respectably disagree. I think there is place for both, and I don't even find Soren BodkerMadsen's arrangement close to boring. I could listen to his arrangement of HC and flawless technical ability all day long.

But we all have our opinions right?

Indeed and I could post all day long links to instrumentals I do think are great.

[rllink]

Not my cup of tea. But I appreciate the dedication and years of discipline one goes through to play that way, but it certainly isn't something I strive for.

[DukeX]

I liked it. Very nice.

[ljguitar]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

What about Soren Bodker Madsen that arranged and played the piece I linked to?

Hi Cecil

What would be different?

The playing is quite good. I can tell you my wife would not be impressed enough to listen for 5minutes & 12 seconds. I made it all the way through, because I was hoping for more playing like the intro.

The intro was the best playing.

The body of the arrangement was pretty average. The section from 4 minutes for a half a minute or so was better than the middle section.

And I can promise you that you could offer my wife a million dollars if she can name the song - she cannot. And if she doesn't recognize it, she's not listening (she's been married to a guitarist for 51 years and HE knows what she will take notice of).

Soren plays very well (I've seen parts of other videos). But so far he has failed to move my heart/soul.

And to the question posed in the title of the thread…we need to sing, or at least sing-along, or inspire people to sing along while we play if we expect people listen to more than a couple songs.

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by Cecil6243

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xduk..._pJt2paZSq7_AI

I enjoyed his version "Hotel California;" I thought it was well done.

If someone were putting on a live show and had sung 5 or 6 songs (in other words, voice and guitar) and the singing was well done, then a break from singing with a song like this might keep the audience engaged. At least I would be engaged.

As others have noted, however, very few solo instrumental players can keep most listeners engaged. In general, an audience most appreciates music with appealing singing.

Tommy Emmanuel can keep me engaged for an entire show and his singing isn't all that great, so if he leaves singing out, it's okay with me. I have probably seen 8-10 TE live shows and he has sung at places in every one of his shows, if I am remembering accurately. So even Tommy knows that a performer needs some variety, some way to change the pace, and that an audience likes singing and a story.

There are plenty of guitar players who don't sing. If you are not trying to make a living from music -- and almost nobody can today -- and you are just playing for yourself and your own enjoyment, I see no reason in the world why you would need to sing.

For me, after I play a few instrumentals, I just can't help wanting to sing. But, ... that's just me and what I need for myself.

- Glenn

[H165]

It's interesting to hear someone get back to the basics of Don Felder's pre-show finger-warmup routine that it was before it morphed into "Hotel California". I do prefer it with lyrics, but that's probably because I'm used to hearing it that way and I like the imagery.