Re: Visual roadmaps suck (Re: Pers latest clip)

[Charles Zwicky <cazwicky@earthlink.net>]

I started live as a wind / horn player and switched later in life to 
guitar  (OK, at age 8).
  I was fascinated to hear a tape that Jon Hassell played during an 
interview which contained some of his lessons with his indian vocal 
teacher. Vocalizing, note shapes and colors. 'Shredding' is at it's 
-best- like Jackson Pollock, it can be quite valid, too...  I suppose.

>On 22 maj 2007, at 16.50, Charles Zwicky wrote:
>
>>Sounds like you hit the nail on the head there.  I've always felt 
>>that horn players had a certain advantage over keyboard and guitar 
>>players. One simple way to describe the phenomenon is that the lack 
>>of visual 'roadmaps' require that the player must hear th licks in 
>>their head before playing them, often resulting in more of a human 
>>vocal quality to the resuling music.
>
>What you describe as a "horn player related phenomenon" is IMHO the 
>starting point from where any person should begin learning to play 
>any instrument. It's a big mistake to start out making sounds that 
>come from the instrument rather from your own emotion and curiosity. 
>"Visual roadmaps" are no good unless they are blueprints of your own 
>inner feelings and methods for making music. No one, seriously 
>interested in learning to play music, should initially be allowed to 
>play any note that is not felt fully justified. That's a big mistake 
>by many music teachers! I think a much better learning attitude 
>would be: "Never play a note that would not be your choice if 
>singing! If in doubt, stay silent."
>
>I think "visual roadmaps" can successfully be imagined as tools for 
>working with structured improvisation, but to use them for 
>intonation, phrasing and reacting on musical gestures... jeez, that 
>sounds destructive! Those immediate organic processes should really 
>be left for the "built-in" musical instinct.
>
>BTW, I'm not a horn player, I'm a guitar player that picked up horns 
>and air instruments on the side. Until I no longer could tell which 
>instrument is my premier... it's just sound and expression anyway, 
>whatever tool you choose for making noise.
>
>>I built my strat when I was 14 years old, in search of the same 
>>elusive tone you mentioned in your post. I  actually * did * 
>>reverse the angle of my bridge pickup. What a tremendous 
>>improvement! Thicker trebles and brighter basses!
>
>Cool! How interesting to hear that you found the improvement that great!
>
>>What's more, I have been using a Telecaster pickup there for the 
>>last several years.
>
>I'd like that too! :-)  The tele has a better bite to its bridge 
>pickup. Especially those old pickups with more mid tone.
>
>per


-- 
...
http://www.zmix.net