Miguel de Maria -> the techniq of feeling (Aug. 26 2004 17:44:13)
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I was reading a classical guitar article the other day, and it postulated an interesting point, while bringing up the typical way guitar players are stereotyped. There is the "technically skilled but untalented student," who can play fast scales and very cleanly, but lacks feeling in his music, and the "talented but lazy" student who, although he may play sloppily, plays very expressively. It seems to me that of course we all have our natural inclinations, but that we shouldn't pigeonhole ourselves or others into these arbitrary categories. With the proper training and time anyone can acquire technical competence on the instrument--this is a controversial point with many people. But even more controversial, I believe that anyone can learn to play expressively, with feeling--from the heart. I think this way of thinking is a bit rare. I play a lot of rumbas, and remarked to a friend that I wanted to learn how to play more "Spanish," less "white." He said that I couldn't do that becuase it's a certain way of feeling that the Spanish have. They are more emotional and the certain type of emotions that Spanish people have lead to the way they play. This is ridiculous. Certainly different cultures have different ways and degrees of expressing emotions. But still--upon further study, I realize that a lot of this simply has how the notes are played, in terms of dynamics and rhythm. For example, a lot of Latin music emphasizes the "clave" note, the note right before the second beat in the measure. This is the sound of salsa, of rumba, of tangos. I realize now that a lot of the Spanish sound I was looking for was simply the idea of emphasizing this note, of crafting my melodies to hit this note. It has nothing to do with the emotions of the Spaniard! Although there is a certain psychological state that this seems to put me in. I don't know how this works, perhaps because it is off the beat and therefore uncertain or bold in some way... blues does the same thing, when you play a little bit off the beat or really go for that bend or flat third. It does engender a distinct emotional reaction...
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