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what do you consider most important in playing? I am listening to Ricorado play his offerings and Hendrix and both share one thing, they have that magic ability of touch. Finesse on the strings if you will. Not necessarily speed but certainly a certain finesse that makes everything not only fit but give the music flavor. If you could hav e one thing what would it be speed? technique? theory? the finesse Im talking about? what do you lack and what do you spend yr time practicing. I think when I was young it wass speed, I killed myself trying to play as fast as Hendrix and then it dawned on me it wasnt speed, as he isnt necessarily a fasst player even though he is credited as being one. Its more finesse The timing that makes one think hes playing fast. I can do without speed today, well frankly I have to and concentrated more on the finesse of bringing integrity to the note. comments welcome
RE: what do you consider most important (in reply to rickm)
To me it is to be able to make the instrument talk and get the meaning of the music across to the listener. To do that you have to be hyper sensitive, have great control over a million of tiny details and yet be removed enough to see the bigger picture. That ability, in my opinion, is the real technique. Speed is not important. Theory is nothing without intuition.
Posts: 15472
Joined: Dec. 14 2004
From: Washington DC
RE: what do you consider most important (in reply to rickm)
Used to think timing, with dynamics that makes the groove or soniquete or swing...but have revised it a bit. It is not just timing but the ENERGY you put into it too. Just a nice rhythm guitar is not enough for me anymore, I need to feel a strong life force eminating from a guitarist or performer or whatever. It could be the dancer or person just present in the room, but I am searching these days for that energy.
RE: what do you consider most important (in reply to rickm)
Yes, energy and feeling. We all have that inside of us. But it is tricky to put it into playing. Energy without control is just as bad as control without energy. And feeling and understanding of the musical message should always dictate the timings and dynamics in your playing. Just like your emotional state, the meaning of the chosen words and the desired effect on the listener dictate the intonations of your speech.
By the way, I feel that Vicente Amigo is an absolute master of this.
Posts: 1531
Joined: Nov. 7 2008
From: New York City/San Francisco
RE: what do you consider most important (in reply to Grisha)
Sensitivity, Energy, Feeling... abosultely the decisive and guiding factors,But if can add one element of non-subjective nature, really, when I play the one thing I long for and that makes my instrument speak, is to have .... 'Silence'
RE: what do you consider most important (in reply to rickm)
Alcohol
Not manzanilla though..I had a bit too much of that the other night after reading a thread here about it and man that was awful..maybe it was the brand, but the rest of the bottle is going straight into seafood dishes