Re: what a loop has to say

["Kris Hartung" <khartung@cableone.net>]

> THis is an interesting discussion, but can we just take a look at it 
> from a different perspective?
>
> Can a musician hide behind extremely developed playing abilities? If so, 
> what is he trying to compensate for?
> And what does it take for a listener to see through the hoax?

I can't resist. I like how you reversed the perspective. Nice!  
Personally, 
yes, I do think it is possible to compensate for lack of creativity by 
showcasing chops. And I'm guilty of this too...heck, I'm guilty of 
everything I guess. If I'm in a poor state of mind at a performance for 
whatever reason and can't create myself out of a paper bag, I resort to 
chops. I wow the audience or distract them with flamboyant playing, fast 
and 
fluttering phrases, scales, right hand technique, etc.  It's easy to do, 
but 
when folks compliment me on this after the show, it doesn't mean much to 
me. 
I'd rather have someone way, wow that song really touched me artistically, 
than you sure are a fast and proficient player!  That latter statement is 
sort of depressing and a moot point. Well yes, I guess that goes without 
saying given that I've played guitar for 26 years and I practiced 6 hours 
a 
day in my late teens, studied jazz, classical, etc.

What does it take for the listener to see through the hoax? Good question. 
I 
suppose with some training, a non-musician could learn how to discern, 
let's 
say, the difference between playing a rather non-innovative scale at 
lightening speed, and playing a really <relative 
term>interesting</relative 
term> phrase that he or she has never heard before, or that conveys a 
unique 
emotion based on note choice.

What's the phrase that someone in the music industry coined in regard to 
players that are really technical, but not very creative or artistic? 
Something about impressing us, but not convincing us? I can't recall.

Kris