Visual roadmaps suck (Re: Pers latest clip)

[Per Boysen <perboysen@gmail.com>]

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