Most of your playing is very heavy on notes at the expense of groove and tone. You just dont leave much space. But I guess I am a minimalist- I prefer one bent note from Albert King to an entire Steve Vai record
Ted - I gotta go with Goldbrick here. It is a common thread with your videos. Take the damn thing outa your mouth once in a while! Make MUSIC - don't try to impress us with how many notes you can play. TONE is more important than note count. FEELING is more important that note count. PHRASING is more important that note count. DYNAMICS are more important than note count. That was a long tune - and I got bored very fast. You can keep the excitement up by playing LESS then throwing in a fast run here and there. If it is all the same level of excitement - it ends up not being exciting at all.
I admire your hard work. Keep it up. I honestly mean the above constructively. I HATE the whole internet thing of blowing smoke up someone's ass telling them they're great when they aren't ... yet. Personally, I WANT honest feedback. It is hard to come by! ---------- *************************************************** /Greg
You have great skills and technique, Ted! Any chorus in your video could be an excellent individual solo in a "song". But I have listened to several of your vids, and I can relate to what Greg and Goldbrick said above. Just my 2 cents worth, from someone years of practice away from having your skill set, but I would like to hear you tell a story, build on a theme, build emotion and tension, come to a crisis, and finally resolution. If you were building that kind of dynamic/dramatic movement into your music consistently, I think it would be world class listening!
Last Edited by Chris L on Aug 23, 2014 9:58 PM
Great work Ted! You have perfect fluidity and control of the groove. I would love to hear you trade phrases with other players/instruments/vocalist. And I love the Jazz work you have posted earlier. ---------- Pistolkatt - Pistolkatts youtube
The fact is that ted has been recording a LOT of videos and gotten a lot o praise but never lisend to any critisism which makes it kind of a one way conversation. I would go mad listening to teds YT playlist of the fact stated above, never the less ted is a lightning fast player that is some what unique in the harmonica world and one that actualy trying to bring a new sound in to the modern blues harmonica world. Like it or not he's hopfully here to stay! :)
I have no idea whether Ted's sudden announcement in another thread that he's quitting the forum has anything to do with the criticism he solicited, and received, here.
But I'll say once again something I learned a long time ago: If you ask people what they think, be prepared to listen to the answer. Some people aren't prepared, I've discovered.
When people email me unsolicited audio or video tracks and ask me to take time out of my day to listen/watch them and share my response--a free evauluation, basically--I often just don't have the time or inclination to do that. But sometimes I do watch/listen, and on the rare occasions that something moves me, or a person shows real promise, I take time to praise and encourage them. On the other hand, when somebody who has been playing for six months sounds like somebody who has....well, been playing for six months, I tell them that, too. Either people want a considered professional opinion or they want to be stroked. I don't believe that stroking has much pedagogical value, except with small children. In fact, I think the most valuable skill a player can have is the ability to criticize one's own playing discerningly and harshly AND remain in love with the instrument, the discipline, and the pleasure-inducing aspects of one's own sound. I don't ask for critiques here very often because I've already got dozens of mental notes about things I don't like or need to work on. Why should I ask other people to add to the pile? I do my best, in any case, to keep a tension between taking pleasure in what I do and--especially with singing and drumming--doing my best to identify the sucky stuff (so to speak) and incrementally improve on it.
Certainly no professional (which is to say, solid, competent, trained) player paid the slightest attention to me for the first ten years I played the instrument. The members of this forum are uniquely well-informed, demanding, sometimes catty, but often, when given a chance, quite direct and honest. Direct and honest feedback is useful, but you need to be in the right mood to ask for and receive it.
Last Edited by kudzurunner on Aug 24, 2014 3:47 PM
honey, does this dress make my butt look fat? correct answer.......... no sweetie, that has always been my favorite dress, you should wear it more often.
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i get a lot of request when i play my harmonica "but i play it anyway"
In another post, [.] Ted said he has projects now, he is sticking around, but not posting.
Moving on the the issue of criticism:
There are different ways to approach this music. For blues and R&B, groove and tone usually take precedence over speed. For blues-rock rock, bluegrass, fast jump blues, or other genres, speed may be highly desirable, though groove and tone still are needed.
Ted has shown a good grasp of speed playing and fast articulation. He may be better at that skill set than are some of his critics. The critics might respond that groove and tone are what matters, and speed is an error. It depends on the music and what the musician and audience are wanting.
I think that a well rounded player will be able to articulate fast lines as well as establishing groove and tone. They are all skill sets needed to make music. I want to be flexible and able to play in many styles, not be a one trick pony.
So the issue may be not to tell Ted that he plays too fast and thus characterize his skills as bad. It would be more productive to note that he has become really good at that style of playing fast, and that his overall growth as a musician would benefit from shifting his focus to groove and tone for a while.
I have struggled with this in my own playing and have been shifting my focus during the last year. I still play fast on some songs, but on others I work to make statements and use space in my playing, emphasizing groove.
Although it is nice to be complimented by an audience and non-harp musicians for fast playing, that is not where I want to stop.
So Ted, you do well articulating fast lines, and are skilled at it. Since you asked for suggestions, I would suggest taking time to also work on groove, tone, and leaving space between lines. RJ MIscho has made some great suggestions in working to not always play, and to not start and end lines where people expect.
I am re-posting a video that shows that at times I have played with a lot of speed, with lots of notes, and that though it is nice to be recognized for it, it is not flawless, and groove and tone need my attention. I am putting myself out there, too, flaws and all.
And I am working on it...
Edit: Fixed the issue, just the one song, not the playlist. ----------
Doug S.
Last Edited by dougharps on Aug 25, 2014 10:39 AM
