1st video is a nice example of your evolution from chaos towards controlled playing. Still a bit busy for my taste, but there are some good ideas contained within. ---------- The Iceman
Ted sez "Less is more? Not really. Less , often than not, is merely less"
IMO, you may find yourself in a very small minority if you truly believe this....sounds to me more like you are justifying your love of overplaying rather than a logical musical position.
If you love overplaying - in yourself and others - that's your choice.
I'm not in agreement with this philosophy, but we are all entitled to our own musical opinions. ---------- The Iceman
I don't object to Ted's playing style per se. I enjoy fast intense passages that are well executed, but I prefer them in contrast to more sparse nuanced playing in the same song or subsequent songs.
Just as I like the dynamics of contrasting loud and quiet playing I also enjoy the dynamics of sections of slow long nuanced notes and sparse playing contrasted with intense showers of notes.
As a listener, constant slow sparse playing contributes to boredom and constant fast intense playing leads to fatigue.
For me the artistic changes in playing style within a song or neighboring songs in a set are what will catch and hold my attention. ----------
---------- Ted, there is no way I will ever be able to play as many notes in a short space as you. I respect your skills on the harp. dougharps expresses my feelings in words, while Roy Buchanan gives a great example of this:
Last Edited by orphan on Mar 10, 2020 7:22 AM
I'm not a fan of Jason's too many notes - fatigues my ear after about 10 minutes.
However, his approach and understanding of how music works, IMO at least, is more competent. Jason does indeed know how to slow it down to great effect. ---------- The Iceman
It's possible less can be less and more can be more. Opinions are like quantum states... Schrodinger's Cat be both dead and alive.
Ultimately, unless someone is handing us a check for a specific performance saying 'play these notes' we are playing for ourselves.
Iceman, we know you are a fan of 'less is more'. Ted, we know you are a fan of 'more is more'. Larry, it doesn't matter if 'more is more' is a minority taste... it's Ted's taste (and the taste of others).
So, instead of thinking of it as 'I can change this about Ted's playing' think of it as 'Underground Band X is not my style'. Recognize that that is Band X's style. They aren't selling out to be more popular. They are playing what makes them happy. They already know you have a different style of music you prefer.
I've seen Ted slow it down. He does it well. It's not 'Ted' then... I mean, musically it's Ted, but taste wise it's not his joy.
So, if someone posted Band X (no idea if there is a real band X) and someone said 'not my style' that's fine... but if the next time it got posted the same person said 'not my style', and the next time, and the next time... well, it's already been said and you are just repeating yourself.
Ted, I appreciate it gets frustrating but please don't take the bait. I remember one of your FB posts where you were saying you didn't like the Eagles. I like some of their stuff... not all. I responded to your post (probably something clever and witty, knowing me)... think of yourself as a band that got a review from a critic from a different genre. You know Larry doesn't like your style of music. Just tell him whatever is the equivalent of 'Okay boomer' to his generation (might be boomer?) and move on.
Please, everyone, play nice- whether that is fast or slow.
This is a forum in which folks are allowed to express their opinions. I'm sorry that opinions that don't align with yours are so upsetting to you. Why not just disagree rather than lashing out?
Please re-read the forum rules. The following is one rule that seems very appropriate for this situation...
§CIVILITY. Civility is the governing virtue of this forum. Please contribute in a spirit of civility. Vigorous, passionate conversation is fine. Disagree emphatically, if you wish, with the opinions others express here. But do not flame, insult, or otherwise impugn the looks, parentage, intelligence, or talents of your fellow board members, and do not start threads that seek to encourage that sort of behavior. You are not required to like everybody here. But you are required to remain civil towards them if you wish to remain a member of this forum.
Well said Iceman..the trouble with Ted is he don't like anyone that has an opinion..I also agree with you about Jason Ricci boring and over play's and I have told him that he overplays as well although he does at leased play with some tone...so again Less is More Ted...and practise playing with some feel and tone
To everyone in this thread... remember you have to treat anyone here who is a member with respect. Larry, you can, of course, point to Ted's comments as breaking the rules but it's in response to you repeatedly, over a period of years, disrespecting him. My first response was me trying to spin it in a way that you could save face. You don't do nuance, so here it is in black and white...
If you post in a thread that Ted starts again you aren't going to be given any more chances. Like I said in my email to you his threads are off limits to you. So is his playing. We all know you don't like fast playing. That's your cross to bare, not his. And don't try to be sneaky and post about his playing in other threads. Still off limits. You don't seem to have the self control to do it. If he posts a comment in a thread on a different topic and you want to have a pleasant conversation, fine, but it better not turn to his playing.
To people looking at just this thread thinking this is an over reaction... this has been going on as long as I can remember.
Sean... you've got 24 posts. I'm going to give you a pass on jumping to sides here on the basis you may not know the grudge history... read the part of your comment where you are talking about Ted's playing and ask yourself if you think that follows the forum rules. You are not following the rules of civility.
And Ted, or anyone else, if you have a problem with someone don't take the bait and yell at them back. You make it harder for me to make a clean decision. Contact me. I'm locking this thread.
Also, general rule- if you are posting songs and want feedback ask for feedback. If you just want to share something that's fine too. For everyone commenting on those posts take note. This is, among other things, a place people can share there harmonica music with each other. If you don't like it and they didn't ask you just move on to the next thing.
I have stepped in as admin--something I do not enjoy at all--and deleted one particular post of Ted's above. It was a post that contained some language that was plainly in violation of the creed. I tried at first merely to red-line out the bad stuff, but I was unable to do that. So I was forced to delete the entire post.
I thank Nacoran, our tireless and judicious admin, for his attempt, here and behind the scenes, to keep the peace. Every once in a blue moon, perhaps in a time of plague, I am required to supplement his efforts. I have done that here. I do that without fear or favor. I want this forum to be a place where rules ultimately prevail, not personalities. That, paradoxically, gives personalities a chance to thrive.
Both Ted and Iceman, for the record, have done me an occasional favor. So it gives me no pleasure to do what I have done. I see that I have an email from Iceman in my inbox right now, but I didn't read it before coming here.
I'm on vacation and need to get back to it.
Note: I haven't scoured every post in this thread for language that offends the creed. I suspect that if I did that I would find other actionable material. This thread is done.
