was bassman, tone, adding musicality, expressiveness

[john kuzloski <jkuzloski@xxxxxxxxx>]

Following BBQ Bob's discussion of the Bassman and his reiteration of the importance of acoustic tone, I just want to throw in something based on reading posts here for awhile.  It seems that yes, there is a lot of talk about gear and getting a sound/tone you want, and also some talk about getting good acoustic tone.  What I have read less of (maybe because it's harder to explain?) is the importance of what might be called musicality or expressiveness.  It's got something to do with soul or energy or dynamics.  What I'm talking about is the quality in your playing that makes the folks in the bar stop talking and listen to you because you are playing somethging that they can feel.  I think it has something to do with feeling the music yourself at some emotional depth and communicating that.  Not sure exactly what I'm trying to say here; maybe something like -- just like gear can't give you good tone; good tone can't give you soul.  
 
Okay, so how to increase soul/expressiveness?  Maybe that's the question to the group.  (For myself, I think I try to perform songs that move me; I try to feel them as deeply as possible.  I recall a quote from Dock Boggs (not a harp player) about him sometimes breaking down in the middle of a song because he was so into it!)  
 
- --john k.

		
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