Re: [Harp-L] harp soul

[Ron Good <rdg@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Glenn (correctly) wrote:

"It's certainly possible to be a dry, souless technician, and it's also
possible to be soulful without having virtuoso chops. But it's also possible
to have both, and the greatest musicians almost always do."

Part of the equation is the (sometimes) subtle differences between musicians who consider themselves primarily as musicians, as performers, or as both. There's room for greatness in all three. My point is that it is perfectly acceptable, even correct, to be any of the above, in whatever proportion; whatever suits and reveals *you*, and your soul.

In writing, there's a thing called "finding your voice", or as an editor of mine put it: "...for a start, write like you talk". In other words, write like you are, work to write "you". So...

Play "you". Be best at that. And be happy and maybe even respectful when other folks manage to play themselves, because really playing "you" to a sufficient degree that other folks hear it and feel it isn't easy at all. It is especially hard to play yourself to the degree that it's obviously you and not someone else. That's very rare.

Is there a better compliment than when people say "I knew it was you playing right away, and I loved it." I mean, isn't that a step above the (still very well-meant) compliment: "you sounded exactly like <insert name of your/their favorite harp player here>?

Ron