I thought it was worth clarifying my point here. As a *Intermediate
harp
player, it feels at times that there is an elitism among harp
players that
send the message if you can't play as well as us you should only
play where
you cannot be heard. I realize that all the complaints about people
making
money who "can't play" are not all directed at us intermediates but
here is
the logic that goes on in my head:
The person they are talking about IS making money playing their
harmonica
People seem to like what they are doing (Bob Dylan is pretty popular)
People seem to like what I am doing (No tomatoes have ever flown)
I cannot overblow (or play in 42nt position...)
The critics can overblow
I therefore suck and should not present my work in fear I will be
mocked
*
I would suggest that we all be careful who and how we mock/critcize
in such
public venues because it may have farther reaching consequences that
we
might think. It may dis-promote the use of harmonica.
I am all for critcism/critique. I am designed to be critical. I have
my
tastes and preferences. I think some stuff is over the top. But I
have also
learned that when I criticize/critique I need to be careful not to use
absolute terms and I need to drown it in humility. I may not have
done that
last part well below. If I affended I am sorry.
Derwood
From: *derwood.blues@xxxxxxxxx*
I was selling a harp mic I had built on eBay at one point and had
included
sound files >of myself playing through the mic to give a sense of
what it
sounded like. I received a >"question" from an eBayer that basically
let me
know that he and his other harmonica
friends could not stop laughing as they listened to my files. There
was a
great deal of >other insulting yet indirect comments.
I have never claimed to be a professional harmonica player and do
no have
the time >in my life to give harmonica the central place in my life.
But, I
do enjoy playing out with >friends at times and seem to please the
"average"
customer. It seems to me that the >attitude that is coming from this
topic
and the "question" on ebay is that I should just quit >and leave the
harmonica playing to those with true skills.
I would suggest that music is a public activity that is meant for the
people and there is >room for many levels of player. Maybe it is the
self
congratulating that are playing for >themselves and not those that
please
the "average" people and not the elite.
Derwood
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