[Harp-L] Super Loud Bands

["sam blancato" <samblancato@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi Folks,

I haven't checked out this list for a few day - to busy - but now that I've
read out this Loud Bands thread I have to jump in with my two cents worth.  

First off playing too loud serves the same purposes in music performance
that talking too loud does in spoken communication.  Music is a language and
performance is a way of using that language.  Most of the times I hear
somebody get loud their message suffers for it in that it usually means that
loudness is taking the places of better chosen words or with just with just
using little bits of volume here and there to make emphases.  

For me it's usually blues bands that I go to hear.  The best bands I hear
live are usually national acts; Mark Hummel, John Nemeth, Kim Wilson are the
bands that come to mind.  And I tell you, these guys usually stay cool,
never ruffled.  They hold back.  They give bursts of volume in some parts of
their performance but it really makes for much better emphasis.  

The local bands I hear are far more likely to be loud all the time and
they're playing reflects this too.  It always seems like everybody is trying
to have this musical orgasm ALL THE TIME.  I think it's very tiring.  I've
jammed hundreds of time with that kind of cacophony of noise and I know it
diminishes my playing; having to fight to be in the groove is a pain in the
ass.  I think it diminishes every aspect of the music to a degree.  It
deemphasizes the tempo and the more subtle parts of the rhythm guitar, it
makes it hard for the bass to be more dynamic, in fact it pretty much takes
dynamics out of the picture.  

So I guess I'm not in the "different strokes for different folks" camp.  I
think loud diminishes the musical opportunity for everyone concerned,
players and audience alike.

Oh yeah, and it covers a lot of mistakes too, as well as damaging most
peoples hearing.

Sam Blancato, Pittsburgh