Um... well...
I think you may be correct. That perhaps it is a bit of naivete on your part, Elizabeth.
Quite frankly, there are a LOT of us who do care about our amplification.
Here's what you're missing: You see, the AMPLIFIED harmonica player considers his equipment to be a vital link in the chain that is his/her sound. I consider it to be quite literally another instrument altogether, and attempt to understand it, play it and take care of it in this manner.
Understanding HOW to "move" the equipment in order to achieve a desired sound by utilizing different attacks and pressures and techniques is something I regard in my teaching as a separate subject. And it seems to be something that you do not yet understand, or perhaps have no desire to understand.
Just as electric guitars introduced a variety of sounds through amplification that resulted in an entirely new approach to guitar playing, so too in a similar manner has amplifying the harmonica. Our intent is to color the sound to where at times one may sound like an organ, a guitar, a horn, and yes, even a harmonica as PART OF the music and what it calls for in any given moment.
When I first began playing amplified, I thought it was simply a matter of picking up a mic and blowing. Nothing could be further from the truth. It took me years to understand and execute, and is a continued work in progress. I've seen a lot of good acoustic harmonica players with excellent acoustic tone having never studied or learned amplified playing sound thin and lifeless when attempting to play amplified. It's just not that easy. Again, the amplified player is introducing a coloration to his/her sound that is much more than just playing loudly. Playing amplified CORRECTLY is "delivering the goods" in my book. Nothing like a thin, lifeless, weak amplified sound to spoil the performance.
Our appreciation of this is FAR from "focusing our lives on what someone plays through." You just don't seem to understand how amplifiers are an important part in achieving a quality of sound (among other things) that does, in fact, move audiences as part of the musical presentation IF EXECUTED CORRECTLY.
Clay Kirkland has, in the instance described by Rick, demonstrated a level of ability in amplification that is difficult to achieve considering the suspect quality of his equipment. Those of us who understand what he's achieved applaud him, even if some of us don't agree on his choice of equipment. His amplified technique and it's impact in his message is incredible. And it's the sound, the texture, the dynamics of amplified playing that is a part of his music and was no doubt a very major part of Clays performance, otherwise he would not have considered playing amplified AT ALL.
I think if you've spent any amount of time attempting to seriously study amplified playing, you would appreciate what Rick is trying to say about Clay's performance.
Consider Rick's blog:
http://bluesharpamps.blogspot.com/
It's primary focus is understanding and discussing amplified harmonica playing. I know what he's trying to say.
I tire of the attitudes that don't understand the role of amplification as an instrument in the musical message yet are quick to level a judgement against those of us who do. The attitude that implies that we're just a bunch of gear heads who simply plug in and blow.
Where's the tolerance? Where's the love?
Just because one does not understand is no reason to lambast.
Ray. -- My Music – www.resgraphics.com/music My YouTube – www.youtube.com/raybee127
On Sep 3, 2009, at 7:31 AM, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx wrote:
------------------------------
Message: 2 Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 23:56:33 EDT From: EGS1217@xxxxxxx Subject: Subject: [Harp-L] An Amazing Performance To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx Message-ID: <c32.5d1f34d2.37d09871@xxxxxxx> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"
Rick Davis writes:
"but here is the really amazing part. His harp
amp was a Fender Frontman 15R. That's right... He won the day with a cheap
little solid state amp that is bundled with a Squire Strat in a $200
"Guitar
Starter Kit" at Wal-Mart. It isn't even the new model of the Frontman 15
that sells for $79.99. It's a late-90s version that sold for even less."
It is? THAT is what you think is the 'really amazing part'? ???!!! What am I missing?
I must be terribly naive. See...here I'm thinking that
'The really amazing part' is that he achieved something extraordinary...
played well enough to garner major applause and kudos from an audience of his
peers.
Yet you single out the cheapness of his gear as 'The' most important
factor, mention his playing as 'pretty' amazing before you launch into this
discussion of his Amps.
Who cares? There's something surely wrong then about how I think of
playing harmonica if the Amp is THE most important feature rather than the
player and his instrument, and if your ideas of harmonica playing (major rants
about what Charlie Musselwhite should or should not carry on board a plane
come to mind) are what people care about most today.
If I'd been there I wouldn't have spared a thought towards what he played
through... wouldn't have noticed at all, in fact. All I'D have heard was his
actual playing, and the effect it had on me and the audience, and whether
or not I liked/enjoyed what I heard.
Frankly I could give a hoot if someone plays through the PA system or sans
any amplification of any kind. Can he/she deliver 'the goods'? - is far
more important..... IS he/she a player?.... Does he/she move me?...are far
more important factors in what I think of as a great performance...JUST as
I would that of any other instrumentalist.
I've never once looked at or cared what Amps Peter White plays through when
I go to his many concerts/shows. ALL I care about is listening to his
wonderful guitar playing (and I honestly don't care what guitar he uses).
Perhaps you who focus your entire lives on what someone plays 'through'
are forgetting the simple reality and needs of the audience. The rest of us
really don't care what gear is onstage. We're there to hear the performer
not the gear, so adding that paragraph at the end of the 'review' - which
certainly seems to have been your entire raison d'etre for writing the
review in the first place, was superfluous and did nothing but take away from
his achievement, no matter how you slice and dice it.
Umm...what was the name of the player again? Oh right. Clay Kirkland.
Elizabeth
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