[Harp-L] Recording (Re: Harp-L Digest, Vol 79, Issue 49)

[Richard Hammersley <rhhammersley@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Trouble with hearing oneself on recording is that it becomes possible  
to focus on every mistake and imperfection. Most listeners will not  
notice many of these and are more likely to appreciate the musicality  
of the performance than the rightness of the technique.

I think it is important to be able to switch back and forth between  
hearing the musicality and hearing the technique. Trouble is that  
there are rules about the technique so it is reasonable easy to hear  
and discuss the techniques, there are fewer hard-and-fast rules about  
what works in terms of musicality, although almost everyone believes  
that as you improve technique musicality improves too.

But it is possible to have high technique and little musicality on  
occasion. Maybe you have been working for months to nail a really  
difficult passage in a classic tune, getting the bends just right etc.  
You are delighted with your perfect rendition of Juke or Whammer  
Jammer or whatever. Trouble is the audience is divided into those who  
have never heard the original so do not care and cannot tell how good  
you are and those who HAVE heard the original and, very often, will  
keep preferring it.

Can one have low technique and high musicality on the harmonica? There  
is a risk of kidding oneself about this and listening to recording is  
a lesson in where your weak spots are. For instance, before trying to  
play along and record with sequences and song files etc., I did not  
realise how terrible my timing was. After feeling bad about this for a  
while I decided to try harder but care less.

Richard Hammersley
Grantshouse, Scottish Borders
http://www.last.fm/music/Richard+Hammersley
http://www.myspace.com/rhammersley
http://www.myspace.com/magpiesittingdown