[Harp-L] competition

[David Fertig <drfertig@xxxxxxxxx>]

Interesting post, Jimmy!

While I don't prefer to play competitively in terms of head-cutting, I think it's clear most musicians compete, at least in measuring ourselves and others, but we are all nonetheless different in so many ways.  

Thankfully diverse are our motivations for playing. Thus when you queried, "[A]side from existential philosophy, what's the point of playing in a group unless you play in front of an audience?"  I had to sit up.  It is an alien concept to me, to need an audience - not to say I'm shy, it just ain't my motivation.  The point for me is the personal musical experience!  But you know that, too . . .

Now, I understand many musicians play to "perform" in front of others, it's how our society works in terms of work and reward, recognition, etc.  And there's huge satisfaction in performing music for people who like it,  as we all know.   I gig relatively often and mostly enjoy it, hugely.  I like no less to sit and play by myself or with another.

Some of us got into it to play for ourselves, and with others, for the fun (and therapeutic benefits!) of playin' regardless of audience.  Indeed, some avoid audience. (I remember Al Wilson in '67 or so hiding behind the speaker stacks when soloing, perhaps not the best exampe but interesting nonetheless.)  

In fact, some players blossom more, away from an audience.  Thus since the mid '80's we (Elmtree Blues Society) have hosted player-only jams, ranging from a few to a few dozen players, for the very reason of how players play and how improvisational music happens  - without an audience, without expectations of performance, and without rules.      And when Elmtree brings people together to perform in front of others, it's different  (I think still very good!!) but different, than in a players-only jam. 

Vive la difference!!  and yes, small jams usually mean less gear-lugging . . . but not always!

-Dave "I ain't shy, I'm just selfish!" Fertig

--- On Tue, 5/3/11, harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx <harp-l-request@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

            
            From: 
            "jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx" <jim.alciere@xxxxxxxxx>
            	
            	
            	
        	To: 
        	harp-l@xxxxxxxxxxx got a nice email from R Sleigh about competition. Whether you
believe music should be a competition or not, how do you keep score
these days? Seems like we have a lot of harp players who have the
equivalent of a hundred mile an hour fast ball, with no batters and no
stadium. Sure you have to learn your instrument, but you also you have
to learn how to pay in a group--like not playing over the singer,
keeping a groove, those kind of things--everyone working as a unit not
a collection of soloists--heck, practice singing harmonies. Takes a
lot of concentration to play with other people. And aside from
existential philosophy, what's the point of playing in a group unless
you play in front of an audience? Shlepping gear schmoozing with the
crowd maybe this comes natural to some people, not to me Who's going
to be the front man (front woman)? With one band, I
 got picked to be
the front man. I have no natural talent for doing this (for one thing
I can't sing).

 It seems like learning your instrument gets easier every year while
learning ensemble work, and getting live experience get harder and
harder.  I don't know if this is because there are so many bands now
or if there are so few live music venues.

Before the Grateful Dead became the psychedelic whatever they were,
they played six days a week, two gigs on Saturday and two gigs on
Sunday. Not touring, just playing locally. That's a learning
experience few people get anymore.

So if you're going to keep score, like who's a better harp player,
Chilly Kurtz or Jason Ricci, it seems to me that it's not just whether
a person has practiced a lot, the band has to be tight and know what
the audience wants to hear.

Rainbow Jimmy
 "Contrariwise, if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it
 would
be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic."
Lewis Carroll

http://www.myspace.com/theelectricstarlightspaceanimals
http://www.facebook.com/spaceanimals