Re: [Harp-L] When Did Fast Become Good?

[Ryan H <ryanm3m3nto@xxxxxxxxx>]

Fast playing is just another different dynamic that can be used to say to
the listener what you want with your instrument. I would think the musician
is feeling at that time fast paced emotion depending on the context.

Fast playing when used in moderation can capture the listener's ear just
like a strong single note held for a few measures. I think if everything
sounded the same pace a couple hours of music could become quite dull.

32nd notes and faster can be found in music from over 200 years ago so it
wasn't recent that they were employed in music and those composers are
considered good players.

The issue may be that players who play fast/slow or constantly repeat some
other technique or musical idea all the time with near no variation or
moderation could become uninteresting or unenjoyable over some amount
of time.

Everything in moderation :-)

Ryan

-----Original Message-----
From: Robert Rowe <robertrowe2@xxxxxxx>
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx Harp-L <harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sun, May 12, 2013 10:31 pm
Subject: [Harp-L] When Did Fast Become Good?


When did we develop the mindset that playing at breakneck speed was the
hallmark
of a good player?  So often I'll hear a player rip through a run of 1/128th
notes and the audience cheers like it was the second coming of Christ. It
doesn't seem to matter that the pitch , timing and intonation was terrible.
Fast
= good. I caught the bug ala Eddie Van Halen when I learned to shred my
electrics. The poor janitor was sweeping notes up off the floor for days
when I
got done.



Now, in my old age and wisdom, I appreciate a tune played at a reasonable
pace
so that you can hear the tone of the instrument, the nuances applied by the
artist, the perfect pitch and timing. It reminds me of a quote attributed to
Miles Davis; "Learn to play the silence."

Kelly