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Topic: Sharp - On Purpose? |
Karlis Abolins
From:
(near) Seattle, WA, USA
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 6:43 am |
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Yesterday morning I was filling my car at the local gas station. They have a really nice sound system and yesterday they were playing the local country station. This is one of the few places that I get to hear country. Anyway, in the middle of the song being played, the steel player took a ride. It really caught my attention because it was sharp. Not enough to detract from the song and that made me wonder whether this was done on purpose either by the steel guitatrist or by the engineers during processing.
Have any of you sharped a ride for emphasis? In this case the ride was nicely done and prominent in the mix.
I can't tell you who the artist was since I don't know the current country scene at all. I just nticed the steel ride.
Karlis |
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Ricky Davis
From:
Bertram, Texas USA
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 6:51 am
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Sharp adds excitment and Flat adds gloom.
Ricky |
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kyle reid
From:
Butte,Mt.usa
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 8:39 am
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| Some guys are tuning different these days! apparantly thats what you heard! |
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David Doggett
From:
Bawl'mer, MD (formerly of MS, Nawluns, Gnashville, Knocksville, Lost Angeles, Bahsten. and Philly)
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 8:45 am
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| Karlis, what was the song? |
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Peter Jackson
From:
Midcoast Maine, USA
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 8:50 am
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| I always thought Duane Allman played sharp, at least some of the time. |
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Klaus Caprani
From:
Copenhagen, Denmark
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 9:40 am
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Maybe the basic tracks were changed after the steel was recorded 
------------------
Klaus Caprani
MCI RangeXpander S-10 3x4
www.klauscaprani.com
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Karlis Abolins
From:
(near) Seattle, WA, USA
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 10:15 am
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I'm sorry but I really don't know what song it was. I was on my way to work and didn't have time to wait for the song title to be announced.
My point is that the ride was sharp on purpose. Maybe Ricky hit it on the head with his observation about mood associated with sharp or flat. Could one of you pros who do this could enlighten us on the subject.
Karlis |
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Charlie McDonald
From:
out of the blue
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 12:15 pm
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| If it's done for emphasis, it's overdone. |
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Roger Edgington
From:
San Antonio, Texas USA
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 12:42 pm
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| I've never done it on purpose, but sometimes I play a little sharp and sometimes a little flat. I try to please everybody. Sometimes I play real hard as if the band will move to my pitch. It never works though. The last time our band was in the studio,we had some pitch issues and we are all trying very hard to clean it up as we play 3 part stuff a lot. I have since switched to pretty much 440 and flatening the thirds a little. It has really helped in mixing with the fiddle especially. |
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Wayne Franco
From:
silverdale, WA. USA
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 1:36 pm
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| You crack me up Roger! Way to go buddy. |
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Joe Miraglia
From:
Jamestown N.Y.
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 2:02 pm
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| Do what I do. Play with a band that doesn't hear so well, play for an owner and audience with hearing impairments, but never, never play for another steel guitar player because they will be sure to hear whether you are sharp or flat. Joe |
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Roger Rettig
From:
Naples, FL
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 2:29 pm
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I've played with fiddlers who have (maybe subconsciously) played a fraction sharp as it helps them to hear themselves on a 'loud' stage. I guess it'd work for a steel player, too, but it's an unfortunate step to have to take.
I can't imagine anyone doing the same in a studio setting, though...
RR |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 28 Jul 2005 10:29 pm
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| Symphonic conductors have been fighting for years the belief of many classical musicians that tuning sharp sounds "better" than tuning on center. So far it seems to be a losing battle. Now some steelers are at it, too? Go figure. |
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David Mason
From:
Cambridge, MD, USA
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Posted 29 Jul 2005 3:26 am
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Intonation on individual notes is just part of the available palette, like vibrato. Some people are very skilled and deliberate in their usage; other people pronounce elaborate rules about their usage. Pablo Casals was greatly criticised for "creative" intonation when he first recorded Bach's cello suites in the thirties, it has since become the norm. Those are solo pieces, so there's no other instruments to clash with.
People do have a tendancy to play sharp deliberately when they're consciously "emoting", and inadvertently when they're overstimulated, but if an entire ride was equally sharp it would appear to be an engineering decision and/or screwup. It would take amazing playing skill to play an entire solo equally, perfectly, consistently sharp, and I can't see why you'd want to? How did it sound in context? |
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John Daugherty
From:
Rolla, Missouri, USA
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Posted 29 Jul 2005 8:18 am
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| Karlis, here is my theory. You could have,unknowingly, been referencing the music to a steady tone being generated somewhere near the gas station. It could have been cars, machinery,lights,or even another musical source in the background. That's my theory and I'm stickin to it........JD |
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James Morehead
From:
Prague, Oklahoma, USA - R.I.P.
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Posted 29 Jul 2005 3:17 pm
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That happens usually when the rest of the band is flat.  |
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