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Topic: Do passion and emotion belong in steel playing? |
Chris Tweed
From:
Cardiff, Wales, UK
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 9:12 am |
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I posted this video of the amazing Sarah Jory in another thread before I read the comments which, being on YouTube, inevitably included some criticisms. In this case, a few commenters complained that Sarah was showing too much emotion and should instead "play the tune" without any overt display of passion.
What do you think? Is there room for expressing feelings so visibly or should we maintain a stony demeanour throughout? Should we try to produce a performance as well as playing the tune? Are there other steel players who make a show of playing? |
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Joe Savage
From:
St. Paul, MN
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Joe Savage
From:
St. Paul, MN
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 9:42 am
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The video of Sarah shows me a person who plays with her whole being. I can appreciate that.
_________________
Joe Savage
www.savagejoe.com
Last edited by Joe Savage on 16 Sep 2013 9:58 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Joe Savage
From:
St. Paul, MN
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 9:57 am
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| Heh! Heh! Chortle, chortle! |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Joe Savage
From:
St. Paul, MN
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 10:33 am
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And be agreeable. The Chortling Savages.
Everyone knows that, Cohen. Jeeez.......emote, chortle, agree. Three characteristics of a Savage.
That's on our family crest for cryin' out loud.
But this is about playing pedal steel with or without outward signs of emotion. Where stand Ye?
_________________
Joe Savage
www.savagejoe.com |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Joe Savage
From:
St. Paul, MN
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 10:37 am
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| Chortling.....again. |
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Dave Grafe
From:
Hudson River Valley NY
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 11:27 am
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| Music without emotion is like sex without a partner. Just sayin'... |
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Richard Sinkler
From:
aka: Rusty Strings -- Missoula, Montana
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 11:30 am
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The steel guitar is all about emotion.
_________________
Carter D10 8p/8k, Dekley S10 3p/4k C6 setup,Regal RD40 Dobro, Recording King Professional Dobro, NV400, NV112,Ibanez Gio guitar, Epiphone SG Special (open D slide guitar) . Playing for 54 years and still counting. |
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Brett Day
From:
Pickens, SC
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 12:06 pm
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| The steel guitar is also an instrument that you play from your heart-emotion and feeling are two words that come to mind here. When you play this instrument we call the steel guitar, play from the heart. |
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Chris Tweed
From:
Cardiff, Wales, UK
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 12:09 pm
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The question really is when is it appropriate? 
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Jon Light
From:
Saugerties, NY
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 1:00 pm
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A) Joe Walsh kicks ass
B) never....NEVER.....read you tube comments. To do so is to take a trip down a rabbit hole of mutant human psychopathology (and it offers an unpleasant view of what young adults do to while away the hours in their hidey holes in their parents' basements.) |
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Donny Hinson
From:
Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 1:14 pm
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"Do passion and emotion belong in steel playing?"
It depends. Are we talking about actually playing, i.e., the music, or are we talking about the faces/mannerisms that some players make while they're playing? |
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Tommy Allison
From:
Transfer, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 1:23 pm
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Hey Jim, this close enough?
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Jim Cohen
From:
Philadelphia, PA
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Chris Tweed
From:
Cardiff, Wales, UK
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 1:33 pm
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| Donny Hinson wrote: |
| Are we talking about actually playing, i.e., the music, or are we talking about the faces/mannerisms that some players make while they're playing? |
Yes, I should have made that clear. I meant the overt display of emotion through facial expressions and body movement, which are both evident in Sarah Jory's video. Most steel players I have seen show very little emotion when playing even if it is evident in the sounds they produce. |
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Tommy Allison
From:
Transfer, Pennsylvania, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 1:49 pm
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| I did the best I could. |
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john buffington
From:
Owasso OK - USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 2:03 pm
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I had the honor of watching the late great Jimmy Day once play Danny Boy - eyes closed, tears running down his cheeks - emotion ummmm yeah, I think so, passion - that too would be my guess, at least that is what I was fortunate enough to witness first hand! Hardly ever see anything like that anymore - true emotion that is IMHO!
jb |
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James Kerr
From:
Scotland, UK
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 2:24 pm
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"Real" Artists have to do something that sets them apart from an "Ordinary" Artist, just in case it could be thought many others could do the same, whether it be swaying around and making facial expressions, throwing the head in the air to let them see you can play without looking at your hands (some even blindfold) wear a silly hat, maybe even with the price tag still hanging from it, after a while you just need to show a Bowler Hat and everyone knows who is playing, last time I saw Hank 3 and his band, they were all trying to look odd.
People want to see a show, merely being good at what you do is not enough, miss Jory is very good at what she does, but I remember the time when she was just an ordinary Artist, that was before she joined world rated Artists on tour as support and learned how it was done. Presentation is everything, standing up and rocking your Steel Guitar back and forward whilst playing the same Riff for 20 minutes will soon convince everyone you are the best Steel Player in the world. I mean Ordinary players just sit there looking down at their hands, don't they? |
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Bud Angelotti
From:
Larryville, NJ, USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 2:42 pm
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"Real" artists don't care.
Facial expressions? Is that what you mean?
Again, "real" artists don't care.
Some sit stony. Some make faces and jump around.
"real" artists don't care.
Performers make faces or not as part of a performance.
If they are being directed, by a director in performance, they usually do what the director says.
If the director says make a certain face, they do. Pro's do anyway.
But again, "real" singular artists who have the luxury of doing whatever they want, don't care.
IMHOP
_________________
Just 'cause I look stupid, don't mean I'm not. |
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Roger Crawford
From:
Griffin, GA USA
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 3:30 pm
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| Without passion and emotion, it's just notes, not music. |
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Dave Hopping
From:
Aurora, Colorado
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Posted 16 Sep 2013 3:41 pm
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Performance is about what you can help the listener to feel.If you make it about what the performer feels it becomes wanking.Once long ago I saw one of the Wilburn Brothers doing some song on TV and tears were rolling down his cheeks....
The Apotheosis of cringeworthy. |
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