Either-Or Doesn't Suffice...

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Either-or will not suffice in mastering the steel guitar. Successes depend heavily on following up on accuracy in bar placements, and musical expressions. Webster makes strange either-or allowances in spelling and pronunciations, such as in the words; judgment or culinary, for example. A misplaced note in music is unforgiving while in concert. It's a contrast worthy of note.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Sure it does, next time you play a private concert just tell everyone ahead of time that they will EITHER hear the right notes OR maybe they won't Smile

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

If I make one of those unforeseen red hot single note runs and then blow a note or two,

I've found that if I repeat the same mistake again and challenge the others to comment on what a cutting edge run that was.......

they often, perhaps recklessly, agree that it is really 'cool'.

I live for that.

Andy Sandoval · From: Bakersfield, California, USA

I try to strive for perfection when I'm playin a song but I don't let it get the way of havin a good time either. Cool

Jack Dougherty · From: Spring Hill, Florida, USA

Bill said

Bo Legg · Posted 29 Jan 2008 4:11 pm

"Let me see now" should I play the wrong note in the right place of should I play the the right note in the wrong place? What the heck Bill..either way it's jazz.

Bent Romnes · From: London,Ontario, Canada

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Strangely enough, the peculiar habits of mankind, such as kicking tires, or pinching fruit at the local market goes unnoticed. Not so in musical concerts where the focus is on steel guitars. When listeners who go about assimilating parts and pieces of a good performance, the pressure is on to keep on track.The slow renditions, like "Danny Boy" or "Sleepwalk" have no either-or flimsy substitute note patterns. Listeners have assimilated the "Sleepwalk" melody by Santo, of Santo and Johnny fame, note for note. I recall that recording from 1959, bursting with audience appeal the following year. The "language" of the steel guitar, is much more refined than the words of critics.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Decades back when I first got hired to play a gig on Steel I was with this old coot from Westchester NY, Bob Foster, great guy, great singer. I played 3 nights with him at first then many more down the road.

Well that first weekend I kept getting one song turnaround wrong , for whatever reason I heard it differently from what the band was playing. On the 3rd night we played the same song, I played the same mistake but wait, it sounded different, Bob leaned over and told me not to worry, we played the mistake right along with you !

I sure learned a lot from Bob and those guys.

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Tony,

I enjoyed reading your post that is without a doubt enjoyable reading material. One of my hobbies has been reading and writing on this forum. Your statements have helped to make the threads interesting. Again, thanks for your time spent responding.

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

Bil, I agree, time well spent.

tp

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Herb,

"The Way To Survive" is a perfect example for eliciting that there can be no drifting away from B.E.'s classic arrangement. Just one note differentiating the diagrammed version would be instantly heard.

Len Ryder · From: Penticton B.C.

Many years ago a fine musician said to me "if you never make a mistake you're just playing to your present level and not trying to reach up to the next."

Len Ryder
Princeton
British Columbia[/b]

Mike Perlowin · From: Los Angeles CA

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

"BAM!!! A Way to Serve Five" was a recent episode of the Emeril Lagasse TV show, as I recall.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Jack Dougherty · From: Spring Hill, Florida, USA

When I first got my guitar,I was told it came with all the notes I needed in ascending as well as descending order. I was lied to!!!!
As the years progressed, I found and heard "Things".
At first they were imperceptible but then occurring at a greater rate. It became more evident to me when playing with other musicians. These "Things" would inexplicably appear in the air causing even the most casual of listeners including the band to snap their heads in my general direction.

The note-less gremlins had arrived.....They were apparently there the whole time just waiting for the right moment to reek havoc. I of course tried to deny their existence by blaming a bad wire or some lose connection on the whole event.

But there was no fooling myself.........It was all me!!

So how was I to exorcise these demons? I started to relax. I let go (like the force) And there it was.
I put those unholy "Things" behind me.

However my friends, be afraid....be very afraid.....because they always leave a sentinel behind just in case .....

The good news is I never lost a job over a wrong note. Other things maybe.

Don Brown, Sr. · From: New Jersey

Bill, I think I have to disagree (to some extent) on what you had to say about "The Way To Survive"

First, there are no two people who will sound the way Buddy does when he plays it. Regardless of the tab or anything else. Close maybe? But not the same as he plays it.

Secondly, to get anything off of tab and play it is simply to imitate another's achievements. And regardless of how many times you'd go over a piece of someone else's tabs, you'd never be yourself while playing it. (or at least I wouldn't be)

When I play/ed anything, I play it as I feet it. And to feel it, first and foremost, had to come from me, and my version, whether that was good, bad or indifferent, makes no difference.

I've also stated that I've never (probably) played anything the exact same way twice in my life. That's a fact. A person has to play the way they are feeling any particular song at any given time, in order to give it their all. That involves many different areas. Who you're backing up at the time, or what band you're with, to many other aspects of playing.

The written out material, in order to look over the changes may be ok, as long as you go on and play it as you feel it. Surely, nobody could play a song I did with the same feelings as what I may have had while performing that same song. So I feel you are wrong on that.

I'd go on to say, that there isn't a doubt in my mind, that I could play it ten different ways, as long as the voicing was there, it would be well received.. And by voicing, I don't mean, note for note, as you had pointed out that folks would pick up on as it not being played well.

I was always told that you can't improve on a masters piece of music. So then, why would anyone try to do it the same way, since they basically couldn't anyway.

You put up 10 different players playing that song, and then put Buddy on it, and I'll guarantee you that not one of them (regardless of their level of playing) will sound quite like Buddy himself. That's then, the part that would be bad. They'd be listening for Buddy, and they simply wouldn't be hearing what they were expecting to hear. Therefore, you let them know ahead of time. "This is my version of 'A Way To Survive'."

Anyone agree or not?

Joe Miraglia · From: Jamestown N.Y.

b0b · From: Cloverdale, CA, USA

Pete Finney · From: Nashville Tn.

Why would someone go to a "concert" to hearing somebody try to reproduce exactly someone else's "diagrammed" (!) steel guitar performance? That would be a pathetically limited world in my humble opinion, and I wouldn't want to live there.

Lots of people have played "Sleepwalk" lots of different ways for instance, and they're not "wrong"; just doing it their way. And why would or should they have copied the original?

And all of them using those darned:

John Roche · From: England

Bill, your trying to sound important and failing miserably....

Roual Ranes · From: Atlanta, Texas, USA

Is this why I am accused of playing Jazz??????????

Bill Hankey · From: Pittsfield, MA, USA

Attitude, stance, consistent determination, and a remarkable profile all contribute to unmatched deliveries of original sound tracks from the "Emmons School Of Music". Listen intently while he plays, and the most subtle of techniques should be detectable in his bar shiver. Trying to emulate all of the things going on during performances has not been achieved to my knowledge. It is the combination of many admirable qualities that determines a separation from a mediocre style of playing, and greatens the elusive tones of a perfectionist.

Pete Finney · From: Nashville Tn.

I personally would never call Emmon's typical exquisite slow, rolling vibrato "shiver". But whatever...

He sure does play good, don't he...

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