Why good players sounds so bad.

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 12:24 am

Somewhat -with producers and all, but mainly it’s just them listening to one another. That’s the mark of a true musician in my eyes, the ability to hear everyone else and blend themselves into the groove. Much easier said then done, so when you see artists able to do it so well, due to all that experience and practice in their past, its very refreshing.

Posted: Thu May 31, 2007 7:57 am

SITSOM is about the "Funk Brothers," the studio musicians for Motown back in the Detroit days. The songs there would typically have an arranger and/or producer, but there would be a lot of room for (and high expectations of) creativity. And of course, they were paid to take orders and they were there for the check, not for an ego trip. Perhaps their strong ties to jazz led them to accept the management structure of a strong leader with others playing the role of sidemen. I think a lot of rock musicians forget that the "democratic group" isn't the only structure that has produced good music.

But in addition to management, there was an attitude toward music that we see much less today. Those guys took more pride in being accompanists - playing for the song. Much more of a team concept than you often see today. You have to look long and hard through the Motown catalog to find a solo by any instrument longer than four bars, and I can't think of any longer than eight off the top of my head.

Posted: Sun Jun 03, 2007 12:51 pm

I played with my band this weekend......Our keyboard player really has a tendency to over play and walk on the vocals/lead.....We try to explain it to him, he say "Oh yes I know"......and he means it to, but he just doesn't get it......which leads me to a point and that is that the older I get, the more I play the more I'm realizing that being a good musician is about one's approach more so then their ability to play their instrument, focusing on 'playing' without the big pictures, in the end will make you a worse player.
Some people put their focus on the wrong things, as such they'll never sound good, they will in the end just windup practicing their mistakes and getting very good at it.....even if they can play at the speed of light......
Other players focus on the end result - the sound - the music, as such their objective is to find those things that get them to that end, they use that to guide them, learning and practicing what is required to meet the end, whether it requires play complicated or very simple things. The difficulty or the amount of notes they play is not part of their equation - only the end result is.
So unlike some that think one must be gifted or posses great ability to be good - I disagree. I beleive your attitude and approach are what will make you good in the end. Being able to sound good is basical easy, if you come at it with the right perspective. Some people get it and so people don't.

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