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What is the most important non-technical skill a musician/guitarist can have?

DAS44

By DAS44
in The Gibson Lounge

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saturn

saturn

Posted
Posted

It kind of goes along with some of the other responses, but I'll call it "judgement".

 

The ability to decide when it's best to play loud or soft, use your fingers or a pick, maybe accent an upstroke, etc. Anything to affect the "character" of the piece being played. :-k Whether playing solo or within a band context.

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milod

milod

Posted
Posted

Firstmeasure...

 

Heck, with the accusations of "dad rock," where would I come in? Grandpa rock? <chortle>

 

Seriously, most of the "rock" stuff I still do is arranged so I can do it solo with nothing but me and a guitar. I've never really tried to put together a "band in a box" sorta thing, so it ends up being more jazz/folkie/blues, I think. You can't, that I can see, do heavy fuzz, guitar leads, etc., as a solo act without what amounts to a backing track.

 

And part of it also is "what is rock?" Given that I'm such an antique that I remember the radio playing "rock and roll waltz" and lotza doowop as well as Chuck Berry and Link Wray, I'm not sure where it might fit. E.g., is the Beatles' "Hide your love away" rock? Was it even then?

 

I do have a bit of a fantasy where I don a tight T shirt with a pack of camels or luckies in the left sleeve, have a bass, rhythm guitar and drums behind me while doing "Rumble" and psychically flipping the bird with that big old tube amp of mine cranked up past 10.

 

<grin>

 

As I've said before, I'm old, but I ain't dead.

 

m

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FirstMeasure

FirstMeasure

Posted
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Milo-

 

you're right, once you add fuzz and overdrive you get into the solo instruments sound. It's hard to do melodies and bass lines and chords hat all flow together on one distorted guitar. Freddi Kings "Hideaway" is a good example for that.

 

I'd take my Bass out and back you up on a venture like that, too bad we're a third of a country apart. It would be just like I was 16 again, playing bass while my dad played Ventures, Animals, and even Duane Eddie [thumbup] . I really think "Kids These Days" (which includes folks my age and even a little older) are missing out by not playing the Rock that came before their favorite Rock. I Love it when "First Song you learned" conversations come up and inevitably someone tries to guess "Smoke on the Water" or "Breakin' The Law". For me it was "Baby Please Don't Go" or "Kansas City" (I can't remember which was first, I learned them at the same time).

 

I love the ribbing I get when I say "You guys know 'Stagger Lee'?" Oh Well, guess it's "Smoke on the Water" then...

 

I might be young, but I ain't Dead [flapper]

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This_Dying_Soul

This_Dying_Soul

Posted
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An ability to improvise is important as far as I'm concerned.

 

Lots of people can play composed solos note for note, but to be able to come up with something on the spot takes something more than technique.

 

An extensive knowledge of chord progressions, licks, chord voicings and scales does help; but so does the confidence to try something without knowing exactly how it is going to sound.

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Sinner 13

Sinner 13

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Posted

X1000000000

 

How many times have I met a great guitarist who later turned out to be a complete jerk because he had no way of communicating to other players besides "I'm better than you".

 

Amen,

Been there done that, no fun.

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milod

milod

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firstmeasure...

 

I think you have an ideal situation if your wife fronts the band - or the worst possible. <grin>

 

Seriously, I think it is like a small business where a couple works together. It can be wonderful or ... not.

 

m

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FirstMeasure

FirstMeasure

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Milo-

 

It's working, but I've know a lot of couple that couldn't pull it off. We keep it very professional when it comes to the band. She manages, I handle the equipment and the whole band splits equally, that's the only way it works. It helps that we both share a passion for music and performing [biggrin]

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milod

milod

Posted
Posted

firstmeasure...

 

I think you're both either lucky or awfully smart or perhaps a combination.

 

Wildest one I've seen is a guy who's made his living from music to raise a relatively large family and now at roughly my age, he's still rockin' and working on turning the band over to his daughter more and more. She's a gorgeous young - well, not exactly a teen or 20 as you might imagine - musician who sings and keyboards quite well. I think that's great, too. I've seen them at outdoor gigs where her husband even brings the kid or kids, I don't quite recall...

 

m

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