daveinspain Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Just wondering what you guys think about this. I got a late start in life playing guitar and it seems for as much as I practice scales and exercises my speed is limited. I am striving to be expressive and employ lots of feeling in hopes to make up for my inability of speedy licks and runs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Both. Yep. It all depends on what it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Both, it depends on what you are playing. The thing about feel is that is not exclusive to slower playing, there are players that play fast with feel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 There's a time and place for both. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Why is speed important? Timing, sure. Feeling, of corse. But speed? Really. It's a real question. What does it truly matter if a player can play fast, and why does it matter how fast? It actually doesn't make any sense to me why importance would be placed on speed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Because there are genres of music that are played fast and that requires speed, feel, precision, timing, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cú Chulainn Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Why is speed important? Timing, sure. Feeling, of corse. But speed? Really. It's a real question. What does it truly matter if a player can play fast, and why does it matter how fast? It actually doesn't make any sense to me why importance would be placed on speed. as opposed to playing slow? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Feeling is more important, if you can deliver feeling and do it with speed great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Feeling is much much more important than speed,in fact I'd go so far to say that it's the single most important component of a musician's performance.A guitarist who plays without feeling is found out by the audience pretty quickly.One of the main reasons that I don't like Yngwie Malmsteen's music is that it's compltely void of any semblence of emotion and just sounds mechanical and clinical.I prefer Steve Vai over Joe Satriani for this reason.Vai conveys much more feeling in his music than Satriani does even though Satriani is still an incredible guitarist. I always tried to put feeling in my playing and have even had tears in my eyes when really getting into a heavy lead break.This hasn't been lost on musicians that I've played with over the years and many have said that I put a lot of emotion in my playing.I used to be able to knock off some pretty fast riffs before my hands were afflicted with this condition even though I could still put feeling into these riffs too but lately I've had no other choice but to make putting feeling into my playing even more of a priority.I can't rely on speed or some of the riffs that required a large amount of dexterity to pull off any more and now I have to try and play each note like it was the only note the audience would hear.It is very difficult to put emotion into each and every note but these days I have no other choice because that's about the only thing that I can do to keep an audience interested in what I'm playing. So I'm trying to really perfect my bending technique and that takes a lot of concentration and patience but if I want to keep playing,that's what I gotta do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Feeling is subjective, speed is more tangible. When I think "feel" I think of "feel" relative to the style, feel can include sadness, happiness, aggression, etc The issue then becomes personal taste and semantics interpretation. In the end Dave, you seem a bit tortured by this speed thing, it is not the first time you mention it. When you say speed what is it that you are trying to play that you can't Slayer, SRV or Yngwie? They all fast, know what I mean? I am not fast myself but it does not bother me too much Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cú Chulainn Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Feeling is much much more important than speed,in fact I'd go so far to say that it's the single most important component of a musician's performance.A guitarist who plays without feeling is found out by the audience pretty quickly.One of the main reasons that I don't like Yngwie Malmsteen's music is that it's compltely void of any semblence of emotion and just sounds mechanical and clinical.I prefer Steve Vai over Joe Satriani for this reason.Vai conveys much more feeling in his music than Satriani does even though Satriani is still an incredible guitarist. I always tried to put feeling in my playing and have even had tears in my eyes when really getting into a heavy lead break.This hasn't been lost on musicians that I've played with over the years and many have said that I put a lot of emotion in my playing.I used to be able to knock off some pretty fast riffs before my hands were afflicted with this condition even though I could still put feeling into these riffs too but lately I've had no other choice but to make putting feeling into my playing even more of a priority.I can't rely on speed or some of the riffs that required a large amount of dexterity to pull off any more and now I have to try and play each note like it was the only note the audience would hear.It is very difficult to put emotion into each and every note but these days I have no other choice because that's about the only thing that I can do to keep an audience interested in what I'm playing. So I'm trying to really perfect my bending technique and that takes a lot of concentration and patience but if I want to keep playing,that's what I gotta do. that's the biggest load of bullshit I've ever heard. a classic "oh, I'm so sad because I can't play fast ) kinda thing. no wonder you have tears in your eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Green Hornet Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Ever hear Eddie VanHalen try to play blues? I think he understands very well on how important "feeling" is when a guitarist plays slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonzoboy Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Hey Chu you're a pretty ignorant and argumentive git aren't you?I don`t know where you come off with your opinion of me but it`s pure horseshit.I`ve been playing guitar since 1964 and I have earned enough playing to build up a collection of 30 guitars and a dozen or so amps as well as a housefull of other music related equipment.I never once said that I was sad because I can`t play fast and I was trying to say just the opposite by changing my whole approach to playing.I became a musician because I love music and I certainly feel what I play.Now if you think that feeling what you play is bullshit then you must be a piss-poor musician.The fact that I have been able to make a good living over the years playing and teaching music-some of my students have gone on to very successful careers-a lot of people must have liked my playing.This forum doesn`t need idiots like you who just like to stir up ****,if you don`t have something intelligent or civil to post then don't post anything .I have read a few of your posts and you are one of the most negative and confrontational celebral Lilliputians that I ever had the displeasure of encountering on a forum.To jump up unprovoked and berate someone who is dealing with a dibilitating condition just exhibits exactly the lowlife type of cretin that you are.I hope that you never have to face losing the most important thing in your life.Did you ever stop to think for one second how horrible it feels to lose the one thing that has brought more joy and satisfaction to one`s life than anything else? Obviously not.Despite the pain and insensitive tools I have to endure I still carry on and try to keep playing until my hands feel like they are on fire because my love for guitar and music is so deep.Now why don't you toddle off somewhere and find something else to occupy yourself,I`m sure there may be some puppies or kittens you could use as footballs or some old ladies you could man handle or better still why don't you go and tapdance across a minefield? You are one sick piece of work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cú Chulainn Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cú Chulainn Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Wow, dude, why be such a d!ck? The man just stated an opinion with no insult to anyone. Yeah, so? He stated an opinion, an opinion of which I don't agree on and I called him on it. and now he throws a hissyfit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Yeah, so? He stated an opinion, an opinion of which I don't agree on and I called him on it. and now he throws a hissyfit? You won't last long on here with an attitude like that... -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cú Chulainn Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 You won't last long on here with an attitude like that... -Ryan I can't even disagree on something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan H Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 I can't even disagree on something? You can, but don't be rude about it. Like you blatantly were being. Be respectful of other's opinions, rather than calling them bullshit. And also, your "opinion" is so ***-backwards I shouldn't even be wasting my time typing this response. See how it feels for yourself. -Ryan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Izzy Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 The words "feeling" and "speed" I have a problem with. "Feeling" to me should be replaced with the word "style". No matter how much emotion you have, it comes through as "style" to the listners. "Speed" should be replaced with "timing." The ability to play fast or slow is nothing to the ability to know when to play which and to keep the pace constant. This of course is just my opinion, but style comes after you've learned to play with accuracy. After you learn to play with accuracy you gain speed. A speedy player without style can do well, but he won't stand out. A stylish player who plays slow...so long as he's accurate, can be very memorable. Can you picture BB King shreding........on an Ibanez? @ Cu chu I understand what you were trying to say, but I think you maybe should have given thought to your delivery. Maybe a man is biased because he's lost speed and you're calling him out on that, but attack the responce, not the respondent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FirstMeasure Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Feeling, but speed and feeling are not mutually exclusive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daveinspain Posted January 23, 2013 Author Share Posted January 23, 2013 In the end Dave, you seem a bit tortured by this speed thing, it is not the first time you mention it. When you say speed what is it that you are trying to play that you can't Slayer, SRV or Yngwie? They all fast, know what I mean? I am not fast myself but it does not bother me too much Not so tortured more like frustrated... I spend hours, almost every day, doing scales and trying to build speed but seem to be at a brick wall. I can play fast enough to play normal stuff though so I'm going to start concentrating more on my style and timing. Thanks for that Izzy... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Versatile Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 A very important and pithy thread IMO... Opening up most guitar mags nowadays, one could get the impression that speed is the 'be all and end all' of musical success... Often appealing to the star struck newbies looking for role models Taking the 'classical' view from great symphonies by the likes of Beethoven, Mozart, Stravinsky et al There is a place for Adagio,Largo etc slow movements with great emotion and feeling Contrasted with Allegro,(Hey)Presto etc fast'n flashy movements demonstrating virtuosic challenging playing... J S Bach was renowned for his 'Toccatas' for organ, where technical skill and fast execution were the order of the day It can be no coincidence how many of the modern 'shredders' have studied Bach's music in depth for inspiration... IMO speed playing quickly becomes boring to listen to...but exciting when well placed in a performance... V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 A very important and pithy thread IMO... Opening up most guitar mags nowadays, one could get the impression that speed is the 'be all and end all' of musical success... Often appealing to the star struck newbies looking for role models Nowadays? Speed Metal has been around for 30+ years and todays Metal style is not all necessarily fast. Alvin Lee set out to have his own style in the 60's because according to his own words "he wasn't fast like the other guys on the scene at the time". There are other magazines out there that focus on slower music and how vintage your gear and your sound are, by reading these magazines I have come to the conclusion that I am not vintage enough to belong in that club. Django played fast, Junior Brown plays super fast, SRV played fast, countless Jazz players play fast including Les Paul himself. It seems that only fast Metal gets a bad rap and it usually comes from people that do not listen to the genre at all as it is immediately evident. For once I would love to see a thread criticizing the non-metal fast players I mention above, there are more too. Hey, maybe we can have a thread on how John Lee Hooker and Son House's timing sucks eh? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted January 23, 2013 Share Posted January 23, 2013 Not so tortured more like frustrated... I spend hours, almost every day, doing scales and trying to build speed but seem to be at a brick wall. I can play fast enough to play normal stuff though so I'm going to start concentrating more on my style and timing. Thanks for that Izzy... Dave, I found that when I was praticing scales I was doing so in a very "linear" way, I was not getting better. For now I have stopped and I am working on songs, started this on the 1st of the year and I am getting faster with chord changes and because I am getting a little faster I can put feel into the songs I am playing. It is all a mix of things, this is like the Gym, if your routine is not yielding results it is time to shake it up a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.