From: umplante@CCU.UMANITOBA.CA
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.allmusic
Subject: Re: put up or shut up
Date: 16 Oct 92 20:23:03 GMT
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU
X-Mailer: ELM [version 2.3 PL11]
              Oct 16, 92 12:55 pm

Leonard Watkins writes:

> I have blasted heavy metal and some country, I have never said anything
> against classical or jazz (i like both). I never said heavy metal was easy
> to play i said it was trash IMHO and i still say that. On the otherhand
> it was implied that the blues was just three chords and the quote that was
> used was an insult to some of the greatest muscicians that ever played
> an instrument. So i replied in a logical manner saying if it is so easy
> do it. So far no one has said they were sending me a tape of them playing
> Red House, Texas Flood, Third Degree...I'll admit i can't do Srv, Jimi
> and make it sound like them, i've tried it's hard to me. It's obviously
> easy to some of the legends in this group, so i want to here them.
> You have misunderstood...it's cut and dry...if i receive a tape from one
> of the legend on this group and they have Hendrix,John Lee, Srv, Lightin
> albert,B.B. and the other 3 chord masters down then i either say they
> were right (i doubt it) or i'll say so-and-so is a hell of a player.
> I will continue to defend the musicians who run circles around most
> of todays players.......don't loose my adress now......L.W.
>
> P.S. I did say that i could play circles around the Pearl Jam fellow
> and so could my five year old
>


    Leonard says that even though heavy metal isn't easy to play, it is trash.
 He then defends the great
blues players by saying that their music deserves more merit because it is
 harder to play. How do you
define how "good" music is? Is it by the complexity of the music, the feeling
 put into the music,
whether it is difficult to play or not, how many other people enjoy that type of
 music, or whether or
not it was improvised? Personally I think that it is useless to argue which type
 of music is better than
another. Opinions mean nothing towards how good a type of music is except to the
 person who holds them.
Granted, some musicians are more accomplished than others, some types of music
 are more complex than
others, and some pieces are more difficult to play.
    It is okay to discuss certain traits of different music, and voice your
 opinions, but lately it
seems like many people on ALLMUSIC are arguing a futile battle over whose music
 is better. I , and I
assume many others, don't particularily care about other's preferences in music.
 I do find it
interesting to find out WHY people prefer different types of music, what kind of
 music is out there,
etc. etc.
    Hey everyone, why not respect other's opinions and preferences in music and
 stop being so
egotistical as to believe that your preferences dictate which music deserves
 more merit than others.
    Personally, I like classical, jazz, metal, rock, and especially the blues. I
 play guitar ( a little
of everything), and am quite crappy at it, I only started playing about 1/2 year
 ago, and am currently
considering getting some formal instruction. So far, I know how to read music
 (piano lessons as a kid),
I've bought a few magazines, pick stuff up off of records and tapes, and every
 once in a while, a buddy
will show me something. I know the open chords, the various barre chords, and
 currently
trying to get the hang of scales and soloing. I feel like I've come to a
 standstill. I have a good ear,
and can usually pick up the chords and notes, but when I try play them, my hand
 often feels clumsy and and
my picking is a little sloppy. I'm tired of playing the rhythm of Neil Young
 songs and would like to
improve. Should I get instruction, or should I continue and develop a better
 technique on my own?
    And, Leonard you seem quite confident in your playing. It must be "good". In
 order to substantiate
your claim that you and your five year old can play circles around that Pearl
 Jam dude, please send me
a tape, at my expense of course.
                                    A true music lover,
                                    Leon Plante


                                    Internet: umplante@umanitoba.ca
Comments: Gated by NETNEWS@AUVM.AMERICAN.EDU