Fewer Notes

[bdbdbuck]

I picked up on these words form a post by "A REEL PERSON" in another thread. Point is, this has been my contention for years! Learning to play fewer notes and conveying the music in that way is much more powerful. Any feedback?

[Toki987]

A Reel Person is a quick pickup.....

Chet was big on "saying more with less". Carlton bought into it. Beck was masterful at it.

"Carefully contemplated brush strokes don`t clutter the canvas."

"A fast shittin horse can`t shit very long..."

"Taste requires more than just stimulation of the sensory organ, it must touch the inner self"

I must consult "Fat Tater" on this.....

[bdbdbuck]

Knofler is masterful at this also.

[64Firebird]

I've been playing that way for the last few years. Leaving more space in the music and playing long sustained notes more often. It was really hard to slow down at first though. It's a lot easier to put your feelings into it when you play a little slower.

[bdbdbuck]

I like the quippy little riffs at the right time...gives me goose bumps when it all comes together in the end.

[scottboyher]

This is out there but I always thought Vito Bratta from White Lion was good at making a little sound awsome.

[64Firebird]

Yeah, those are great, but the sound of bending a double stop into dissonance and holding onto it really grabs me by the collar. And then you resolve it back to the Major 3rd or the tonic and it turns sweet. That's just magic.

[philboyd studge]

A lot of guitarists don't take time to breathe, which is unnatural to the listener. A thirty second run of notes shows skill but not taste.

"Most of what makes music good is what you don't play" - Horice Hatchett

[LocusLarsen]

I am suprised that no shreders have shown any discontent yet. So, tough luck, less is more...and I hear it on this thread all the time, its all in your fingers.

[philboyd studge]

Les Moore, keyboard guys they were, two of 'em in local 353.

[Cyrokk]

Slow playing is harder than most people think. Phrasing ("breathing" at the right place), vibrato, creative bending and note choice are much more vital to keep the solo interesting. Funny how many of the anti-shred advocates who play with "feel" tend to miss the mark, choosing instead to fill the solo spot with noise.

There are some great slow solos out there, many of which are played at brisk tempos. "Achilles Last Stand" is an excellent example of this. Blackmore was great at slower playing too.

Of course, the opposite is true too. Nothing like a drop dead killer note blazer during a slow song, like AC/DC's "Ride On".

Cy