Topic: How closely do you mimic styles?

[Richard]

........To use a non-blues example, there's a big band expert and university educator named Andrew Homzy who has had big bands playing really authentic arrangements and bringing those original Ellington charts and what not to life again. While I'm far from an expert on this, sometimes it's more "authentic," sometimes it may be his arrangements done "in the spirit of". Solists wouldn't duplicate solos but the overall sound is trying to be true to the original sound. They're not trying to sound like Charlie Haden's Liberation Orchestra (also great!) or a Mingus band (actually they might have done some Mingus) or something. There is a historical context to what they're doing. ...

This was the point I made earlier from my own experience of playing in such big bands, that it's playing in the style that really counts. It may be great to be a shit hot reader but that does not always guarantee you are going to swing... does it? The second other important point is that, just as in our beloved country blues, there are certain solos\passages which "just have to be played" verbatum in order for the piece to succeed as a whole.

To conclude the (big band) analogy the personal satisfaction in mastering a particular style is enormous, in my case it was to drive a band on just the snare drum, my current challenge is dear old Casey Bill's lap style.... errrrr 

Play it however you want, it's your music and your enjoyment 

[Rosalyn]

 "internalized BB's approach to playing. What a great feeling that must be."
[quote from Frontpage]

I was enjoying listening to Rory Block yesterday too! She is certainly 'one' with that guitar of hers. 

I appreciate your statement regarding internalizing. An important aspect to mastering and creating our own selves don't you think?

While we are somewhat on the subject, I would like to take this opportunity to warn Dr. G. of the true weenie campbell coordinator of psychological encounters....at least in my experience. In essence: Good medicine does come in 'blues' packages. And if you hang out with weenies, there is a real possibility of becoming more sane!

roz

[blueshome]

As one who does not have the ability to mimic the guitar (and vocal) greats, I've stayed away from this thread till now. Whatever, here's my 2d worth.

I love to hear someone like Ari sound almost indistinguishable from the original, however, I am not that enamoured by listening to some of the imitators who come in with a "near miss" - neither one thing or another.

What I try to do, and what I like to hear, are performances which capture the SPIRIT of the old blues, and this is what I feel those old guys did anyway. I don't know of many/any pre-war artists who were mimics - there is such a variety of styles - (OK maybe there were a few Leroy Carr imitators around in the 30's but that's the limit). I think guys just absorbed what they could from where they could.

The difference today is that we have access to the whole canon of recordings and perhaps expect we should be able to approach any piece and nail it.

I think we are lucky to have this available, but the music will be frozen if we don't do more than mimic - we have the recordings for that surely.

Despite the above, it is great to hear any attempt to play country blues in front of an audience, and to be frank, most audiences won't know whther something is old or new.

 What is our duty (strong word) is to keep the music "in the air" by performing it in some form or other, without that it will become nothing more than a few scratchy old recordings in the future.

[waxwing]

I've been sorta staying away from this thread, but I wanted to thank all who offered their encouragement. Sorry for what may have seemed too emotional a post.

It was fueled partly by the fact that I'm finally sitting down to record a CD and, yep, it's going to be all close covers of pre-war recordings. That's pretty much all I know at this, what I consider early, point in my development.

I often feel like a kid in a candy store. Every time I hear a new song that I want to learn, thanks to the encouragement from folks here to learn to transcribe, I can tackle it and work it out, finding all the great licks and vocal nuances. Perhaps that was an easier route for me than just sorta getting the feel and working out my own licks to fill in between the words. It seems like for a lot of folks, working out their own arrangement is easier than figuring out the original. I think it's just different temperments.

I understand the importance of tradition, but I also think it is important to get the music out there as best we can. I hope to develop my arranging and improvising abilities from allthe licks I've learned from transcribing, but in the meantime, I don't see anything wrong with performing, and recording, what I got now.

And there's a few other blues traditions that have fallen by the wayside, perhaps for good reason. Like I haven't ever beaten my woman, not even with a single tree.

Anyway, there's a lot of food for thought in this thread, so whatever your temperment and aptitudes are, follow your own path, but get the music out there. It's all good.

All for now.
John C.

[GhostRider]

Hi all:

I'd just like to bring everyones attention to this old thread, where many of these ideas were discussed in detail.

http://weeniecampbell.com/yabbse/index.php?amp;Itemid=100&topic=272.0

Creation vs Recreation

Alex

[Blue in VT]

I have really enjoyed reading everyones responses to this thread...it has been very thought provoking and enlightening.  However....In looking back to where this thread began....I guess I was really wonder about "technique" more than style....For example...Do you play RGD with only thumb and index?...is there some logic in his music for doing so?  Does "Broke Down Engine" have to be played on a 12 string?  Do you E. Coten tunes with the guitar upside down... .  How deep do you get into copying the "techniques" employed by the musicians you are trying to....for lack of a better word....mimic?

Cheers,

Blue

[Slack]

I think it is difficult enough for most of us to get one technique down , however I think there is something to be said for two finger finger pickers as opposed to three finger finger pickers.  It is just different sounding... and not sure why, the timing needed maybe, stronger role of the thuimb maybe, dunno what it is, but it is just different.  I think it is most evident with John Cephas, who is mostly a two-finger.  Two finger picking is wonderful sounding I think and I think if you want to emulate RGD as closely as possible you'll need to pick with two fingers and use a thumbpick.... technique begets style, IMO.

[uncle bud]

I have really enjoyed reading everyones responses to this thread...it has been very thought provoking and enlightening.  However....In looking back to where this thread began....I guess I was really wonder about "technique" more than style....For example...Do you play RGD with only thumb and index?...is there some logic in his music for doing so?  Does "Broke Down Engine" have to be played on a 12 string?  Do you E. Coten tunes with the guitar upside down... .  How deep do you get into copying the "techniques" employed by the musicians you are trying to....for lack of a better word....mimic?

Just speaking for myself, I normally play with a thumbpick (Fred Kelly Slick Pick, heavy guage) and no fingerpicks. I won't generally play without the thumbpick, though have tried to on and off for several periods, still do occasionally, and will someday try again. My pick choice has nothing to do with mimicking anyone's technique and more to do with what works for me. So if I'm playing John Hurt, I'm not doing what he's doing, playing without picks. Ditto Blind Blake.

If I play Blind Boy Fuller, I'll generally play it on my (cheapo) resonator, often adding fingerpicks, which I think Fuller wore (though am not certain of that). But that's more because I like the sound of Fuller on a reso than any thinking that it has to be played on one.

If I'm playing Blind Lemon, I'm probably limiting myself to thumb and index for the most part, because that helps me approach his sound. If I play Blake, I use another finger. I don't know what he did, but I sure as hell need it.

I'll also play 12-string tunes on a 12, but that's because it's fun and sounds great. I'm sure there's lots of examples of Broke Down Engine out there played on a 6.

Playing certain songs on certain guitars is certainly good for guitar sellers!

[wlhblues]

When you get inspired by a tune and you try to learn it, what are your objectives? Do you want to explore the style of the artist in question in detail or compose something that kinda sounds like the original? How closely do you want to follow this tune to discover the style and technique used by the original artist ?

What is you opinion of how one may truly discover the playing style and technique of the person you are trying to emulate?

How much are your willing to dedicate to the effort of truly discovering the artist of your study?

[frailer24]

I try to get as close as possible, yet still have elements of my flavour present. 95% original artist, 5% me is my optimum.