 |
| Tastes like Kool-Aid? |
No, I'm referring to someone who played in a Pretty Famous Metal band for a time who is known as a "shredder", technical chops-based player. Let me qualify that statement by saying that's exactly why he got that gig, lest anyone be confused. I'd prefer not to say the guy's name, I don't want to call him out - I understand the mindset he has, even though I disagree with it and think it's completely malformed and ignorant.
This guy gives a guitar clinic and said the following:
""Like...Take a guy like David Gilmour. Alright? Everybody looks at him like super-respected, fantastic guitarist, top of the list, A-class guitar players. Now... Why do you think that is? I mean, the guy... I've never heard the guy play outside of a regular pentatonic scale. Have you? I could be wrong. I don't know their music. But that one famous song they have, the Pink Floyd 'Free Bird' song with the long solo...[audience member says 'Comfortably Numb'] Yes. It's gorgeous. It's absolutely gorgeous."
I'm going to start by saying I resisted going online and writing something snarky somewhere. That's kind almost as bad IMO. But I did go online to get the lay of the land as far as what people thought about what he said. I was shocked.
People have lost both verbal/reading comprehension skills required for Living in Reality, as well as having being taught to be empty vessels, naive and pliant recipients of direction. I will explain in context:
What Shred Guy said was
"Like...Take a guy like David Gilmour. Alright? Everybody looks at him like super-respected, fantastic guitarist, top of the list, A-class guitar players. "
... he's setting Gilmour up.
"Now... Why do you think that is? I mean, the guy... I've never heard the guy play outside of a regular pentatonic scale. Have you? I could be wrong."
Uhg.
Ok Shred Guy, yes, you're wrong. I'm going to refer to the first solo in the song, not the outro; Mr. Shred Guy didn't specify, but he did make a sweeping generalization so I'm allowed to be non-general if I want to.
In the first solo you're about to bash Mr. Shred Guy (Comfortably Numb) he's not just using the pentatonic scale. It actually begins with an F# bent to G.
A half step.
There are no half steps in the pentatonic scale. He's suspending the D major with the 4th, the G, then he does a similar thing over the A major by playing D-Db: another half step.
He then descends DOWN THE MAJOR SCALE in the key of D as the song changes key to G, over the C as IV. More diatonic notes ensue.
Mr. Shred Guy: you're very wrong. But here's what rubs me the wrong way: as someone presenting himself as a Technical Authority figure, why doesn't he *hear* the diatonic notes....? He should. If the Comfortably Numb solo strikes him as Just Another Pentatonic Solo he's not perceiving things as well as some of my advanced students do. The half step right at the beginning of the solo should strike one as "not pentatonic", not to mention the diatonic scale melodies.
" I don't know their music. But that one famous song they have, the Pink Floyd 'Free Bird' song with the long solo...[audience member says 'Comfortably Numb'] Yes. It's gorgeous. It's absolutely gorgeous."
This is what freaked me out about the online comments; people argued that Mr. Shred Guy wasn't being derisive - somehow. Despite statements like the above. That "one famous song" that he doesn't know the name of? Really? And then the audience, people insisting in some instances that he's COMPLIMENTING Gilmour don't realize he's being sarcastic about the Free Bird comparison?
Free Bird is a great song. Yes, it's a cliche to put it down; but it's a classic, and managed to get on the radio A LOT despite being a really long song. Not only that, but - the guitar, despite being derided as a "doodly woodly" solo is recognized by millions, and is also in turn a classic. Very few on the planet have the credentials to really criticize it. Gilmour, Brian May, Jimmy Page? Another pair of people Mr. Shred Guy doesn't care for. Regardless, it's fun to mock things but in reality Free Bird is a truly great piece of music, whether you like the style of it or not.
...but he's comparing Comfortably Numb to Free Bird for the negative connotation. Yes, he is. That people don't get that is mind blowing.
"but he said it was gorgeous!"
Yes, but the context of his comments was that he was speaking on the subject of "should people practice over backing tracks". His argument is that Gilmour is only known as a guitarist because the backing music sounds "gorgeous" (which it does... but that doesn't mean Gilmour can just be some kid at Guitar Center on a saturday morning and write/play such a classic piece of music... right...?). It's kind of like (in ironic contrast) how someone is going to build a wall. It's going to be a wonderful wall Absolutely wonderful.
It's also curious that Mr. Shred Guy apparently hasn't heard of the mega-Top Ten hit by Pink Floyd "Money", or some of their other charting songs? "Another Brick in the Wall Pt.2"? Wish You Were Here? Learning To Fly didn't go that high up the charts, but he hasn't heard _Dark Side of the Moon_? Maybe he doesn't realize the sheer numbers that one record has sold?
..but sure, Pinky Floyd only has "that one famous" song. Metal Band has had some success, but outside of the guitar solos I would suggest it's because of the other guitar player/band leader/singer, not the "definitely not pentatonic miasma of changing keys" solos Mr. Shred did.
"Why do you think he sounds so good? He's not even following the chords in that progression. "
Ironically he's actually very clearly following the chords - he's outlining Dsus4, Asus4. You can easily hear the arpeggios. Again - kinda obvious. That aside, whether he follows the chords or not HAS ZERO to do with whether something is GREAT MUSIC or not!
There is a mindset of certain "trained" guitarists, usually in jazz, that it's all about following the changes. A rule that the audience doesn't care about, and plenty of (maybe most great themes) does not follow.
For the person with no artistic sense, no idea of subjective emotional judgement, "creativity" is a math problem.
Mr. Shred Guy might be referring exclusively to the outro/end solo. I get it. But he's making a generalization to address the whole thing. Even at that, there is an F# in the bass going to the G major in the progression. His "I've never heard the guy go outside the pentatonic scale" applies here as well, it's his song....
"He's playing in one key, one key. The chords are changing around him."
This statement applies to everything Mr. Shred Guy did with Famous Metal Band. Not that it matters! There isn't a rule that says "music must change keys to be good". A completely ridiculous premise. The "chords are changing around him" - so what? You don't like it? That's fine, but conceptually there is zero wrong with that. It's not a math test.
"He's playing with finesse. That's why. He's playing with finesse."
This is a backhanded compliment. Yes, obviously Gilmour plays with finesse. But it's also the note choice, however "basic" it is. I would point out that a lot of Bach relies on "basic", no-extended harmony. I'd also point out that how complex the harmony is has zero to do with whether it's good music or not.
"And this backing track he's created is what is making him sound so incredibly godlike."
Yes Mr. Shred Guy, it's great, isn't it? So, why don't you do the same thing if that's all it is? Mr. Doesn't Play Outside of the Pentatonic knows something you don't?
"He's created this fantastic wall of music. All he has to do is play with finesse in a key of B minor, and "
Except in the first solo it's I IV in D major and then IV I the key of G major, but ok.. you meant "just the outro solo"... Yes, it's fantastic what Mr. Never Outside the Pentatonic Scale made.
"let the background give him this world of great sound. That's why. It's not just because of his playing-- his fingering."
... wait. Didn't you just use the word "finesse"...? It's not his playing, his fingering? Tasteful, perfect vibrato and phrasing just happens I guess? Or maybe Mr. Shred Guy is referring to something else?
" Of course, he's a fantastic pro guitarist. He has finesse. But that exact playing, without that wonderful background, would -- you know, it's going to sound terrible "
How does someone read that and not interpret that as being negative? At the same time, how does one have "finesse" but it's "going to sound terrible"?
"
-- it would sound like anybody in a Guitar Center. It's just one very basic, conceptual way of playing. "
Sure.
Here is what's basic: a juvenile point of view. One that measures, when nothing needs to be measured, and then takes the step of requiring quantity (only pentatonic/5 notes? Only 1 key?) and complexity as being the basic of good. That's what I think of as limited, small-town thinking/mindset. Appreciating subtlety isn't something children do. Also, confusing ability with greatness is a childish attitude. I can play things Gilmour would never have been able to do, and it has zero bearing on what I think of his FINESSE and NOTE CHOICES.
It's great music. Only a dweeb would denigrate any aspect of true greatness. Mr. Shred Guy has never done anything that is Truly Great, and because of his attitude probably never will, if I had to bet on it. "Truly Great" is sublime and transcendent, and doesn't care about math or technicalities, and most of the times leans towards simplicity.
"But what is genius about it is the world that's created under that solo. Everybody follow what I'm saying?"
Yes Mr. Shred Guy. I follow what you're saying, and I disagree vehemently and am amazed that others think you're somehow complimenting Gilmour by dismissing his solo by backhandely complimenting the mere "backing track". The "backing track" some would simply call "great music" greatly amplified by a great solo.
I really have come to hate the 21st century. Common sense is gone, everything is based on arbitrary rules, a society of lawyers. "Is this good? Well, let's see if it fits this criteria! What, there is no criteria? Well, then, we must obviously use superlatives - how much does it do something? Is that enough? One can do more, or less? Then it must not be "good"!".
"Good" can be more subtle than someone realizes. Oftentimes when it IS subtle, it's that much more "good". Mountain Dew in it's bromenated, hyped citric tartness can strike one immediately as "good", sometimes. I can't imagine wanting to drink a lot of Mountain Dew, but it's good sometimes IMO. Sushi, not the same experience; everyday would be great, and the more subtle the better. IMO.
I'm not going to say "sushi doesn't have as many ingredients as Mountain Dew", or "anybody can put raw fish on rice". Mountain Dew is great and so is sushi; there is no reason to compare or measure IF IT'S GOOD. Be a human, just say "I don't like pentatonic music", "I prefer very complex music"".
Ahrgh. I hate the 21st century.
(This post to be possibly removed shortly for a much abbreviated rendition...)
