Evolution in Fiddlings/Musicianship

Premier Sponsors

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to our privacy policy which includes details of cookie usage. Hide this notice

Posted by eerohero on Monday, August 29, 2011

Evolution from Oldtime gatherings to Computer age Fiddlings

Are we getting on the right direction with it, we have all computerized world in our hands,will we become to better Musicians with it ?

Practice time is switching quite often to watching Youtube, and discovering, "Oh, yeah, thats how I will play tomorrow!" we will seldom reach that dream.

Pioneers in Oldtime/Bluegrass Music, back in days, they reached that dream, not so long ago. So what is our development and conclusion of this, we are watching the next Video..... concentrating Us to hundreds of different styles and trying to Master them all, (Mastering Nothing!), instead of playing few tunes, we really like, and Master them, brilliantly.

Some Music teachers and analyzers are worried about our "Evolution"

7 comments on “Evolution in Fiddlings/Musicianship”

boxbow Says:
Monday, August 29, 2011 @3:23:13 PM

Your point is well-made. I should add, however, that we here in the US have become consumers of music as well as consumers of just about anything else you could name. Consumption of music is a major industry. It is not surprising that we find ourselves watching and listening to electronic media of all sorts rather than making our own music. One of the biggest reasons I resumed playing music after a 20 year hiatus was that I was so dissatisfied by the "one-size-fits-all" approach used by the music industry. Innovators aren't just ignored whenever they appear, they are usually squashed as dangerous to the profitability of the status quo. If a musician makes it to the big-time with a very big success, then just watch as the industry starts generating clones in a desperate attempt to cash in. The normal state of affairs is to produce reliable, inoffensive pop tunes that maybe few people love, but that few people are offended by as well. If you can't figure out what music is good, don't worry. There are highly paid people who are prepared to shout at you about what is popular. They neither know nor do they care that there might be a difference between "good' and "popular." They're not interested in providing "art," if you'll pardon the expression. They're interested in generating ad revenues. They do not wish to inspire us, they wish to inspire purchasers of advertising time on the media. Call it the rule of mediocrity, or the rise of the lowest common denominator. That's what I object to, that's why I play music for myself.
And THAT'S what I call a proper rant!

Swing Says:
Monday, August 29, 2011 @4:44:56 PM

I am going to disagree, you can really only reach your level of music once you break away from what your are hearing. Not necessarily by a long period of time, but by a determined amount of work. Playing music for yourself is a great thing and perhaps more difficult than first imagined, then of course by pure nature....somewhre in between is the real thing and that is what we all are trying to achieve.

play happy

bj Says:
Monday, August 29, 2011 @7:29:57 PM

My best playing is when the monkey mind takes over, usually when I'm playing for folks, and most often when I'm playing with Janey or in our jam. It's when I stop thinking and start PLAYing, like a kid in heart and soul, just havin' fun.

Computers are just a tool, like a reel to reel recorder or sheet music was for an earlier age (though some would argue those things are still useful.)

WillieP Says:
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 @12:01:58 PM

This is the very type of post we need to keep referring to. I have become too reliant on the computer - it helps but maybe it hinders more local interactions, and even my own thoughts and creativity.
Excellent reply, Swing, I hope I can spend the required effort to achieve what I have started to hear sometimes resonating from my instrument.
I must remember that the computer is a tool that I have to learn to use wisely, I believe that it will take us in the right direction, more quickly than ever.

eerohero Says:
Tuesday, August 30, 2011 @2:11:49 PM

yes, using computer wisely, WillieP,that is something that most of Us are not really familiar with, myself including,all my practice time goes to Computer and looking for new exciting sources of Musicianship, Computer is such a wonderful tool, so we have tendency to forget everything else around Us. At least I did, before a wake up call.....