My good friend says I should play more like this

This thread inspired me to purchase Boing, We'll Do I Live!

I have all their studio albums but hadn't got that one. Holy hell do they tear it up!

Guthrie has some amazing (more amazing than his typical amazing ;)) extended improv playing in I Want a Parrot... And really all over the whole set.

Marco has a crazy 7-8 minute drum solo.

And then I also purchased The Aristocrats with Primuz Chamber Orchestra. It's incredible how well songs written and played by a power trio can work with a chamber orchestra.
 
Seeing Aristocrats in Sacramento on the 6th, too stoked! Will be my fourth time seeing the wizard in person. Excited to hear them fm9 tones
 
It's incredible how well songs written and played by a power trio can work with a chamber orchestra.
I think that’s because the songs are written really well, and the band isn’t trying to fill the entire sonic spectrum, and really uses dynamics well.

Cream and Hendrix played some great music but the songs would need a lot of arrangement help to work with a chamber quartet and be interesting. (And yes, I know it’s been done, but the results are so-so.) The Aristocrats’ arrangements are delicate and nuanced and need players who are capable of dancing on the strings, and, as a result, the songs would transfer to a traditional string quartet or chamber orchestra well.

I’m sure the band was thrilled hearing the songs in that setting.
 
To me they sound like 3 bored guys screwing around while waiting for their singer who is an hour and a half late to show up for band practice.
If that’s a serious response I would recommend several years of music theory and its accompanying composition class, and maybe playing guitar in a stage jazz band.

I already loved all sorts of music prior to that and the experience helped me understand how music of all styles works and to appreciate it.
 
I was just thinking that I’d enjoy seeing a modern dance ensemble perform with music scored by The Aristocrats.

My daughter danced with a professional troupe here for years and runs her own dance company who loves to work with other artists, composers and poets, to combine their work. It’s really fun seeing how they blend. (She choreographed a solo dance, taught it to one of her dancers, videotaped it without sound except a click track, and sent it to the composer who put it to music, the opposite process of normal dance choreography. It’s a really cool piece.)
 
... I said to him after the show: "you are the greatest guitar player in the world". And I meant every word of it.

I have told a lot of people the same thing and they say 'who'? Then I pull up a video and watch their mouths drop. He is an amazing inspiration.
 
If that’s a serious response I would recommend several years of music theory and its accompanying composition class, and maybe playing guitar in a stage jazz band.

I already loved all sorts of music prior to that and the experience helped me understand how music of all styles works and to appreciate it.

Eh... I'd humbly disagree with this, a bit.

If something doesn't immediately grab you, gaining an innate understanding of the theory behind it won't really help. There are plenty of contemporary artists out there who I completely understand the theory and composition behind what they do and I'm bored within minutes, or listen through once and move on to something else.

'Aesthetic empathy' is one way I've heard to describe it, in that yes I understand where you're coming from and what it takes to create this piece of music. That extends, for me anyway, to even a lot of electronic synth music or modern dance stuff, having produced that for some other artists. Much of it is nothing I'd choose to listen to on my own but it's cool to understand how it was created, and why certain elements were chosen, but that doesn't mean it's on my daily playlist.

Huge Aristocrats fan here. Not so huge Zappa fan, and to an extent, earlier Vai stuff, or say even Mahavishnu Orchestra. Of course I appreciate the talent, composition, theory, background, and everything that goes into producing those pieces of music. You just won't find it on any of my playlists. The weird thing is some of my friends who are big Zappa fans, or of groups like Consider the Source, Lespecial, etc are not musicians at all and couldn't give a shit less about the theory.

The fact that the Aristocrats have sold out pretty much every venue on this tour, and also their previous one, makes me think they're crossing that gap as well. I was fortunate to be at the Aristocamp in 2019 where we had 20 participants one-on-one with the band for 4 days. At least 2-3 of those people didn't even play music, they just wanted more insight on the band and the stories and where the music comes from.

All I'm saying is that while learning theory and composition might make you appreciate something more, if you don't like it initially that probably isn't the thing that's going to save it. And that's ok.

to add one more thought: there are many bands I've heard that made me want to learn more theory after hearing them, to understand it better because I dug the music that much...and many bands that I can tell you to the note what they're doing, and have no desire to listen to again.
 
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I saw him in an intimate setting some years ago. I said to him after the show: "you are the greatest guitar player in the world". And I meant every word of it.
He plays with an amalgam of so many styles and techniques that watching him is like consuming an encyclopedia of guitar soloing. I'm always dazzled (and trying to replicate) his amazing chromatic runs and his ability to "simply" place chord tones on the right beats while shredding.

However, Cliff, you can't escape this thread without recognition that you have developed the greatest processor in the world for guitarists, while treating your customers (and detractors) with a grace and humility similar to our beloved Mr. Govan.

Kudos to you Sir.
 
Didn't think it worthy of a new thread, but those who've been following this one will appreciate. Just popped up on my youtube feed.

Yikes. :oops:

edit: Right hand picking aside, I think this really shows his left hand technique more. To fret and hammer-on some of those runs on acoustic is a lot of muscular strength that's definitely earned. Plus the pinky finger just hanging out until right when needed.

 
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Didn't think it worthy of a new thread, but those who've been following this one will appreciate. Just popped up on my youtube feed.

Yikes. :oops:

edit: Right hand picking aside, I think this really shows his left hand technique more. To fret and hammer-on some of those runs on acoustic is a lot of muscular strength that's definitely earned. Plus the pinky finger just hanging out until right when needed.


Holy.....? He ain't human!
 
Didn't think it worthy of a new thread, but those who've been following this one will appreciate. Just popped up on my youtube feed.

Yikes. :oops:

edit: Right hand picking aside, I think this really shows his left hand technique more. To fret and hammer-on some of those runs on acoustic is a lot of muscular strength that's definitely earned. Plus the pinky finger just hanging out until right when needed.


Damn !
 
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