It don’t matter cause the audience can’t tell the difference..

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

…is a line of thought that ends in mediocrity.
That’s the hypothesis!

Appendix Q: Would Rembrandt have been what he was when he had only payed attention to what/how others see?

Am i wrong?

 

[newholland]

theres an audience?

i dont create anything for an audience, i create music for myself. if they wanna come along for the ride, awesome. but good lord, why on earth would i consider people who listen on telephone speakers in any equation for my feedback with my instrument?

 

[banned]

But I, the guitarist, can. And that completely changes how I play.

When I play through IEMs and many FRFRs, it sounds tinny, thin and like you're in a tunnel. That's why I like a guitar cab with modelers - it sounds natural, the feel is tops and it inspires me to play better - and you better believe, the audience can totally sense THAT.

I'm not into reproducing tones 100% from a record. That's a bit of a fool's errand to me - most times, the sound guy is going to mess things up anyway (which has been my consistent concert experience). I get tones that I like - it's the lines and melodies that people are looking for.

 

[JCW308]

Depends on the situation. Basement-dwellers care about the sound for themselves. As above. Those of us who play out every week, we care about the sound for the intended recipients. Then there are the Eric Johnson's of the world, who want perfection in every note for themselves and for their audience.

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

theres an audience?

i dont create anything for an audience, i create music for myself. if they wanna come along for the ride, awesome. but good lord, why on earth would i consider people who listen on telephone speakers in any equation for my feedback with my instrument?

Different for everyone probably…personally..i do want to have an effect..a tear, smile, move, thought…one of those at least.
Not in a way that capitulates what I personally think is good music…for the record

 

[GuitarBilly74]

…is a line of thought that ends in mediocrity.
That’s the hypothesis!

Appendix Q: Would Rembrandt have been what he was when he had only payed attention to what/how others see?

Am i wrong?

It depends on the situation. The wedding/bar band is not Rembrandt. They're blue collar musicians getting a job done.

The guitar player for Taylor Swift is not Rembrandt, he's providing guitar parts while staying out of the focus of the show.

Metallica is not Rembrandt, they're there to perform massive hits and their performance success not necessarily hinges on the accuracy of the guitar tones.

Eric Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, etc are Rembrandts. They care about the smallest details of their rigs and their audience appreciates that.

Personally, I care. That's good enough for me.

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

But I, the guitarist, can. And that completely changes how I play.

When I play through IEMs and many FRFRs, it sounds tinny, thin and like you're in a tunnel. That's why I like a guitar cab with modelers - it sounds natural, the feel is tops and it inspires me to play better - and you better believe, the audience can totally sense THAT.

I'm not into reproducing tones 100% from a record. That's a bit of a fool's errand to me - most times, the sound guy is going to mess things up anyway (which has been my consistent concert experience). I get tones that I like - it's the lines and melodies that people are looking for.

100%

 

[AFKAEjay(retired)]

It depends on the situation. The wedding/bar band is not Rembrandt. They're blue collar musicians getting a job done.

The guitar player for Taylor Swift is not Rembrandt, he's providing guitar parts while staying out of the focus of the show.

Metallica is not Rembrandt, they're there to perform massive hits and their performance success not necessarily hinges on the accuracy of the guitar tones.

Eric Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, etc are Rembrandts. They care about the smallest details of their rigs and their audience appreciates that.

Personally, I care. That's good enough for me.

Maybe you didn’t get the OP, or are you saying mediocrity is enough to get you to play with swift/metallica?

 

[GuitarBilly74]

Maybe you didn’t get the OP, or are you saying mediocrity is enough to get you to play with swift/metallica?

No, I care. I just finished packing my 77 Super Lead right now for tonight's gig. Certainly not because it's the most practical rig I have.

What I'm saying is I don't call others mediocre for having a different approach or perspective. Maybe you didn't get that.

 

[la szum]

…is a line of thought that ends in mediocrity.
That’s the hypothesis!

Appendix Q: Would Rembrandt have been what he was when he had only payed attention to what/how others see?

Am i wrong?

I am not egotistical---or delusional---enough to ever imagine that Rembrandt is the bar I am aiming for in life.

That's a lot of pressure. How do you do it?

 

[newholland]

not to have contempt for audiences or anything...

Depends on the situation. Basement-dwellers care about the sound for themselves. As above. Those of us who play out every week, we care about the sound for the intended recipients. Then there are the Eric Johnson's of the world, who want perfection in every note for themselves and for their audience.

basement dweller huh?

and why would playing out daily, weekly, or never have any effect whatsoever on whether you NEED to care about the audience? you gonna let them pick your string gauges, speakers, tubes? id suspect not. its not their choice. your sound is a reflection of you the player. chances are enormous that they couldnt tell the difference between a 1958 les paul through a jose modded marshall and a rick plugged into the ass of a turtle.

good lord man, dont imagine people actually spend time critiquing your tone and could have a lucid discussion about it. thats just delusional. keep perspective. of course they like your sound if YOU like it first. but its your obligation to like it first.

 

[la szum]

I think some care so much about what they do that there is no room left for the rest of us to give a shit.

 

[fiftyshadesofslay]

It depends on the situation. The wedding/bar band is not Rembrandt. They're blue collar musicians getting a job done.

The guitar player for Taylor Swift is not Rembrandt, he's providing guitar parts while staying out of the focus of the show.

Metallica is not Rembrandt, they're there to perform massive hits and their performance success not necessarily hinges on the accuracy of the guitar tones.

Eric Johnson, Joe Bonamassa, etc are Rembrandts. They care about the smallest details of their rigs and their audience appreciates that.

Personally, I care. That's good enough for me.

Rembrandt sucks

 

[JCW308]

not to have contempt for audiences or anything...


basement dweller huh?

and why would playing out daily, weekly, or never have any effect whatsoever on whether you NEED to care about the audience? you gonna let them pick your string gauges, speakers, tubes? id suspect not. its not their choice. your sound is a reflection of you the player. chances are enormous that they couldnt tell the difference between a 1958 les paul through a jose modded marshall and a rick plugged into the ass of a turtle.

good lord man, dont imagine people actually spend time critiquing your tone and could have a lucid discussion about it. thats just delusional. keep perspective. of course they like your sound if YOU like it first. but its your obligation to like it first.

I didn't say any of that nonsense. What I am saying is that music is for the audience and to think it's all about the player and nobody else is just insane.

 

[newholland]

No, I care. I just finished packing my 77 Super Lead right now for tonight's gig. Certainly not because it's the most practical rig I have.

What I'm saying is I don't call others mediocre for having a different approach or perspective. Maybe you didn't get that.

way i kinda heard it wasnt really saying its about calling folks out as mediocre, but that not having an opinion and just taking the 'x preset ' is taking yourself outa the equation. not really to say that you need to assert your independence in a cover band, nor that working dudes for taylor swift, or even at this point metallica, arent valid. just that even if nobody hears a difference in the audience doesnt mean that getting it right for the player isnt worth the effort. not putting words in anybodys mouth, course!

 

[newholland]

I didn't say any of that nonsense. What I am saying is that music is for the audience and to think it's all about the player and nobody else is just insane.

why?

 

[OneEng]

Depends on the situation. Basement-dwellers care about the sound for themselves. As above. Those of us who play out every week, we care about the sound for the intended recipients. Then there are the Eric Johnson's of the world, who want perfection in every note for themselves and for their audience.

While I care about how my IEM mix sounds since it has an effect on how I play, the only thing that really matters (to me) is that the audience enjoys what our band is doing.

I question the sanity of anyone that performs live and feels that an empty dance floor all night long can equate to a "great night". I don't care how great your guitar sounded to you on stage .

 

[newholland]

if youre playing covers, meantime, absolutely. if you're playing other peoples songs, absolutely. you're selling a commodity thats not yours, and your responsibility is to provide an experience that they understand. i get it.

regardless. you're still negotiating the physical act of delivering that music. you need to interact with your gear to do that, and thusly.. you make the choices. im not calling for throwing chairs at the audience im saying, nobodys sitting in the front row of the orchestra pissing and moaning about what rosin the second violist uses. are they doin it, and enjoying it? presumably so. boom. no discussion was necessary, right?

 

[GuitarBilly74]

way i kinda heard it wasnt really saying its about calling folks out as mediocre, but that not having an opinion and just taking the 'x preset ' is taking yourself outa the equation. not really to say that you need to assert your independence in a cover band, nor that working dudes for taylor swift, or even at this point metallica, arent valid. just that even if nobody hears a difference in the audience doesnt mean that getting it right for the player isnt worth the effort. not putting words in anybodys mouth, course!

Totally agree. I do have very strong opinions when it comes to my own tone and rig.
Getting ready to possibly defend it in a few hours at the gig tonight

That aside, "getting it right for the player" means different things for different players.

 

[JCW308]

These guys that say their tone is for themselves only and they don't care about the audience.......WOW