Could it be my eyes?

[d03nut]

It was while seeing Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith that I was once again reminded of the powerful link between images and music. Revenge's score is practically a full-fledged symphony/opera. I can't recall the last time a soundtrack played such a big part (in total minutes) in a movie.

 

So how does this relate to acoustic guitars, you ask? Well, in my ongoing quest to get my guitar and/or me to have more "on" days tone-wise, it has come to my attention that much like in the movies "visual queues" seem to play a role in my perception of sound.

 

I haven't really pinpointed the various parameters yet. But I have noticed that when I play in a somewhat brighter room, or conversely, in a dark and not necessarily inviting place my guitar sounds the best. In other words, the extremes in terms of exposure to light seem to translate into getting a better sound out of my Rosie (guess what kind of wood). Other times, my guitar -or the room- just look more inviting to me, and more of-ten than not, on these occassions I do get a more satisfying playing experience.

 

All the other factors still hold true: string age/humidity/temperature/room acous-tics/contents of your nose/ears, etc. I'm just proposing here that purely "visual stimula-tion" could possibly be added to the list of factors influencing tone.

 

Maybe some people would call it "being in the right mood"

[opranks612]

It probably has a lot to do with the psychological effects of the room. For instance, a brighter room makes you happier, hence you feel your guitar sounds brighter. I know my mood shoots through the roof on clear, sunny days, so it might be something similar.

[JasmineTea]

Ah, I've been waitng for you to start another one of these..

 

I don't plan it, but I end up playing a lot at sunset. It seems I start about an hour before, and keep playing until the house is dark. So I get this gradual change of ambient light, fadeing till there is only the street-light comeing through the window.

 

Then I turn on the stove light, 40w bulb, and either make some coffee, or open a bottle of wine.(A little fork in the road there)

 

Talk about being "in the mood"...What about creating inner-ambience? Oh, I see you sort of mentioned that.

 

Try lighting a candle.

[d03nut]

"...pre-sunset until it's dark until the "street light..." routine is very similar to mine. Haven't tried the oven light yet. Candle and coffee work for me, however. Also, I open a bottle of wine or whatever only when I'm ready to "hear less tone" in exchange for a different kind of a trip. It's all good.........

[digitalsnipe]

 

Originally posted by d03nut So how does this relate to acoustic guitars, you ask? Well, in my ongoing quest to get my guitar and/or me to have more "on" days tone-wise, it has come to my attention that much like in the movies "visual queues" seem to play a role in my perception of sound.     Maybe some people would call it "being in the right mood"

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by d03nut I open a bottle of wine or whatever only when I'm ready to "hear less tone" in exchange for a different kind of a trip. It's all good.........

Well, I don't see it as being about "tone" so much, my guitar selection is pretty good.

 

It's about causing love to exude through your guitar.

[knockwood]

I wonder what Jeff Healey would have to say about this...

 

I do think visual surroundings can have an equal impact in the opposite direction... The visual will impact mood; mood will color your playing... In the same way that you're naturally inclined to move differently on the dance floor depending on what genre of music is being played... Your mood will "dance" to your sensory surroundings.

 

*If you can't recall the last time a sound track played such a big part in a movie, see anything by Scorsese. Take any three of your favorite movies and try to imagine them with no music... It's so much more vital to film than I think most people realize. Sean Penn's film "The Indian Runner" is entirely inspired by Springsteen's album, "Nebraska." I've been working on a screenplay for over ten years, based entirely on a single song ("Gun Street Girl" by Tom Waits)... My screenplay is a piece of crap, but I'm just sayin'...

[JasmineTea]

Scorsese...is he the guy who did the westerns?

 

I just saw "once upon a time in the west" for the 10th time, I LOVE the music in that movie. Who'd've thought Henry Fonda could play such an evil s.o.b.

 

How about this angle on visual/dance moves: 1st, I can't dance unless I'm drunk and/or gigging, but sometimes I wear sunglasses when gigging, so the visual is impeded.

 

Actualy, I ware sunglasses in order to have something to hide behind.

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by knockwood Take any three of your favorite movies and try to imagine them with no music... It's so much more vital to film than I think most people realize.

I found a CD of the music from "the wizard of oz" and have been lifting the songs from it. There's a rather lively version of "ding dong the wich is dead" - what a blast!

 

Dr. Zhivago.

[d03nut]

What I was attempting to relate, rather poorly I might add, was that aside from the psy-chological factors that contribute to having a good listening experience, everything else that I usually see attributed to influencing tone so far is more or less tangible, i.e. it in-volves an actual physical object vibrating (or moving). This would include not only the guitar but the surroundings as well as the listener and everything else in between.

 

During my theatre experience, however, it occured to me that the marriage of music & images, was benefiting both mediums (or is it media?) in that the music somehow sounded better because of the images and vice-versa. Watch a film on TV with the mute button on and you get the picture. Pun intended.

 

Nothing new thus far. But wouldn't it be logical then to think that a similar process can also occur on a smaller scale? The appealing look (image) of a guitar, a bright sunny day, a cold dark night, things that have nothing to do really with tone can become "movie-like" with you responsible for the writing of the score (or in this case playing your guitar). The right "image" can lead to a good sound, in a manner of speaking.

 

Think about it. How come you can hear better with your eyes closed? .Your nose and ears are certainly connected, not so much so your eyes and ears. Has got nothing to do with humidity levels, type of strings used, etc.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that visuals help the listening process on an "intellec-tual" level -and not necessarily in a physiological sense. But help they do

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by Tioga_Man You related it well. But what I read here is that JT suggested that he plays better if the visuals are right. You are focusing on having a better listening experience if the visuals are right. We'll probably agree that both happens.

Probably, however don't read me wrong. I don't mean to suggest that I play better with visuals, it just happens that I play guitar at sunset, and the stove-light is easier on the eyes. I hav'nt lit a candle in years.

 

do3nut,

the way you're useing the word "tone" seems wrong to me.

I hug my guitars because they are a good working conduit, not because of the quality of the tone. They are good sounding, but I've heard better. Mainly, I'm glad they're here and that I can play them.

 

It's my opinion (and I'm entitled to it) that if it's not about "exuding love" through the instrument, you should probly throw it in the fire. Not that this can't happen in many ways/colors/shapes/moods/psych/wtvr/ etc.

[d03nut]

What I was attempting to relate, rather poorly I might add, was that aside from the psychological factors that contribute to having a good listening experience, everything else that I usually see attributed to influencing tone so far is more or less tangible, i.e. it involves an actual physical object vibrating (or moving). This would include not only the guitar but the surroundings as well as the listener and everything else in between.

 

During my theatre experience, however, it occured to me that the marriage of music & images, was benefiting both mediums (or is it media?) in that the music somehow sounded better because of the images and vice-versa. Watch a film on TV with the mute button on and you get the picture. Pun intended.

 

Nothing new thus far. But wouldn't it be logical then to think that a similar process can also occur on a smaller scale? The appealing look (image) of a guitar, a bright sunny day, a cold dark night, things that have nothing to do really with tone can become "movie-like" with you responsible for the writing of the score (or in this case playing your guitar). The right "image" can lead to a good sound, in a manner of speaking.

 

Think about it. How come you can hear better with your eyes closed? .Your nose and ears are certainly connected, not so much so your eyes and ears. Has got nothing to do with humidity levels, type of strings used, etc.

 

I guess what I'm trying to say is that visuals help the listening process on an "intellectual" level -and not necessarily in a physiological sense. But help they do

[d03nut]

Oops, my bad. Sorry for the double post.......

[d03nut]

Knockwood, there's no denying the role music plays in film. I am a big fan of

Scorsese and the way he incorporates songs/music into his pictures (a highlight for me would be the outro piano section to Layla in Goodfellas). In fact, he even produced a se-ries on the history of the blues for PBS.

 

That said, Scorsese -as with other directors- rely to a certain extent on "outside" material whereas in the case of Episode III, the soundtrack is entirely original running throughout almost the whole movie.

 

Anyway, what I'm primarily interested in is the reverse: how visuals can affect audio, i.e. back to the guitar topic.

 

By the way, JT, I too (ahem) hug my guitar for the love of music and the love of love. It's just that there are days that the #1 draft pick in my collection (I only got 3) just sounds so flat that, you know

[JasmineTea]

Ray Charles.

[Cldplytkmn]

i'll break my 3 day hiatus with this thread... very interesting observations everyone is making... I haven't been able to pinpoint anything that turns 'it' on. I mostly try to be prepared to grab my guitar whenever i just get that urge. and try to make notes/record a memo for myself when i'm out. I've got songs that i've labored over for weeks that still sound so boring and flat, and songs that i've written in ten minutes that sound much more refined and interesting.

 

I've actually found that if i play at sunset, i tend to just sit and watch the sunset... maybe i have a poor attention span... haha...

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by d03nut By the way, JT, I too (ahem) hug my guitar for the love of music and the love of love. It's just that there are days that the #1 draft pick in my collection (I only got 3) just sounds so flat that, you know

[d03nut]

Actually, I'm really happy with my guitar (Larrivee D03R). Like I said before, it's just that sometimes she don't love me as much as I love her. See, I'm trying to pinpoint the cause. That's all.

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by d03nut Actually, I'm really happy with my guitar (Larrivee D03R). Like I said before, it's just that sometimes she don't love me as much as I love her. See, I'm trying to pinpoint the cause. That's all.

Can you describe this lack of love?

 

Here, lay back on the couch.

 

How bout a glass of water?

 

Relax.

 

Now, feel free to expound...

[digitalsnipe]

How 'bout this weather we're having lately, eh? Doesn't it just want to make you frick a bunch of work and do something completely pleasant for a change? Something that doesn't cost a lot of money like, well...

 

Hold that thought...I'll think of something.

[d03nut]

All I know is that when my guitar (and/or I) is "on", I basically don't want to cheat on her with another. No more GAS. Isn't that what love is all about?

[digitalsnipe]

Got it!

 

The wife and kids are going to Chicago tomorrow to visit the relatives leaving me hear alone for a week. An entire week of evenings free to play as loud and long as I like. Some of you might have that freedom already and can't see the big deal.

 

Well, I'm here to tell you it is for me and I'm going to use it well. Gives me the solitude to concentrate on writing.

 

Do3nut, I'm not sure where you are taking JT, or visa versa, but I got to honestly say that guitars are not a spiritual extension of my psyche. Neither is my car or any other material thing I directly or indirectly own that has been elevated to heightened spiritual status by the usual calamities of the human mind, sober or otherwise. Fall victim to that and watch people slowly move away carefully keeping one eye trained upon you never turning their backs.

 

However, I do feel certain ways at times and express them throught the guitar. Songs. Great idea and so is the guitar. I'm with you if that's where you're going.

[JasmineTea]

 

Originally posted by d03nut All I know is that when my guitar (and/or I) is "on", I basically don't want to cheat on her with another. No more GAS. Isn't that what love is all about?

ok, so is it you, or her?

 

I have a harem of guitars (totaly acceptable in my society) I don't feel like I'm being unfaithful to one by switching to another while the "candle" is still burning.

[d03nut]

No seriously, Digitalsnipe I think when all is said&done we're more or less on the same path. Although, I wouldn't necessarily consider a musical instrument -or any other "art-creating" tool- as a material possession (unless it was bought to be put on display).

 

As for my non-cheating ways, I'm not sure whether it's me or the guitar. But you know what they say: never say never. I just did.........

[JasmineTea]

Originally posted by digitalsnipe Fall victim to that and watch people slowly move away carefully keeping one eye trained upon you never turning their backs. However, I do feel certain ways at times and express them throught the guitar. Songs. Great idea and so is the guitar. I'm with you if that's where you're going.

I think that's where it's going.