Members Ronaldo Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 I really think you can. Not including singing, but I keep noticing that when someone plays, if I close my eyes and listen then I could have a good estimate of their personality just by how they play. I notice this especially when someone plays solo acousic. So if this is true then can some people not play certain styles well because it "clashes" with their personality. I've been wondering about this, what do you guys think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members EvilHippy Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 I can... some good ones to listen to are James Taylor and Neil Young. James Taylor sounds mellow while Neil.... I wonder about him sometimes....lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LittleBrother Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Well it depends. There are some very shy people that are very over the top in their playing and performance. There are players that are really calm and pretty non entertaining or dry sense of humor and play like a mother. I'm not sure it always matches Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orsino Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Originally posted by LittleBrother Well it depends. There are some very shy people that are very over the top in their playing and performance. There are players that are really calm and pretty non entertaining or dry sense of humor and play like a mother. I'm not sure it always matches Agree LB. I have a friend that is painfully shy in real life, but is one of the best stage actors I've ever seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unk Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 I don't know man. If you closed your eyes and listened to me play you might think I was awful, but I'm actually a decent guy. Then again, although I'm a friendly person I am fairly reserved and I do think that comes out in my playing. I've been told that I need to be more aggressive with my "attack". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LittleBrother Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Yeah but thats the problem. We are all works in progress both as humans and players. Sometimes one outruns the other. I think many of your personality traits do come out in everything you do including playing but I think on the surface it is hard to get to know someone by hearing their art form. Actors often get caught on the street by fans who think they are the same in real life as on TV. It's just a tough call. Good topic though because it makes you think. Unk, as far as your personality. I think humble and kind comes across in both your playing and your personality. I think you call it being not aggressive and I call it being cautious and considerate. I am sure you will be coming out of your cacoon slowly and surely. I think Carle is another one. I hope to see you guys playing alot more at the next jam. I just went to the Luthiers Consortium and those guys were all such great players I just sat back and enjoyed it. I just was having so much fun I didn't need to play. We all are in the same boat. It's all relative. I also notice that all these world class players are just regular people like us when you get them off at dinner or relaxed. People are people. I think one thing that would really help many players is seeing yourself perform on video tape. Just you judging yourself. I know I get sick everytime I see myself on tape playing but it really helps. As far as this overall question, I think it can go either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orsino Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 Leo Kottke once said that being an artist is "being a good liar". In other words creating something that doesn't exist, if that makes sense. Thus I think an artist can step outside of who he/she is and create something very unlike themselves. On the other hand, the best art is created when a piece of the artist is in it IMO. That's called inspiration. This was just a long way of saying that I think LB's right. You can create something like or unlike yourself. It CAN go either way as he says IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Carle Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 I like to play the devil's advocate sometimes in discussions to bring out a persons real self, etc. Most people are very reserved or careful in a new group. Don't want to offend or make a scene. Well, I am beginning to think that when a person plays a tune and changes it to the way they like it or makes up a tune they give you a glimpse of their personality, just a glimpse mind you. You may never get in the door of some people, or no farther than the living room. Yes, a homemade tune tells a lot about the inner self of someone. Listen real close to how they time the notes and the way the notes move. An emotional person will be all over the place with the notes and timing. A quiet person will be very structured in what they do. It is hard to put anyone in a box and label them as such and such but you can tell something about their personality by how they play, after they warm up to you at least. Maybe Leo is letting us in the door and showing his real emotions and personality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Murdoch Posted January 31, 2004 Members Share Posted January 31, 2004 I think that it's only a partial truth. It's more true for singer/songwriters, I think, depending on what kind of lyricist they are. A particular song is more like a window of what kind of person they were when they wrote the song more than anything else. It may be a good barometer of how strongly the player feels certain emotions, etc. Take "Tears in Heaven" for instance...that song doesn't necessarily give us an idea of what kind of person Clapton is, but what it DOES do is show us beyond any measure of doubt how much pain the man was in when that song was written. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpoonyJank Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 What if one hand is dominant for you (compared to most)? If your right hand is way better than your left does that mean that you're left brained and predestined to be more logical and detail oriented? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SpoonyJank Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 I'd say its combination of your personality, what you listen to and who you watch playing, or who or whatever taught you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unk Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 LB, thanks for the kind words man. I'm working on something that I hope to be able to play at your next jam. I may have to swing by Oz on the way and see if the wizard is still doling out some (best cowardly lion voice) "courage". It's a hurdle I hope to jump. Definitely need to try the video taping thing, great tip! I remember reading a thread somewhere once about guitar players and how some attract the ladies. Some of the ladies said they thought that guitar players reveal some of their personality simple because they played. Those who said they were attracted to guitarists said it was because they felt if a guy took the time to learn to play that it showed a degree of dedication, plus they perceived guitarists to be a little "deeper" than the average Joe, artsy and all that. Hmmmm, I knew I should have taken up guitar long long ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orsino Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 Gee, and I thought I was getting the chicks because of my natural good looks and boyish charms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LittleBrother Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 ROFL you guys ! Is there some toothpaste under that tree ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members orsino Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 Originally posted by LittleBrother ROFL you guys !Is there some toothpaste under that tree ? Yes....but no floss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sixty2strat Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 I really believe that parts of your personality will show up in your total aprroach to your instrument. lets say frets worn down in the same spot( excluding a beingger)tells me a lot about the player and the person....stuck in a rut no flexability not really commited to music...a dabbler. From thier approach I feel I can get a feeling about a player that warm me about them, or tell I got to jam with this player. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Unk Posted February 1, 2004 Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 Hey O-man, I can hear you playing the guitar part of Dualing Banjos! Oh yeah, and that hat makes you look really funny. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ronaldo Posted February 1, 2004 Author Members Share Posted February 1, 2004 Wow, I think those are some pretty interesting ideas. I agree that some people perform and you would never know that they are shy or totally different in person. It's funny because I was thinking along different lines, i.e. that in some styles, like slack key or folk, the sound off when played by certain people. I had a classical teacher that plays slack key but I swear it sounds classical or not "slack key" even though it sounds good. Its like his approach is too 'structured' or something and it doesn't have 'swing' or whatever you would call it. I've also have a friend who is jittery and high strung and he always seems like he is playing fast rock whether he is trying to or not. i.e. personality traits come through so a 'type A' person playing slow blues will sound more like rock and roll. Then again, it could just be the particular people that I've heard. Or maybe its just that people are attracted to playing the kind of music that suits their personality. Anyway, interesting thoughst so far. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LostInMyHead Posted February 2, 2004 Members Share Posted February 2, 2004 Are you scared someone will know you are a dildo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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