meshica7
19th January 2003, 4.50 am
Having been prompted by Mr. Traktor a few months ago through an e-mail exchange of "Prophetic Dreams", I am joining the forum.
My name is Juan R Leon. I am a bassist and Native American Flute player. I am a "tapping" bassist with with several years experience. I would like to start off by saying that I am not a technical bassist for the sake of being technical. I strongly believe that the technique must always serve the music. We are not race car drivers or knife throwers who rely on their keen senses and finely tuned skills to get the job done. Not to be-little said professions or ascribe a less than artistic connotation to these vocations mind you,but as musicians we owe our allegiance to the three facets of music: Harmony,melody,and rhythm (is that spelled right?).
Example: "Watson and Crick" by Michael Manring from his "Drastic Measures" album is a prime example of the Three Facets. All represented with sincerity and intergrity. Give it a listen.I'm serious! Break out that CD and give it a spin.The music exemplifies Manring's mastery of feel and emotion.Music is the master and technique the dutiful and willing servant. Yet they are equal in their accomplishment. The destination being achieved by the navigator which is the song and propelled by the fuel which is the technique. Never mind the fact that Manring is playing two basses at once.Never mind that the basses are tuned to an open chord.Never mind that Manring often switches hands on the basses but keeps the same melody to it's respected bass.Never mind any of that. What one first notices is the extreme musicallity of the composition. The tune could be played on a kazoo and still make a valid musical statement.My point is this:Does our music make an honest attempt at being honest?We can learn all the techniques and licks,buy all the latest gadgets and fx that we can imagine and still not make a valid,musical statement. All this may sound high and mighty,I know.But consider this: Pablo Picasso's early works were pretty much straight ahead paintings.Portraits,still lifes and the like. He revolutionized the art world by taking all his years of conventional art study and putting it on the back burner.He began to paint compositions which involved what many viewed as amatuerish subjects.Simple geometric shapes;single color paintings in varying intensities of tone and hue;simplified line paintings of complex subjects. His art took on a life unlike that of any artist in history. He invented Cubism and opened the door for many artists of his time and ours. How? He was honest.He was true to his convictions as an artist and as a result he has become the single most famous artist in history.One of the very few artists to have been able to witness his own fame and profit from it.
So, where do we stand with our craft? Do we offer a true reflection of ourselves in our music? Does the technique of our craft dictate the final destination of our compositions?Or do we, like Picasso and Manring,let our convictions speak for our craft and let technique serve the ultimate
purpose of our talents and gifts which is to honestly convey our emotions. After all,isn't that what honesty is all about?
Well, I hope that wasn't too cheesy or New Age for ya. Just a thought and my opinion. And I am certainly no Picasso or Manring. But I strive to be. Thanx for reading!
Later!
Juan
www.mp3.com/meshica7
My name is Juan R Leon. I am a bassist and Native American Flute player. I am a "tapping" bassist with with several years experience. I would like to start off by saying that I am not a technical bassist for the sake of being technical. I strongly believe that the technique must always serve the music. We are not race car drivers or knife throwers who rely on their keen senses and finely tuned skills to get the job done. Not to be-little said professions or ascribe a less than artistic connotation to these vocations mind you,but as musicians we owe our allegiance to the three facets of music: Harmony,melody,and rhythm (is that spelled right?).
Example: "Watson and Crick" by Michael Manring from his "Drastic Measures" album is a prime example of the Three Facets. All represented with sincerity and intergrity. Give it a listen.I'm serious! Break out that CD and give it a spin.The music exemplifies Manring's mastery of feel and emotion.Music is the master and technique the dutiful and willing servant. Yet they are equal in their accomplishment. The destination being achieved by the navigator which is the song and propelled by the fuel which is the technique. Never mind the fact that Manring is playing two basses at once.Never mind that the basses are tuned to an open chord.Never mind that Manring often switches hands on the basses but keeps the same melody to it's respected bass.Never mind any of that. What one first notices is the extreme musicallity of the composition. The tune could be played on a kazoo and still make a valid musical statement.My point is this:Does our music make an honest attempt at being honest?We can learn all the techniques and licks,buy all the latest gadgets and fx that we can imagine and still not make a valid,musical statement. All this may sound high and mighty,I know.But consider this: Pablo Picasso's early works were pretty much straight ahead paintings.Portraits,still lifes and the like. He revolutionized the art world by taking all his years of conventional art study and putting it on the back burner.He began to paint compositions which involved what many viewed as amatuerish subjects.Simple geometric shapes;single color paintings in varying intensities of tone and hue;simplified line paintings of complex subjects. His art took on a life unlike that of any artist in history. He invented Cubism and opened the door for many artists of his time and ours. How? He was honest.He was true to his convictions as an artist and as a result he has become the single most famous artist in history.One of the very few artists to have been able to witness his own fame and profit from it.
So, where do we stand with our craft? Do we offer a true reflection of ourselves in our music? Does the technique of our craft dictate the final destination of our compositions?Or do we, like Picasso and Manring,let our convictions speak for our craft and let technique serve the ultimate
purpose of our talents and gifts which is to honestly convey our emotions. After all,isn't that what honesty is all about?
Well, I hope that wasn't too cheesy or New Age for ya. Just a thought and my opinion. And I am certainly no Picasso or Manring. But I strive to be. Thanx for reading!
Later!
Juan
www.mp3.com/meshica7