What happened to our ears?

Gassage

I saw a post today asking for EQ settings for a Boss GE7. I mean, REALLY?

Have we now gotten to a point where it's quicker to ask for settings, or where to place a pedal, or what pedal to get via typing a post and then trawling through loads of conflicting answers to try and find the answer that we've been searching for via proxy?

What happened to using our ears?

Why are we confining instruments of creativity to a commoditised viewpoint via concensus?

As an e.g. close to my heart, Gilmour would never have made Echoes if he'd not plugged his wah in wrong. These days, he'd have stopped writing and playing, reached for his Mac and posted a HELP! post.

Similarly, Chorus and flange wouldn't have been invented if someone hadn't stuck their fingers on a tape reel- these days a Health and Safety law suit would be the result, not a song.

No wonder music is becoming the same if we as players commoditise our creativity to the opinion of social media.

Let's use our ears.

Rant over.

not_the_dj

Good rant. Agreed. 

TTony

Gassage said:

Have we now gotten to a point where it's quicker to ask for settings, or where to place a pedal, or what pedal to get via typing a post and then trawling through loads of conflicting answers to try and find the answer that we've been searching for via proxy?

What happened to using our ears?

The internet

Phil_aka_Pip

Agreed. have a wis.

stratman3142

Gassage said:

As an e.g. close to my heart, Gilmour would never have made Echoes if he'd not plugged his wah in wrong. 

How did Gilmour plug his wah in wrong, what was the wah pedal make and year (did it have any mods) and can you explain the technique he used (maybe make a video). Then I can recreate that sound

Gassage

stratman3142 said:

Gassage said:

As an e.g. close to my heart, Gilmour would never have made Echoes if he'd not plugged his wah in wrong. 

How did Gilmour plug his wah in wrong, what was the wah pedal make and year (did it have any mods) and can you explain the technique he used (maybe make a video). Then I can recreate that sound

LOL! Excellent.

VimFuego

human nature, innit. If there's an easy path, we're hard wired to take it, it's like transcribing/ear training (and I'm as guilty as anyone of this) the proliferation of TAB/people who will transcribe for you has meant you don't have to do it yourself. It's something that's on my list to really knuckle down and learn. 

Modulus_Amps

I remember getting my first "real" guitar amp, a peavey studio pro 112, there was a page in the manual that told you how to get specific tones, jazz ,metal blues etc I think we all learn through what we read and listen to along the way, someone asking for settings has likely not spent enough time with said device, is a novice or has not read the manual.

....also being creative ala gilmour/hendrix vs trying to copy a sound are two different skills

Gassage

VimFuego said:

human nature, innit. If there's an easy path, we're hard wired to take it, it's like transcribing/ear training (and I'm as guilty as anyone of this) the proliferation of TAB/people who will transcribe for you has meant you don't have to do it yourself. It's something that's on my list to really knuckle down and learn. 

Pls confirm if the hard wiring is PTP, Turret or PCB, buffered or TB, then I'll respond.

sweepy

Agree totally, it’s become a society of hand holding and no spirit of experimentation. I liken it to using gauges for measuring string action, nut height etc, just use your eyes and hands, if it feels right then it IS right 

Winny_Pooh

No one has the "problem" of time and boredom anymore. Back in the day boredom was something that now seems a luxury, time in which to muck about, play for hours and get the most out of the limited pedals/gear one had. 

further

stratman3142 said:

Gassage said:

As an e.g. close to my heart, Gilmour would never have made Echoes if he'd not plugged his wah in wrong. 

How did Gilmour plug his wah in wrong, what was the wah pedal make and year (did it have any mods) and can you explain the technique he used (maybe make a video). Then I can recreate that sound

Here you  go
http://www.gilmourish.com/?p=256

Teetonetal

This is about boredom. Nothing has happened, people still experiment to get results. Just these days, it's also really easy to ask EVERYONE.

Almost everything I post music / gear related is done in a position of not having gear around, usual whilst doing something tedious. So I'd rather post a question, get some ideas, go home try it, as well as do my own thing.

Phil_aka_Pip

VimFuego said:

human nature, innit. If there's an easy path, we're hard wired to take it, it's like transcribing/ear training (and I'm as guilty as anyone of this) the proliferation of TAB/people who will transcribe for you has meant you don't have to do it yourself. It's something that's on my list to really knuckle down and learn. 

I'm not quite convinced. OK, I get that there are some kinds of music that were never written down so you shouldn't expect to have it written for you, you just have to learn it off the records a bit like Eric Clapton learning that Feddie King stuff.

Then there's other things like Eagles solos and some people expect you to learn them off the record. If it's that much of a set piece (with an Eagles song it certainly is, whether or not they wrote it down before recording it), then it shouldn't be too much to ask to see it written down.

guitarfishbay

Not everyone is a trailblazing flange.

guitarfishbay

TTony said:

Gassage said:

Have we now gotten to a point where it's quicker to ask for settings, or where to place a pedal, or what pedal to get via typing a post and then trawling through loads of conflicting answers to try and find the answer that we've been searching for via proxy?

What happened to using our ears?

The internet

As if nobody ever asked these questions to their peers, or guitar teacher in the past.

What's changed is we can see everyone asking everyone else, that's all.

Teetonetal

Phil_aka_Pip said:

VimFuego said:

human nature, innit. If there's an easy path, we're hard wired to take it, it's like transcribing/ear training (and I'm as guilty as anyone of this) the proliferation of TAB/people who will transcribe for you has meant you don't have to do it yourself. It's something that's on my list to really knuckle down and learn. 

I'm not quite convinced. OK, I get that there are some kinds of music that were never written down so you shouldn't expect to have it written for you, you just have to learn it off the records a bit like Eric Clapton learning that Feddie King stuff.

Then there's other things like Eagles solos and some people expect you to learn them off the record. If it's that much of a set piece (with an Eagles song it certainly is, whether or not they wrote it down before recording it), then it shouldn't be too much to ask to see it written down.

There is no better way of learning a solo (particularly a solo) than having to work it out by ear.

The less you rely on reading the better, unless the goal is for every one to read (like an orchestra) and play exactly what's written with no deviation. Learning by ear gives you so much more awareness of the whole band. I'm convinced it accelerates all round musical development far more than reading a tab / notes ever does. The one caveat to that is when you can't work it out - then it's good to have the notes, to see what you missed or couldn't get.  

Phil_aka_Pip

@Teetonetal you have a point, but usually they want it by next week, not in however long it takes you to learn it by ear. And even when learning it by ear you're still writing it down so basically you're doing someone else's job. In the case of set pieces I don't see why you shouldn't read it rather than recite it, it makes little difference to quality of the performance other than to minimise the possibility of playing the wrong thing. The punters want to hear the right notes played in the right order, and half the time they don't care if they're sequenced.

camf

Is it to do with the difference between being a musician who is searching for the means to express something they are feeling as an individual (but including referencing the work of other musicians that have affected them), from an enthusiast or fan who is focused on wanting to be like someone else, or recreate someone else's sound, and is looking for validation that they are getting closer to their intended destination? Both are fine, but I think they involve quite different processes: the first option means you're likely to be more open to a range of unforeseen possibilities, while the latter is a more reductive process that involves refining a sound or approach that you've already identified but might be struggling to achieve with the limited tools and talent you have to hand.  

stratman3142

further said:

stratman3142 said:

Gassage said:

As an e.g. close to my heart, Gilmour would never have made Echoes if he'd not plugged his wah in wrong. 

How did Gilmour plug his wah in wrong, what was the wah pedal make and year (did it have any mods) and can you explain the technique he used (maybe make a video). Then I can recreate that sound

Here you  go
http://www.gilmourish.com/?p=256

That deserves three fret points, one in each category. I clicked on each, but it got stuck on a Wis.

scrumhalf

When you only have a few tools at your diposal you have to experiment, to mix and match, take a gamble and see what happens.

There are too many tools around these days (in more than the obvious sense of the word).