If music is a language…

jaymenon

If I’m having a conversation with you it follows that (consciously or subconsciously) you will be making your assessment of how good (or bad) a conversationalist you think I am.

I would expect that your assessment would be based what I say (and what I don’t say), the vocabulary I use, the tone of my voice, the inflections in my voice, the implied punctuation, my body language, how well I listen to what you have to say, et cetera et cetera

… and precious little to do with how fast I’m talking.

So why do we try to play our guitars so much faster???

TINMAN82

jaymenon said:

If I’m having a conversation with you it follows that (consciously or subconsciously) you will be making your assessment of how good (or bad) a conversationalist you think I am.

I would expect that your assessment would be based what I say (and what I don’t say), the vocabulary I use, the tone of my voice, the inflections in my voice, the implied punctuation, my body language, how well I listen to what you have to say, et cetera et cetera

… and precious little to do with how fast I’m talking.

So why do we try to play our guitars so much faster???

Depends on the setting, sometimes use of speed can build tension or excitement. Agree it’s often gratuitous.

Have a look at Ted Gioia’s “How to Listen to Jazz”. Many of the points are applicable to all types of music but jazz is a good example.

Lewy

Sometimes you need to commentate on a horse race.

On a serious note, music doesn't convey meaning in the same way words do. You can very slowly and gently say "the avalanche built up pace and obliterated the village below". With music you have to reflect it in the dynamics and, yes, the speed of the notes.

HAL9000

jaymenon said:

So why do we try to play our guitars so much faster???

Not me. I deliberately try not to be too fast too or showy. The players I rate tend to those that support the singer/serve the song rather than those who see that can squeeze the most notes into the shortest possible time. I prefer the economy of players like Peter Green, Robert Cray, etc.

Funkfingers

jaymenon said:

why do we try to play our guitars so much faster???

Immature males believe that it is an achievement to finish first.

skunkwerx

Sometimes I just like to see how far I can push it.. 

thecolourbox

How fast you are talking would affect how I perceive what you were saying to me though

If you ran up to me, and said, really slowly and gently, "There's a man chasing me with a machete who is trying to kill me and he'll kill you", I'd feel a lesser sense of urgency than if you spoke the same sentence really fast

DulcetJones

I end each fast riff-fest by shouting "sold to the man in the blue sweater"

merlin

Music is a language of sorts but conversation can only really happen if people take it in turns, not all talk at the same time. If you do that then there is no communication. With music, multiple, cooperative and complimentary conversations often need to happen at the same time to create the whole. 

p90fool

Sometimes a flurry of notes is necessary to convey a certain feeling.

Not very often though, and certainly less often than most guitarists think. 

SidNewton

If music is a form of communication then it is a non verbal form and therefore the comparison is pointless.

west

The more facility you have, the more able you are to  express the ideas that come to mind ....

Sassafras

So I can get through the set quicker and we can all go home early.

JezWynd

Isn’t music the food of love? And it’s rude to talk with your mouth full.

fastonebaz

Same reason classical music is littered with fat and slow passages.  Because without the context od works to convey meaning as well as moods,  the pace and intensity helps to convey meaning.

Plus,  I think we're often impressed by someone who can think fast in they're feet and instantly respond with something witty,  powerful,  accurate,  deep etc etc as an enviable talent to our meagre  conversational wit, and similarly respond to guitar playing wizardry. 

lasermonkey

west said:

The more facility you have, the more able you are to  express the ideas that come to mind ....

Or waffling endlessly and not getting to the point.....

west

Not the intention of my statement, thats where discretion comes in ...

soma1975

jaymenon said:

If I’m having a conversation with you it follows that (consciously or subconsciously) you will be making your assessment of how good (or bad) a conversationalist you think I am.

I would expect that your assessment would be based what I say (and what I don’t say), the vocabulary I use, the tone of my voice, the inflections in my voice, the implied punctuation, my body language, how well I listen to what you have to say, et cetera et cetera

… and precious little to do with how fast I’m talking.

So why do we try to play our guitars so much faster???

But I would not judge your conversation skills on your ability to speak another language that you would be less fluent in than your native tongue. 

MichaelWatts

I view speed as a texture - it can be used to add emphasis and accentuate a melody or theme. 

Music is a language. Moreover it is the only language that communicates purely in emotion and not information. 

axisus

Personally I don't think the analogy makes sense at all. You are merely highlighting where it fails.

So you have never been moved by virtuoso violin playing in classical music?

jaymenon

I’m not knocking virtuoso/lightning fast playing at all.

It just bemuses me when people like Malmsteen play crazy fast solos on ordinary songs which demand a more slow approach. 

People like Guthrie Govan, Steve Lukather, Dan Huff seem to combine melodic feel with the occasional flurry of notes that interests (rather than exhausts) my middle aged mind...