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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???
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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.
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.
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
“Theory is something that is written down after the music has been made so we can explain it to others”– Levi Clay
Not very often though, and certainly less often than most guitarists think.
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.
I said maybe.....
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.
Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
Music is a language. Moreover it is the only language that communicates purely in emotion and not information.
Check out my YouTube channel for videos of luthier-built and vintage guitars!
Luthier Stories - My series of interviews with some of the world's greatest guitar makers
So you have never been moved by virtuoso violin playing in classical music?
It just bemuses me when people like Malmsteen play crazy fast solos on ordinary songs which demand a more slow approach.