WHAT do "listen" for?

Ray Montee · From: Portland, Oregon (deceased)

Many folks when listening to music to their liking, listen ONLY to the lyrics; others, the voice inflections of the vocalist; others, the overall sounds of the band; still, some zero in on the steel player.
NOW, that YOUR EARS have pin-pointed the sounds of the steel guitar, do you allow yourself to become mesmerized by the overall
great sounds or do YOU, actually concentrate entirely on the bar hand? Sliding INTO or OUT OF certain phrases of the song.....
Over the years, I've noted that quite a few steel players "slide up and into" a phrase yet, seldom, if ever, slide DOWN and into a phrase, or, slide down off of the last note/chord played.
What's your pleasure in this regard?

David L. Donald · From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand

Ray interesting questions.

I think more slide up for two reasons.
1) it's easier to see below, coming up the neck
2) and the psycological lift of moving up.

That said, a few are wondeful at sliding down into a note.
Cindy Cashdollar, a number of hawaiian players, and BE come to mind.

As far as what elements to listen too, for me it's differentfor each piece.
But I, in general, hear ALL the sounds as a whole,
and then pull parts apart and think how it was played,
and also how it was recorded.
And then also the lyrics.

But I have 40 years of recording and I am sure that I don't "listen" like most poeple.
In fact I have trained my self not to. I can, to some extent, isolate out extranious sounds I don't want, and focus on part of a mix.

[This message was edited by David L. Donald on 07 October 2004 at 12:30 AM.]

David Doggett · Posted 7 Oct 2004 5:38 am

I listen first to the overall sound of the band and vocal, and if that grabs me, I will begin listening to the lyrics. In rock I don't even know what the song is about half the time. In country the lyrics are more prominent and easier to follow. If there is steel, I only listen closely to it if it comes up in the mix and does something good and interesting. Then I reach over and turn up the volume. If it's just some standard licks in the background, I don't pay too close attention.

As far as the slide up to the note, it's an intergral part of the country steel sound. But some people overdo it. I picked up one all steel CD, and the player (who shall remain nameless) slid into every single note on every song, and it became extremely irritating and I tossed the whole CD.

[This message was edited by David Doggett on 07 October 2004 at 06:39 AM.]

Bob Stone · From: Gainesville, FL, USA

Ray,

I had the good fortune to take a few violin lessons back in the 1980s, then played fiddle for a few years. Sliding down from a note is a technique used effectively by many violinists and fiddlers (violinist who stomp their feet). Thanks for reminding me of the downwards slide. I think many steelers overlook this technique. It's just one more tool for musical expression.

I listen to vocalists a lot. After all, our instrument can sing.

Rick Aiello · From: Berryville, VA USA

Gene Jones · From: Oklahoma City, OK USA, (deceased)

......For many years.I have not had the pleasure of "listening" to music for the sheer enjoyment of listening

There has always been so much new material that it has been difficult to keep up with it all, so as a professional musician I have always "listened" specifically to the steel parts so that I would be familiar with it if I had to unexpectably play it somewhere. That has always been my primary means of learning new material.

I am doing better now that I don't accept "casual" jobs anymore, and find that I am actually beginning to lay back and enjoy listening to music without the possibility of unexpectedly having to play it somewhere.

.....retirement is great!

www.genejones.com

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Although I still listen to a song as "a whole" for it's emotional impact, for many years I've been a producer and recording engineer and I find myself listening as deeply as I can into the production of individual tracks. Far from being a sterile or mechanical approach, I think it's really added to my enjoyment. A beautiful instrument or voice complimented by a sparse setting (Eva Cassady,Leo Kottke, the Police), classic clean recording in a small band setting (Alan Jackson), full production with tasteful instrumentation (Martina McBride), or pristine acoustic representation (Mark O'Connor, Allison Krauss) each bring their own delights to the table. Prominent steel in any one is frosting! The one thing they all require to really shine is a good lyric, melody, or both. And if something's sliding down, well, that's pure heaven...

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Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com

Herman Visser · From: Rohnert Park, California, USA

Years ago I took a mass media class.The one thing it taught me was never look at the people up front, always look behind the main actors, thats where the story is.Like wise for music for me. What goes on around the singing front person is the song for me. Like a good actor with a bad scipt, makes for a bad movie. what Im tring to say is (great back up people great song)I aways try to pick out the unusally sound or lick in a song.

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