Standout Standardization

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 10 Feb 2006 7:16 am

Did someone pass out some weird drug to the rest of the forum and leave me out?

Now I know what's it like to have alzheimer's.

I can't make heads or tales of any of the posts here.

The best I can make out: We want to standardize on the way the instrument can be made and played. We create an "anthem" that everyone has to play. And then we are are categorized by how well we can play the anthem. Sort of like scoring a Tennis pro. All deviation from this is too confusing to be bothered with and should be discouraged, perhaps by firing squad.

Am I close?

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 10 Feb 2006 7:34 am

Sleepwalk was a pretty good standard.

Steel Guitar Rag is still a "standard" although tired.

Maybe Bill is saying we need a new standard on the steel that is more up to date that the public can relate to.

Terry

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 10 Feb 2006 7:40 am

Okay, I nominate Robert Randolph's "Moving In the Right Direction".

:0

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 10 Feb 2006 7:45 am

" Have you ever tried to imagine, how many musicians would be great steel guitarists, had they not been coaxed to proceed on another instrument?"

Very well said, Bill, and the obverse is as correct as well. Although those of more than 90 degrees may find only obfuscation in your post, One must repose only as far as that authors' OWN post to find classic malfactorism. Malborg de planerd, as it were.

Marlin Smoot · Post by **Marlin Smoot** » 10 Feb 2006 7:53 am

Please consider just one of the multitudes of musical instruments available to discuss; the Violin which can be traced to the 9th century and took another 450+ years to become “standardized” in size, shape, tone, and components used and we haven’t even began discussing the musical styles available to it.

Then consider the modern Pedal Steel guitar as we know it today is only about 60 years old. The Pedal Steel in comparison is in its infancy stages. It may take more time for a “standard” to come into focus. I don’t believe the experimenting with the Pedal Steel tunings and capabilities of this complex instrument have yet been reached to its full potential.

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Feb 2006 8:07 am

Gentlemen,

Attempting to improve on something that was perfected long ago, is quite a stint. Maintaining those standards is what my input is about. There is plenty of hard work ahead in doing just that.

Bill

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 10 Feb 2006 8:16 am

"Maintaining those standards is what my input is about."

Maintaining WHAT standards?

Can you be specific - or is this all just a game trying to prove yourself able to confuse the entire steel universe by saying nothing?

Suggestion - please make ONE clear statement of what you're trying to accomplish. So far, all I can detect is a keyboard, thesaurus, and random typing.

Walter Stettner · Post by **Walter Stettner** » 10 Feb 2006 8:24 am

Pete Finney · Post by **Pete Finney** » 10 Feb 2006 8:32 am

I agree about the language; there's precise vocabulary used to make specific points, and then there's using "big" words used to try and impress. In this case there's not a single word that's difficult or unclear on it's own; they're just strung together in very bizarre, obscure and often seemingly meaningless ways bordering on pure bulls*** in my opinion.

For example:

"Specifiable utterances pertaining to musical preferences, could derail efforts to head off that which contributes the least to the betterment of the steel guitarist."

or

"STANDOUT STANDARDIZATION" for that matter...

Two words: does ANYBODY understand what that might mean exactly?

So I don't quite know what Bill's trying to say, but I AM still pretty sure I completely disagree!

[This message was edited by Pete Finney on 10 February 2006 at 12:44 PM.]

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 10 Feb 2006 9:06 am

Maintaining cerebral equilibrium with positive intent would facilitate comprehesion of posts that contain a high degree of verisimilitude.

Terry

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 10 Feb 2006 9:41 am

I get it now. He's attempting to implement a parallel real-time algorithm derived from a meta-level concurrent work cluster

Glyn Bone · Post by **Glyn Bone** » 10 Feb 2006 9:58 am

Whoa gentlemen...time out....while I go change me undies, you`re crackin me up to the point of peein` in me pants

Glyndwr.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 10 Feb 2006 10:08 am

"I was taken aback to learn that something is askew in the actual musical preferences existing among steel guitarists."

Why does that line make me laugh right out loud? Bill, you are okay with me! We need more posts like this.

Herb Steiner · Post by **Herb Steiner** » 10 Feb 2006 10:09 am

I get it! It's simple, really... the mind-trap of duality, exacerbated by a sense of cosmic ennui.

Very similar to Mr. Natural's suggestions on dealing with the universe: "If you don't know, don't mess with it."

------------------
Herb's Steel Guitar Pages
Texas Steel Guitar Association

Jim Sliff · Post by **Jim Sliff** » 10 Feb 2006 10:18 am

Hehe - Mr. Natural? I know there are some that are gonna have that one fly past their upper cranium.

Actually, this whole thread is defined by the Firesign Theater: "Everything you Know is Wrong".

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 10 Feb 2006 10:29 am

I think Bill studied under Yoda.

Post by **Dave Mudgett** » 10 Feb 2006 10:32 am

I think what Bill suggests is some way to assess quality in steel playing. Sounds like a pretty tough problem, to me, since we can't even agree on what constitutes "legitimate" steel guitar playing, much less "good" steel guitar playing. The later post seems to suggest that some "showcase" pieces be developed to assess a player's competence and also give a focal point to steel guitar. Perhaps like country guitar players use fast versions of "Sugarfoot Rag" or jazz players use fast versions of "Giant Steps" as practice and chops-demonstration pieces? But I'll admit, I'm a bit fuzzy also. Bill, is there any way you could clarify your ideas?

Overly complex writing makes it hard to communicate. Nowhere is this evident more than in academia. In my teaching, I insist that students write clearly, and evaluate them using the Flesch index of reading ease:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesch-Kincaid_Readability_Test

I give them a minimum standard - I'm sure you'll be surprised to know they don't like doing this much.

On the subject of verisimilitude - a while back, there was a real flap about a serious scientific conference accepting a planted and deliberately nonsensical paper. Here is an example of a computer science automated paper generator:
http://pdos.csail.mit.edu/scigen/

This one goes for maximum humor - try it out. It's hard to imagine really faking anyone out with this. But these guys got a generated paper accepted at a major technical conference last year. It may sound funny, but it's really not.

Ben Jones · Post by **Ben Jones** » 10 Feb 2006 10:58 am

"Very similar to Mr. Natural's suggestions on dealing with the universe: "If you don't know, don't mess with it."

[This message was edited by Ben Jones on 10 February 2006 at 11:00 AM.]

Mat Rhodes · Post by **Mat Rhodes** » 10 Feb 2006 11:35 am

Jerry, Buddy, Lloyd, Jimmy, Herby, Paul...

Them there's a big 'ol list 'a yer standards...

Matt

Dave Boothroyd · Post by **Dave Boothroyd** » 10 Feb 2006 11:56 am

The Euterpian art resembles, in one particular, those denizens of the bathymetric milieu for whom stasis represents a state of morbidity.
In plain language, when a music stops changing, it dies, like some types of fish which have to keep moving or drown.
Down with standardisation. (and over-elaborate obscurities in language)
Long live diversity- Lets all be happy to be different, and lets take pleasure in a good argument!

------------------
Cheers!
Dave

Pat Kelly · Post by **Pat Kelly** » 10 Feb 2006 12:11 pm

The correct word is "diversifitudehoodshipskyism."

what about diversifitudehoodwinkmanshipskyism.

Seriously though, glad to see there's no needle in this thread. Oh oh, getting tangled up here.[This message was edited by Pat Kelly on 10 February 2006 at 12:19 PM.][This message was edited by Pat Kelly on 10 February 2006 at 12:21 PM.]

Bill Hankey · Post by **Bill Hankey** » 10 Feb 2006 12:29 pm

Music is similar to the "universe" in that there are no boundaries in either spectrum. I disagree with not searching for missing links. The steel guitar has survived through precarious times, and is gaining steadily in acceptation; thanks to the builders and standout performances of the players who have mastered the instrument.

Bill

Terry Edwards · Post by **Terry Edwards** » 10 Feb 2006 12:47 pm

Thank you, Bill.

You have summed up in a few words what many of us have been trying to say!

Terry

Leigh Howell · Post by **Leigh Howell** » 10 Feb 2006 1:33 pm

Good to see you back in the swing of things Bill!!!

Leigh

Jim Cohen · Post by **Jim Cohen** » 10 Feb 2006 2:26 pm

and is gaining steadily in acceptation

"Acceptation"?? Is that like "Acceptance"? WHy does the name, "Norm Crosby" keep crossing my mind?