Songs have a story... TELL THE STORY!

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

One of the first questions I ask my students in private instruction is "what are we doing when we play the guitar?" Usually the answer comes back as "playing some licks," or "running the melody," or something similar.

I answer that yes, we're doing all those things, but doing them because hopefully we're communicating with the lead singer AND the audience, those people out there listening to us. In order to properly communicate, everyone in the band has to be on the same page with what's being said.

The lead singer has the benefit of using lyrics to communicate the ideas contained in the song. We as players don't have that benefit, and so we have to use musical ideas, notes that logically follow one another or juxtapose against each other in simultaneous harmonies to create the emotions contained in the songs.

Too often I see, when playing in dance bands or honky-tonk bands, groups that lose sight of the meaning of the song they're performing and play it inappropriately. More frequently, they play the song too fast or with the incorrect attitude and it detracts from the message or story of the song.

A case in point, just as an example, is the Ray Price classic from 1965 "The Other Woman." A great song and performance written by Don Rollins ("I'm Not Crazy Yet," "The Race Is On," and others), it tells the story of a man having a face-to-face with his wife after being accused of adultery. He's saying "hey, don't YOU accuse ME of being without feeling," and proceeds to tell her that she's part of the problem in the marriage as well, that she left the door open for his infidelity. That he'll either continue the extramarital relationship or leave the marriage is left unspoken. The man is torn... "I'm afloat in the middle of a river"... and he isn't sure of what will happen.

This is the most serious time in the course of a marriage. When having this talk, you want your spouse to hear and digest every word of what you're saying. You don't want to speed through a single sentence. You pause to let him or her think about what you've just said. You wait for their response. You review all that's occured in the marriage up to that point... the good and the bad. You think about when love was new, what went wrong. It's a tense and emotionally draining moment.

So why is it that bands play the song about twice as fast as it should be played, with a drum kick in the middle of the chorus and lots of fanfare licks and show-off playing?

Probably for two reasons: First, weekend warrior singers might feel they're not good enough vocally to handle ballads and so they play it fast to get off one note and on to another so nobody notices they can't sing; and secondly, they mistakenly feel that dancers only enjoy themselves if they're rapidly scooting around the dance floor.

I disagree with that philosophy. Audiences like to be talked to, they like to see personalities and feel the players are interested in them. The songs we play tell a story, so tell that story to the audience in ways they can comprehend.

Songs have meaning. Don't obscure that meaning for the sake of playing some hot licks that no one cares about except the 4 or 5 other guys on the bandstand with you. You'll be very surprised at the reaction of those listening to you; you'll be taken more seriously, not only as musicians, but as communicators.
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Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Scott Shipley · From: The Ozark Mountains

AMEN.
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Roger Crawford · From: Griffin, GA USA

Thanks, Herb. With your permission, I'll forward a copy of this post to my band members. That's one of the best analogies I have ever seen.

Kevin Hatton · From: Buffalo, N.Y.

This is the problem with alot of the traditonal weekend bands out there. They think that they are there to play liicks and sing notes. Its about communicating and entertaining. Very unprofessional to just go throught the motions with no effort.

Donny Hinson · From: Glen Burnie, Md. U.S.A.

Lest we forget...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaoM0YiG1B4

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

Thanks Herb, I think we all need to be reminded of that. The "chicken pickin" stuff is great when at the ISGC or other show when other players are around to understand and appreciate it. But your show or club audience doesn't understand what you are playing unless it's played with the emotion that the song requires. Also louder is not better. That is a problem with most bands today. What ever happened to dynamics?

Mat Rhodes · From: Lexington, KY, USA

I agree in principle with everything you're saying, Herb, except that there seems to be two types of audiences. The audience you're describing that appreciates communication are sit-and-listen types. They're not there necessarily to socialize. The other kind of audience that frequents bars and dance clubs generally tend to see the band as sonic wallpaper and couldn't care less about the subtleties. It's the latter that seem to be in the majority, but I realize that subpar musicians haven't helped a whole lot in changing things.

My band doesn't really do the club thing (more private parties, special events, etc.), but if I had to put a percentage on the number of people who actually listen and make positive comments about the music itself, it would be 1-2%. I don't know, maybe that says more about our lack of ability. The event usually puts us in a background context. But then I see bands that have no subtlety and simply play balls-to-the-wall; the audience appears to thrive on it. You can tell by the bobbing heads.

I don't know if that concludes anything, but I'm becoming more convinced that it takes more than simply music to reach an audience. I think visual stimulus can and does play an important role if one is to be a successful entertainer. I'm not sure where the distinction lies between an entertainer and communicator. That unfortunately relegates the role of a band to that of a modern day court jester.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Matt
The points you make are valid, there are probably some audiences that can't be reached. But as you say, lots of bands aren't helping any. I think I'll address those points in my next "tome" about how to play cover songs but not be a "copy band," upcoming shortly. Wink

_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Herb, what a great post. I think a lot of us have played to audiences with very low attention spans... but serving the music is what it's about.
I feel so very fortunate to play in a band and at venues where listening and absorption in the music are the audience norm.
The other night I got so lost in the depths of the music... the chi was just right... a beautiful thing.

Ben Jones · From: Seattle, Washington, USA

good stuff. thanks Herb!

I needed to be reminded of this, honestly much of the time Im just praying I can hit the right string or pedal and am so absorbed in that that I loose sight of the song entirely. Im not playing this thing yet, its still playing me. someday I'll get there.

Twayn Williams · From: Portland, OR

Excellent advice!

The only thing I would add is that sometimes it's useful to add another layer to a songs meaning by creating "narrative tension". Like when a sad song is done really fast, such as "The Race Is On". The subject matter of the song is quite sad, but the song is a fast paced little ditty. Smile

This is a common technique in jazz and swing.
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Don Walters · From: Saskatchewan Canada

b0b this forum needs a "thumbs up" emoticon. On some systems it's represented with (y). So .. this is for your post, Herb

(y) (y)

Geoff Cline · From: Southwest France

Right on Herb. Irrespective of genre, and even if there aren't lyrics/vocals, it is ALWAYS about the song.

Georg Sørtun · From: Mandal, Agder, Norway

...and some complain that I insist on reading and understanding the lyrics before I play my part...

Jeff Evans · From: Cowtown and The Bill Cox Outfit

Brian McGaughey · From: Orcas Island, WA USA

I've played drums in pop and rock bands for many years and grew the most as a musician during the period of time that I would record our performances.

I came to the conclusion, after painfully listening to myself lead the band in playing nearly everything too fast, that all meaning was lost in the songs, or as you say, the story wasn't getting out.

I counted them off too fast trying to increase the energy level. Doesn't work. I'm with ya, Herb.

Roy Rosetta · From: Nederland, Texas.. On the Texas Gulf Coast

Great post Herbster. Have thought those very things many, many times.
Later my friend,
...Roy
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Music is a "gift" with many wrappings....
....Roy

Ned McIntosh · From: New South Wales, Australia

I have always believed my task as a backup musician was to be a good and true servant of the music first and foremost and, on those occasions when I have the good fortune to back up a vocalist, to add to the emotion in the song which the vocalist is bringing out.

To do this you have to connect with the emotion and feelings in the music and the lyrics. You also have to hear how the vocalist is connecting to the same things...only then can you begin to add to the music, and the emotion or feelings it conveys. To connect you have to listen first. Not play...just listen! Then, and only then, will you feel the muse inspire you, and you will get a feeling for what is most appropriate to play.

Sometimes it comes down to a single note, played just right at the perfect moment. Or perhaps a chord, voiced appropriately, brought in with the volume-pedal and faded back out again, timed for best effect. (If I really get stuck for an idea I try some harmonics; often that works beautifully). As many have commented in the forums before, I believe I am appreciated more for what I don't play than for what I do play...and that is for me a part of the essence of the steel-guitar. It is the "spice" added to the music. A little goes a long way, if you're doing it right.

What I dislike intensely are otherwise-competent musicians who feel they have to be busy all the time in order to contribute. Too many hot lead-guitar licks, all over the song, just make it "muddy". Too much percussion becomes an exercise in wilful self-indulgence. Strangely enough, I have rarely heard a bass-player who was too busy, nor have I heard a fiddle-player who played way too much - yet. The phenomenon seems to be confined to lead-guitarists mostly, although I have noticed a few rhythm-guitarists who were too "obtrusive", if I may put it delicately.

Another thing which annoys me is too many guitarists on-stage at any one time. I have seen seven guitarists on a stage when two (three if you count the bass) were all that were needed. You couldn't tell who was playing what! Honestly, a stage stuffed full of guitarists just makes the whole thing look amateurish...when will musicians learn the principle "more is less" applies just as much to them as it does to anybody else? There is no safety in numbers on-stage anyway; if the audience is going to start throwing fruit, you're all going to get hit. The best you can hope for is that some of the fruit is actually edible!

Playing numbers too fast? Speed-picking has its place...but I have always felt there was more raw emotion and feeling to be had in the slower songs than in the up-tempo stuff, and in such cases the steel really comes into its own. Sure, you have to play up-tempo numbers for live shows, but after you've shown the audience how fast your lead players can pick, backing right off and doing some slow stuff gives the musicians a chance to settle in and the vocalist a chance to really start to connect with the audience. That's what live music should be all about.

This may sound like musical snobbery, but I am less-than-impressed with lead-players who rattle off continuous flashy licks like there's no tomorrow and have little regard or consideration for the other players or the vocalist, to say nothing of their insensitivity to the music. That's just the ego being bigger than the talent. There's way too much of that going on. The most important thing about the music is the music and the emotion it carries within it. All the musician should do is give life to the music and let the music itself do the communicating.

One last observation. I have found the steel-guitar is a wonderful instrument for shrinking the ego down to the point where it can be comfortably carried around in a small thimble. That's about the perfect size for a musician's ego, IMHO.
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The steel guitar is a hard mistress. She will obsess you, bemuse and bewitch you. She will dash your hopes on what seems to be whim, only to tease you into renewing the relationship once more so she can do it to you all over again...and yet, if you somehow manage to touch her in that certain magic way, she will yield up a sound which has so much soul, raw emotion and heartfelt depth to it that she will pierce you to the very core of your being.

Herb Steiner · From: Spicewood TX 78669

Ned, we drink from the same cup. Wonderful post.
_________________
My rig: Infinity and Telonics.

Son, we live in a world with walls, and those walls have to be guarded by men with steel guitars. Who's gonna do it? You? You, Lt. Weinberg?

Jeff Hyman · From: West Virginia, USA

Outstanding post. I heard a phrase the other day: many in the audience listen with their eyes. Not outfits, but the presentation of a song as you describe above, as well as the fun and enjoyment felt between the guys on stage. It rubs off on the crowd.

Ben Lawson · From: Brooksville Florida

Some years ago I mentioned the name of a lead guitar player to George Edwards. He said the guy had great knowledge and dexterity on the guitar but he called him a computer player. There was no feeling in his playing just a lot of notes.
Herbster this is a great post.

Earnest Bovine · From: Los Angeles CA USA

Right on. It's worth the extra effort it takes to get through some of these maudlin, self-pitying songs with a straight face. Sincerity is the key here. Once you learn to fake that, you've got it made. It also helps if you keep in mind the motivation of the sardonic, pleonectic songwriter; i.e. if I add a line about my dog, or wasting gooks or whatever, that'll get 'em, Toby Keith will record my song, and I can buy a bigger truck.

Russ Tkac · Posted 11 Sep 2009 11:47 am

Here's cover tune that is not like the original. Smile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BvPugOWeZiA

Roger Edgington · From: San Antonio, Texas USA

Herb,
Thanks for posting. That's one of my pet peeves. I'm always harping about playing songs to fast and loosing the feeling.
When you play songs too fast not only do you loose the feeling but sugnature licks don't fit as well and you loose the punch. Songs have to breathe. People shouldn't under estimate your crowd. Most of our crowd listens pretty close and responds by dancing & singing along to our music.

If a lot of these shuffles were played faster they may not have been a hit.

Rudy Hawk · From: Carrollton,Ohio,USA

Great post Herb. I can't add much more to whats already been said, except that band leaders should recognize there are alot of professional listeners out there, and that the material they choose should at least be played in the tempo it was originally recorded. There might be some exceptions but not many IMHO. They could even learn more uptempo songs instead of ruining a good ballad. As a guest singer on occasion, I've often had bands kick off an old standard song much faster than it should be done, or gradually increase the tempo at the break. Drummers or bass players can kill you sometimes. I learned I can't always plan on being safe doing a standard ballad with some players. Fortunately, I never had that problem in the yesteryears when it was MY band.
RH

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