Uli Jon Roth on technique vs. musicality

[Tone Slinger]

Roth on technique versus soul, "Sometimes it is important to devote time to technical aspects - and to do this intensely - but this shouldn’t be one’s main focus for long – only for as long as necessary. To concentrate mainly on the technical aspects of one’s music making can become like a mechanical drug for some people. They become addicted to technique and in some respects hide behind it – to cover up a lack of musical depth or substance by fast, slick flurries of meaningless notes. There is a huge difference between playing fast runs that are dictated by finger reflexes and by those which have musical meaning, quality, and weight. Melody is usually the first victim of this approach – rhythmical precision and clarity of phrasing and expression are often next on the list. For a lot of players this habit can easily lure them into a trap that they may find hard to escape. The problem with this way is that there is very little connection with the deeper layers of music – with the inner content; there is a lot of musical activity, business – but very little of substance is actually being said, and achieved. Concentrating mainly on technique can lead to a musician’s alienation from the essence of music, and the player is then trapped in a perpetual scraping of music’s surface level, which means he is stuck in an immature state of musicianship and never gains any deeper insights."

[garbeaj]

Hah...sounds like an open letter to Yngwie:) Maybe that's too harsh because sometimes Yngwie can be soulful, but not in the way that Clapton, B.B. King, J.J. Cale or Eddie can be...

[Tone Slinger]

I do agree about Yngwie getting sort of redundant,but,his true,inner style is a fast one.Uli thinks very highly of Yngwie and vice versa. Alot of other guy's who play fast all the time are,imo, demonstrating what Uli said. They are trying to be what they WANT to be,instead of who they ARE. They havent gotten past thier concious,on the surface,mind set, to let thier true, inner -self speak. Alot of these 'typewriters' might indeed be slow players if they were to 'find' themselves and let thier TRUE,individual personality come through on thier guitar.

[garbeaj]

I agree...I think Steve Vai and Satriani are like this. They know that they want to be more soulful, but I think their massive technique just gets in the way of this. I think Holdsworth gets pretty close to being fast and soulful, as does Guthrie and Uli. But to me the only guy that really pulled off playing fast with soul was Eddie. Just my opinion, and I know it might not stand up in a court of law, but that's how I see it.

[Lefty Lou]

When Yngwie first became popular I had his album(s). Yes you heard it folks, "Albums". I thought he was great (through the stereo system) UNTIL I saw him open for AC/DCs "Fly On The Wall Tour" on 10/10/85 in Okc., Ok. I was wearing ear plugs that let sound in but restricted the damaging frequencies since I was on the floor (general admission) close to the stage. After 15 minutes of Yngwie, I was wrung out and pleading for Yngwie to leave the stage as I had bad ear fatigue. All those odd harmonics from the endless scales and arpeggios were more than a human's ears could handle. Sure the dB levels were extremely high but, it was the odd harmonics that did me in. After I left the concert and took my ear plugs out, my ears were ringing. Imagine what it would have been like without them (I'd be deaf now). AC/DC on the other hand did not put out excessive quantities of odd harmonics, and that's how I could handle them until concerts end.

[Tone Slinger]

I remember hearing about Malmsteen on that tour. I missed it but heard of his performance. I agree that Eddie was indeed a prime example of a guitarist with both soul and speed. It is indeed a small crowd. I'd add Michael Schenker, Uli Roth, Gary Moore (rip) and John Norum to that list. Many other guitarists that play straight blues are fast (SRV and clones) and because of the pentatonics and blues notes,novices immediatly register "Soul"or "Feeling". There are few guy's who can play lines based on other scales and keep that visceral quality.You can play Classical WITH feeling as well as play blues WITHOUT feeling.

[NY Chief]

Roth on technique versus soul, "Sometimes it is important to devote time to technical aspects - and to do this intensely - but this shouldn’t be one’s main focus for long – only for as long as necessary. To concentrate mainly on the technical aspects of one’s music making can become like a mechanical drug for some people. They become addicted to technique and in some respects hide behind it – to cover up a lack of musical depth or substance by fast, slick flurries of meaningless notes. There is a huge difference between playing fast runs that are dictated by finger reflexes and by those which have musical meaning, quality, and weight. Melody is usually the first victim of this approach – rhythmical precision and clarity of phrasing and expression are often next on the list. For a lot of players this habit can easily lure them into a trap that they may find hard to escape. The problem with this way is that there is very little connection with the deeper layers of music – with the inner content; there is a lot of musical activity, business – but very little of substance is actually being said, and achieved. Concentrating mainly on technique can lead to a musician’s alienation from the essence of music, and the player is then trapped in a perpetual scraping of music’s surface level, which means he is stuck in an immature state of musicianship and never gains any deeper insights."

Spoken as eloquently as he played. There's a shit load of guys out there that don't even know that they don't know...

[Tone Slinger]

I agree. I think that there is one way to realize when a player has truly 'moved' a listener and that is if the listener thinks "that is nice tone there". There is nothing logical about why we would relate sound to being a "Nice tone", therefore, it is honestly admired from a deep place. When there is an endless barage of notes and finger mechanics going with malice intent ,I rarely get moved beyond the surface. Tone is of the deepest primordial level.

[FL6]

I've always wondered about this and my main question would be what does one work on to get more musical?
I find I'm more musical when I put it down for awhile, go through some life shit (good and bad), then hit it again and it's better.
But that's not very practical, you can't just leave music all the time.

The only thing I can think of is keep improvising over many styles but while doing so try and dig deep and feel the beat, the mood etc.

Other things I've tried...recall an experience that affected you in some way and try to convey it in musical terms.
Close your eyes and just let your hands or ears do the work.
It's hard to get into a meditative state while onstage or anytime to let things flow but that would be the general goal.
Assless chaps, no underwear, porn on my monitor...just kidding...or am I?

I do play better on long car rides where my wife drives. I believe DLR wrote alot of his vocal melodies that way...he'd have a roadie or someone drive around town and he'd be in the back composing away. There's something about that that works.

I just found this today, haven't read it yet but it looks interesting.
http://johnfrusciante.com/article/the-creative-act

[Tone Slinger]

Nice read, I really enjoyed it . I'll have to read it through a few more times,but my initial take is that it is obviously not for everyone to be aware of. I like how he bypassed any aspect of judgement, like never implying that 'fame' makes one's 'creativity' any better than another, etc.

[NY Chief]

Listen to and emulate horn players, think melody not bee in heat gymnastics. Louie Armstrong

[garbeaj]

That's good advice...Chuck Berry and B.B. have always said that and I think it is great advice. I learned a lot by listening to Branford Marsalis and his playing with Sting and Rahsaahn Roland Kirk...I can't say I have any clue about the theory involved in their playing, but it does shake up your phrasing a lot when you try to play lines from other instruments...especially horns.

[NY Chief]

Loved Uli's work int he early Scorps, blistering and cutting edge. Just got his Transcendental Sky Guitar and Electric Sun CD's. Amazing playing!

[Just Mike]

In my book there are very few guys who can do it. Eddie is at the top of my list but on the other end of the spectrum are guys like Lukather and Robben Ford.
I think what sets Ed and a few others apart is their originality. We all love Eddie's playing and a lot of us here have studied it and we "get it", but for the life of me, I don't hear anybody else's influences when I listen to EVH.

[NY Chief]

Oh there is definitely early Roth in EVH