Imperfections Curve
This article from blogger Kathy Sierra starts a great conversation (which, incidentally I also had with another person today - more on that in the near future) about where along the axis does perfection begin to ruin a good thing.
She brings up some examples of music - like David Gray's "White Ladder" album sounding really cool and indie - and then his new record sounding all "major label" and slick and has no life to it.
I've found in my own listening habits I tend to prefer recordings and performances that have an edge, a rawness, a sense of danger or are not quite "right". There's an amazing recording I have from 7 string classical guitarist Paul Galbraith - performing Haydn. It's strikingly perfect in almost every detail.
I barely listen to it, instead preferring the boundary pushing, edgy, mistake laden improvisations of Egberto Gismonti. I guess it's more human to me. When I see the juggler I don't want to see an effortless display - I want to see someone on the edge - trying to keep all the balls in the air.
There's something great about humans reaching incredible levels of ability in any endeavor - and there's also something great about keeping the humanity in such efforts. Perfection - while possible - is not always preferable - at least to me.
Thankfully - I don't have to fear being perfect anytime soon! ;-)
Finding the sweet spot where the mistakes don't take away from the performance - but ADD to it.
I've come to the realization that it's the little technical errors and mistakes we all make that are the very things that give our work it's humanity and give each of us our unique voice.
My aim is no longer about driving mistakes out my music or performances - it's about making my mistakes brilliantly!
Comments
Hy jeff. My name is vlad from romania and i'm a left hand bass player
Nice point of view that you have here, but think about playng in a band instead of solo interpretation - it seems a little bit hard to do mistakes and keep them...brillant. Anyway, I really like your style, it's pretty unique. Best whishes!
PS have you ever tried to play a bass with the normal oriented strings ?
Posted by: Anonymous | December 22, 2006 02:54 AM
Hi Vlad!
First - yes - I have played bass "normally" and with a band. I own a normal fretted and a normal fretless bass.
I actually think making mistakes "brilliantly" in a band context is easier.
If you've ever had the opportunity to listen to the individual tracks of a song in solo mode - you'll notice very little of it stands up on it's own.
There's almost always timing errors ect...but when mixed with all the other instruments - (each one making it's own little mistakes) they blend.
Of course - there's always the ability to go back and "fix" all that stuff - and when we hear that it often rings false - even if we don't know why.
Go listen to James Brown - and Jamerson - by today's standard there's so much WRONG going on in those recordings - but do they need to be "fixed"?
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | December 22, 2006 10:09 AM
Hi Jeff, listening to your music i've noticed that for me, It sounds better in the Youtube videos available here than in the mp3 player at the bottom of the media page. even if the mp3 has a more defined, clear sound, and an overall better quality, that doesn't add anything to the performance mainly because you can feel the "metallic" sound typical of a bass string hitting the fret. Same thing happening to Seth horan in most of his recordings (but I like him anyway).
Do you think that's exactly an example of what the "imperfection curve" means or am i wrong?
...Oh... When I'll have the chance to buy your album?
Posted by: Riccardo | December 27, 2006 08:54 AM
Hi Riccardo - in matters of taste - you cannot be wrong. ;-)
All of the YouTube stuff is LIVE - so there is very little if any direct bass signal in the audio of the videos.
Even the version of Little Sunflower I did in my home studio - the sound is 100% camera mic.
The "metallic" issue you mention is a major challenge I'm facing in recording my music.
I have a solution to that in regards to the CD project - it involves hiring a producer.
I'll post some more detailed news on that once I get everything confirmed.
Posted by: Jeff Schmidt | December 27, 2006 04:57 PM
..."I'll post some more detailed news on that once I get everything confirmed."
Good! Because I think you really are of inspiration for bass players, and I wanna be the first to buy one! (Signed of course ^^).
Anyway, last time I forgot something: "...but do they need to be "fixed"?".....
I think that's exactly what most people who don't like Hendrix...don't understand. Playing on the edge...in a band, It's fantastic. the most perfect you get in playing something, the less soul you can put into it...;)
Good Luck for your CD project. Byez!
Posted by: Riccardo | December 31, 2006 05:41 AM
Hi Jeff... cool topic you've posted here. I think I have to agree with you 100% on this. (...and Riccardo, wherever you are, wait 'till my new EP comes out... I left plenty of mistakes. ;)
Posted by: Seth Horan | January 12, 2007 12:18 AM