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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2019 14:16:34 GMT -5
[More PSF oldies]
Perhaps a better question--anyone else HATE the harmonica? Listening to a bunch of albums, Ive just noticed a pattern lately--anytime there's a prominent harmonica in a song, it kills it flat for me. Harmonica-heavy albums are unlistenable and find themselves straight in my reject pile. Its just such a "scratchy" unrefined, almost inherently off-key sounding instrument. It's fine for someone to play alone to pass the time. But why use it professionally when there are so many better options? I just don't get it. It's like having this beautiful canvas of gentle watercolors flowing into each other in a serene image...and then pulling out a big crayon and scribbling all over it.
Maybe some of you can relate to this. Probably more of you are thinking I'm crazy. If the latter though, can you think of any instrument, including synthesizers or something artificial like that, which you absolutely can't stand?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2019 16:36:56 GMT -5
[More PSF oldies]Perhaps a better question--anyone else HATE the harmonica? Listening to a bunch of albums lately, Ive just noticed a pattern lately--anytime there's a prominent harmonica in a song, it kills it flat for me. Harmonica-heavy albums are unlistenable and find themselves straight in my reject pile. Its just such a "scratchy" unrefined, almost inherently off-key sounding instrument. It's fine for someone to play alone to pass the time. But why use it professionally when there are so many better options? I just don't get it. It's like having this beautiful canvas of gentle watercolors flowing into each other in a serene image...and then pulling out a big crayon and scribbling all over it. I remember this topic! This opening paragraph always made me laugh (I'm sorry).  Tell you what, @iluvleniloud , I'll (re)post some tracks that use harmonica to (in my view) stunning effect. Starting with this gorgeous instrumental from the OST of Turkish Delight. I fail to see how Toots Thielemans' wonderful lines can possibly described as scratchy, unrefined and sounding off-key! I know--we're all different and I really respect your opinion but there are limits, you know.  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_Delight_(1973_film) |
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Post by g00dvibrations on Jan 11, 2019 16:57:35 GMT -5
Has any song ever used the bagpipes well?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2019 17:26:16 GMT -5
Has any song ever used the bagpipes well? We used to have a bagpiper at PSF. Unfortunately I can't recall his name. The uilleann pipes as played by Liam O'Flionn sound stunning on "Smaointe..." from Enya's 1991 album Shepherd Moons (here from 2:20): |
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Post by kds on Jan 12, 2019 3:45:03 GMT -5
Has any song ever used the bagpipes well? AC/DC's Its a Long Way to the Top if You Wanna Rock and Roll My least favorite is the turntable. There was a dreadful movement in the late 90s / early 00s of rock bands featuring DJs scratching records. |
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Post by kds on Jan 12, 2019 4:04:11 GMT -5
[More PSF oldies]Perhaps a better question--anyone else HATE the harmonica? Listening to a bunch of albums, Ive just noticed a pattern lately--anytime there's a prominent harmonica in a song, it kills it flat for me. Harmonica-heavy albums are unlistenable and find themselves straight in my reject pile. Its just such a "scratchy" unrefined, almost inherently off-key sounding instrument. It's fine for someone to play alone to pass the time. But why use it professionally when there are so many better options? I just don't get it. It's like having this beautiful canvas of gentle watercolors flowing into each other in a serene image...and then pulling out a big crayon and scribbling all over it. Maybe some of you can relate to this. Probably more of you are thinking I'm crazy. If the latter though, can you think of any instrument, including synthesizers or something artificial like that, which you absolutely can't stand? As far as harmonica, I think its used to great effect on... The Hollies - He Aint Heavy The Beatles - Please Please Me Billy Joel - Piano Man Bruce Springsteen - Thunder Road Black Sabbath - The Wizard Neil Young - Heart of Gold Tom Petty - Mary Jane's Last Dance |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2019 4:55:09 GMT -5
Saxophone. Though if anyone wants to post some examples of GOOD use of the sax I am prepared to revisit my opinion 😉
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2019 4:59:30 GMT -5
Saxophone. Though if anyone wants to post some examples of GOOD use of the sax I am prepared to revisit my opinion 😉 My two choices on such occasions: |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2019 7:28:58 GMT -5
Tell you what, @iluvleniloud , I'll (re)post some tracks that use harmonica to (in my view) stunning effect. The stunning solo by Mark Feltham starts at 3:28: |
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Post by kds on Jan 12, 2019 7:31:17 GMT -5
Saxophone. Though if anyone wants to post some examples of GOOD use of the sax I am prepared to revisit my opinion 😉 Pink Floyd - Us and Them Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2019 11:00:59 GMT -5
Peter Gunn is undeniably cool, but even there 99% of the cool comes from that guitar. And can it make up for Kenny G? 🤔
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Post by Deleted on Jan 12, 2019 11:22:09 GMT -5
Peter Gunn is undeniably cool, but even there 99% of the cool comes from that guitar. And can it make up for Kenny G? 🤔 That's good old Steve Douglas blasting up a storm on "Peter Gunn". I sincerely hope so! That said... Brian Wilson to Paul Williams in December '95: "I have a Kenny G. album, his Christmas song album--have you heard it?" PW: "No." BW: "It's great. Really good. And then it starts skipping on this song, so my wife's gonna fix it tonight." ( How Deep Is The Ocean?, pp. 164-65) |
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Post by E on Jan 12, 2019 11:40:49 GMT -5
Roy Wood - Going Down the Road
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2019 6:32:57 GMT -5
The least favorite to me - in fact, hate it - is *too* audible/ ubiquitous string orchestration, such as in Shirelles' "Will You Still Love", Jan & Dean's "Fiddle Around", Bee Gees' "Run To Me", Peter & Gordon's version of "True Love Ways", the list goes. I find it really cheesy. As you say, tastes differ. As a fan of orchestral music, I just love sweeping strings in pop. Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" has a fantastic string arrangement, as does The Drifters' pioneering "There Goes My Baby": en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_Goes_My_Baby_(The_Drifters_song) |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2019 6:35:22 GMT -5
Brian J[ones] solo album The Pipes Of Pan At Joujouka which seems being his album in the name but played by guest musicians he met. It's interesting, ethnic, if at times samey. That is one brilliant album! What an ambience. I reckon BJ has a lot more to answer for than is generally suspected.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 13, 2019 9:43:59 GMT -5
This is a song about the harmonica. Captain Beefheart aka Don Van Vliet, admittedly an acquired taste, was a formidable blower in his day. "Gimme Dat Harp Boy" comes from his sophomore album Strictly Personal: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strictly_Personal |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2019 15:56:14 GMT -5
We used to have a bagpiper at PSF. Unfortunately I can't recall his name. I believe it was Bill M. I remember we had a brief chat about drones and chanters.  |
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Post by Bill M on Feb 15, 2019 16:08:02 GMT -5
We used to have a bagpiper at PSF. Unfortunately I can't recall his name. I believe it was Bill M. I remember we had a brief chat about drones and chanters. That was me indeed! Bagpipes are a lot of people’s least favorite instrument. I really like the sound. Now, if I only can convince my neighbors... |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 15, 2019 16:26:22 GMT -5
I believe it was Bill M . I remember we had a brief chat about drones and chanters. That was me indeed! Bagpipes are a lot of people’s least favorite instrument. I really like the sound. Now, if I only can convince my neighbors... I think they're wonderfully evocative instruments. I'll never forget the sound of lone pipers playing in public squares when I was in Scotland two or three years ago. Can't you just convince your neighbours to move house?  |
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