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Why the fuck do people think they can measure emotion?


argondamn

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I think the thread title says it all. I'm tired of running into this argument. Whether it be the old lineup, the 02 lineup, or the present one.. everyone seems to think they know how much 'emotion' is going into each players playing. You can talk all you want on how bad they're screwing up, or how awesome they're making it.. but please stop pretending you have any idea what you're talking about when you say things like 'Slash played with more emotion'.

You cannot possibly know how much emotion is put into each performers playing. And I think it's safe to say that all of the performers in GNR play their fucking hearts out, whether it is Slash's playing in the original, Buckethead or Bumblefoot shredding away, or Finck's crappy solos :P.

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I think the thread title says it all. I'm tired of running into this argument. Whether it be the old lineup, the 02 lineup, or the present one.. everyone seems to think they know how much 'emotion' is going into each players playing. You can talk all you want on how bad they're screwing up, or how awesome they're making it.. but please stop pretending you have any idea what you're talking about when you say things like 'Slash played with more emotion'.

You cannot possibly know how much emotion is put into each performers playing. And I think it's safe to say that all of the performers in GNR play their fucking hearts out, whether it is Slash's playing in the original, Buckethead or Bumblefoot shredding away, or Finck's crappy solos :P.

It's because people think they know everything there is to know about every line-up in the history of the name Guns N' Roses. Fact is, none of us do, and to debate it to death is just pointless and ends up in a bitching fest each and every time.

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You can't measure the feel of someone's playing. You can only measure the feeling it gives you. And some players are better at creating those reactions in people than others...

Exactly!

Even some songs are better at creating these feelings it the audience.

For example, the first Slash solo in November Rain always moved me emotionally the first few times i heard it, but after a while it got stale. The new interpretation of it that 4tus plays has rekindled the emotional response I have toward it, chiefly because of his intense way of playing it.

One person might think Coma is an incredibly moving song because of their past experiences, and their sympathy for Axl's enthusiasm at his triumph over a hard period in his life, while another person might thing the song is too long, and lacks structure.

The reaction varies from person to person. I personally believe that these guitarists are giving us all, emotionally, that they have on the sadder emotional songs. I dont really feel Tommys playing on the sadder songs(although this is purely from seeing videos) but I think he has a more rebellous edge playing the harder songs than all of the other guitarists. This all goes to say, it is purely my personal opinion, and others might get a totally different vibe from him.

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I think the thread title says it all. I'm tired of running into this argument. Whether it be the old lineup, the 02 lineup, or the present one.. everyone seems to think they know how much 'emotion' is going into each players playing. You can talk all you want on how bad they're screwing up, or how awesome they're making it.. but please stop pretending you have any idea what you're talking about when you say things like 'Slash played with more emotion'.

You cannot possibly know how much emotion is put into each performers playing. And I think it's safe to say that all of the performers in GNR play their fucking hearts out, whether it is Slash's playing in the original, Buckethead or Bumblefoot shredding away, or Finck's crappy solos :P.

Of course u can't measure the emotion they put playing but u can somehow measure the emotion they give to you!

U can measure what they are able to transmit to you, that's the meaning of "SLASH played with more emotion" I guess .......... oh SLASH's playing........ :wub:

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You can't measure the feel of someone's playing. You can only measure the feeling it gives you. And some players are better at creating those reactions in people than others...

seconded

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You can't measure the feel of someone's playing. You can only measure the feeling it gives you. And some players are better at creating those reactions in people than others...

It's true, but then it's only a matter of taste. There are people feeling more emotions while listening to Malmsteem or Batio than listening to any Slash's solo.

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I agree with the person who says you can't measure how much emotion is behind a player, but you can measure the feeling it gives you... but that was completely unrelated to the point I was making...

When people say Slash plays with more emotion, they're saying that Slash plays with more emotion. Not that Slash's playing moves them emotionally, but that they believe Slash is putting more into his playing than other people. It's the argument everyone uses to defend some old guitar heroes who honestly were sloppy, against technical magicians (MAB, Malmsteen, Cooley, Lane, Ron Thal, Buckethead, Becker, Vai, Satch, Gilbert to name a few..).

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I think people are so dumb they think they can gauge emotion through facial features which could be put on, or

they think that playing bluesier or more soulful material makes you more emotional, even if you could play that shit with a stone cold face.

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You can't measure the feel of someone's playing. You can only measure the feeling it gives you. And some players are better at creating those reactions in people than others...

Yea, I hear that. Certain people just have a certain chemistry with their fans. I think the way Slash did for a lot of people on this forum. Its really all up to the individual and whether or not they're picking up on the performers vibe.

Rock On

Tbizzle

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I agree with the person who says you can't measure how much emotion is behind a player, but you can measure the feeling it gives you... but that was completely unrelated to the point I was making...

When people say Slash plays with more emotion, they're saying that Slash plays with more emotion. Not that Slash's playing moves them emotionally...

Yeah, but I'm pretty sure that's what they mean. Slash was one of the best ever at it, it's no insult to be compared to him and to come up short in the minds of fans.

Robin's live play often leaves me disappointed, but the solos he's written are great. And at this time that's more important than if he can nail NR. Robin's got it, we just need to see if he can pull it off as often and as easily as Slash could.

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i've been playing guitar for about 15 years now, and i can tell you what i think "emotion" means in this context.

disclaimer: i am not even pretending to be some kind of guitar expert/great player. just my own thoughts here:

when i say "this guy playes with a lot of emotion/feeling", i think a better word is "character", or saying that a player is "expressive". for example, if you listen to slash on sweet child of mine, there are all kinds of little nuances that happen: the "hiccup" sounding phrases in the intro, the wah-wah sounds, and ESPECIALLY the slow solo between the second and third chorus. all sorts of great, subtle sounds that let you know it's SLASH. same can be said for adler's drumming, and for everyone who is on that record. tons of character.

as far as the new band goes, they all sound like they're playing the shit off of a page, rather than really getting inside of it and learning the nuances. i think this is what people mean when they say the new band doesnt play with any "feeling".

i think asking/expecting a guitar player to play someone elses riff or solo with the same feeling/character/whatever as the original is a tall order.

just watch axl and be happy!

Edited by ohyesindeed
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you absolutely can measure emotion. now, you can't quantify it in an exact number, but you can generally tell what type of emotion certain musicians put behind their music.

so dont be ridiculous saying you cant pick up on the emotion of a musician, or any type of performer

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iv jus been on the red hot chili peppers forum arguin my facts cus i went to the manchester gig and it was amazin and people were like OH THERE SHIT NOW SLASH AND THAT LOT HAVE GONE i mean what the fuk the guitarists can play exactly what slash could no disrespect to slash and same with the bassist he can play wot duff could and it gets a bit old wen people keep sayin guns n roses are shit without slash and duff i mean fukin hell wot a set of wankshafts

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I think the thread title says it all. I'm tired of running into this argument. Whether it be the old lineup, the 02 lineup, or the present one.. everyone seems to think they know how much 'emotion' is going into each players playing. You can talk all you want on how bad they're screwing up, or how awesome they're making it.. but please stop pretending you have any idea what you're talking about when you say things like 'Slash played with more emotion'.

You cannot possibly know how much emotion is put into each performers playing. And I think it's safe to say that all of the performers in GNR play their fucking hearts out, whether it is Slash's playing in the original, Buckethead or Bumblefoot shredding away, or Finck's crappy solos :P.

I judge emotion in playing on whether or not it's able to strike a chord with me on an emotional level. Some can, some can't. Who are you to say I can't have that personal way of experiencing music? Bucket wasn't able to strike me on an emotional level in any way. Not even close. That's just how I experience his playing. I'm not saying he's not doing it with heart and soul. I'm saying it doesn't touch or affect me.

Case closed.

If Bucket's playing doesn't strike you on an emotional level you obviously haven't heard much of his stuff or you're deaf. Lets look at some of the solos he did with GnR, which you obviously have heard.... stuff like KOHD and Nightrain for example. AMAZING solos, they blew me away and could never be described as mindless, emotionless shred. Then there's his albums like Electric Tears, Colma and Population Overide. Slash couldn't write stuff as touching and original as those albums if his life depended on it. Slash is a fantastic solo writer, one of the best of all time... he's the perfect band guitarist but on a creative, technical and compositional level Bucket is streets ahead. If Bucket did every solo in 2002, they'd all be as good and as fresh as the likes of Nightrain and KOHD. Unfortunately, Finck seems to be sucking Axl's dick even harder than he sucks at guitar so he got and still gets the lions share.

Just because Bucket didn't get the chance to display his full abilties in GnR, doesn't mean he can't touch people emotionally... look at his Leeds acoustic solo for example... fucking beautiful.

Edited by PurpleHaze
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I hate it when people associate emotional guitar playing with cheesy facial expressions or the guitarist 'bending backwards' as he stikes a high note..........

Its got fuck all to do with that. Sure its cool when the piece the guitarist is playing is quite emotional, but it doesn't make the music any more emotional.

Emotion comes from when the song is written initially, and then how it sounds when played. Nothing to do with looking cool on stage.

Prime example, Jimi Hendrix playing Little Wing on stage. REAL moving piece of music, yet he stands motionless with his eyes closed when playing it. Doesn't get any more emotional than that.

LA

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