Harry's Rant was: Guitar synths (Don's rant)

[Don Tillman]

Harry's post was pretty, and I found some other stuff to comment on...

   Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 23:06:56 -0400
   From: Harry Bissell <harrybissell at prodigy.net>

   But (IMHO) I disagree with the "toy" designation.  First of all I
   INSISTED that if it wasn't a Guitar first, it didn't qualify as
   guitar synth.  And a LOT of people play guitar who don't have the
   tons of technique to draw every sound from the instrument. That of
   course doesn't make them masters... but they can be above hacker
   range too. Keyboard synths are played by a lot of people who might
   not have great expressive technique, but they make music within the
   limitations of their command of the instrument.

Please correct me if I'm misinterpreting, but this is an "ivory tower"
argument, right?

I disagree.  The everyman guitar player appreciates expressiveness
every bit as much as Fripp, Metheny, Hackett or Howe.  It allows him
to hear his own personality in his playing, his voice.  It's the
inspiration that draws the guitarist to their instrument and to be a
better player.

Also the guitar requires two hands to operate, leaving no hands left
over to work the controls, switches and patch cords.  You need to
compensate somehow.

Besides if you really don't want an expressive instrument, you have a
lot to choose from in the current market.

  -- Don

-- 
Don Tillman
Palo Alto, California, USA
don at till.com
http://www.till.com