I take the approach that if you're not getting better at SOMETHING, you should be, regardless of what that thing is, songwriting, technique, theory, anything.
And personally, I have something of a distaste for comments that talk about 'playing from the soul'.
Playing from the soul doesnt mean what most people think it means. Hell, it doesnt even mean improv. The most soulful pieces of music I can think of were largely written over incredibly long periods of time with incredible care and attention to each and every note, by people who really really knew what they were doing.
Sadly though, most people take 'soul' and 'balls' to mean some innate ability to play a guitar with a few nice slow bends, and that if you mystically channel your head through your arse and into the back of the guitar, you'll know which notes to hit.
And thats just not what its about. Its about CREATING a feeling, not just indulging your own, and thats where being 'better' at songwriting or technique is the best choice, because it gives you more tools and options to do that effectively. Sure, blues people might just focus on the feeling of what they're doing, but they're still doing it in blues scales and chords, and someone had to teach them those to et those feelings. The difference is just their application of an established concept.
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Originally Posted by Pedestrian
As for me, my inbox is as of yet testicle-free, and hopefully remains that way. Don't the rest of you get any ideas.
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Originally Posted by Trollheart
I'll have you know, my ancestors were Kings of Wicklow! We're as Irish as losing a three-nil lead in a must-win fixture!
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