The Gretsch Pages: Discussions: Your Tunes: Anonymous Downloading

Anonymous Downloading

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- Rated: 40 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 6:51 p.m. Hobie:

I was reading through the Be Brave, Rate Your Guitar Playing and was impressed with the common experience of feeling very shy/embarrassed about our skill levels.

It occurs to me that we would really benefit from getting peer feedback about our playing, or hacking around as we seem to mostly describe it.

I experience the performance block in front of others, and at the thought of downloading here.

Could a system be implemented to download our recordings of self so that we could receive our feedback without revealing ourselves. This would also be of use to the critics as they would not be influenced by the personality of the player.

So any support for the idea, or comments?
- Rated: 40 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 6:57 p.m. Hobie:

One of the things that prompts this, is when I read the comments of us to someones download there often seems to be a lot of hedging around and positive reframing.

Good criticism is generally unambiguous and uncoloured by wanting to protect the recipient.

I don't think this suggest we have bitchy or cruel feedback, but just sticking to the musical/style/theoretical issues. Without a need to protect ourselves too much.
- Rated: 37 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 6:59 p.m. Rocketman:

True. But this was rate yourself and I can't be anonymously rating myself.
- Rated: 37 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 7:02 p.m. Rocketman:

True. But this was rate yourself and I can't be anonymously rating myself.
- Rated: 52 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 7:04 p.m. Bear:

This is a good idea! I wouldn't mind posting some of my music if nobody knew who I was and could offer real, constructive criticism or even praise (highly doubtful in my case).

Conversely, if I don't know who you are and my identity as a critic is also anonymous, I could be forthright and honest without fearing to offend a friend or colleague. I surely don't want to tell a friend that he or she sucks if he or she knows who I am and it would hurt his or her feelings.
- Rated: 25 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 7:16 p.m. Shuie:

Hobie,

You are such a thinking man.

I want to take you further on your thought.

Recorded music is a time machine. It takes the listener to a moment in time that has passed, a conduit into the musician's purest function-the act of making music in that given moment. The listener animates their impression of the musician via the music, and that extrapolation of the imagined personality gives the music its vitality and ability to transcend time and place.

As an example, I really like Eddie Cochran. I listen to one of his Gold Star recordings and I'M THERE in L.A. in 1958- the sky is an infinite blue and I hear a young man with ambition, ability and a song to deliver. It's an impression, but it's real to me. I feel and hear his hunger. Fast-forward to March 1960 and the same young man is in a BBC studio in London, cold, tired and homesick. He's enjoying his biggest success but is fed-up and exhausted. I know this and his music resonates differently for that reason. When he sings the blues I believe he might just mean it.

Music is a cipher, a shorthand for complex human emotion in any given moment. Don't take that away. Don't be afraid. Show who you are, today, and put your name to it.

The beauty of the music is all the shield you need.
- Rated: 18 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 7:16 p.m. K-Wad:

Hobie, that's a cool idea. (However, it sounds like alot more work for Baxter)

I've got an instrumental I'm working on and I've recorded a little bit of it. I'm sort of proud of it and would love to have others give me feed back, but, the idea scares the hell out of me.

I know that it is something I need to get over if I want to grow as a musician. Deep down, I know the guys (and the few gals) here would treat me nice, but I'm still afraid.

Make you a deal, you post your stuff and I'll post mine (if I can figure out how to do it).
- Rated: 52 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 7:24 p.m. Bear:

Shuie,

I would agree with you if we were all Eddie Cochran or Chet Atkins but unfortunately we're not. Our music may sound good to us or our loved ones, but how does it sound to an accomplished musician?

For example, let's say I recorded a tune I thought made me sound good and I decided to post it. Not one person on this fine site would want to tell me that it was lousy. They would be afraid of hurting my feelings which would in all essence be hurt. Instead they would heap false praise or be very vague in what they thought.

Going with Hobie's idea, we as musicians would receive constructive criticism and tips that would improve our playing and possibly turn us into Eddie Cochran or Chet Atkins.
- Rated: 25 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 7:45 p.m. Shuie:

Bear,

It's just about transmitting an emotion to me. It's not a sport where bigger, better, faster, stronger wins. Buddy Holly managed with a few chords in tune. Bob Dylan managed with the same few chords, only out of tune.

They're both equal to me.

Doing your best is always good enough.
- Rated: 28 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 7:49 p.m. Wishinfora(nother)Falcon:

Man, If we could find a way to do this I would definitely participate. I would love to have some constructive criticism.

It seems like we could host it off site and trust one person to organize the sound clips. They could assign us a number and PM us that number. We could then start a thread, maybe one for each number with constructive criticism. That would be anonymous enough for me.

The only thing is, if we really want honest criticism, we must give honest work. No computer trickery or looping or whatever. I suppose to do this online will take a bit of computer recording skills and this would in some ways be a measure of that as well, but if we all try to get as much as we can out of it, and judge as much as possible on guitar skills only, this may be a fantastic experiment.

Awesome idea Hobie. +1 to Ya!
- Rated: 52 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 8:21 p.m. Bear:

Bear,

It's just about transmitting an emotion to me. It's not a sport where bigger, better, faster, stronger wins. Buddy Holly managed with a few chords in tune. Bob Dylan managed with the same few chords, only out of tune.

They're both equal to me.

Doing your best is always good enough.

It is wonderful Shuie that you have that much self-confidence or lack of ego. Unfortunately I'm afraid that most of us don't share those virtues and unless we could be anonymous, our music will go unheard by all but ourselves.

Buddy Holly, Bob Dylan and even Johnny Cash for that matter believed in themselves and therefore went out and did it with only a few chords. Not very many of us have that much faith in our abilities to let it all hang out so to speak. I know I wish I did, but I do not.

Hobie, I voted you up one for a great idea.
- Rated: 36 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 8:54 p.m. bobbyrivera:

I think thats a really good idea. One possible was of doing it is to have someone who is impartial recieve a PM to post a link to the song on sendspace (or wherever you decided to upload your song) or some other similar site. The person who recieved the PM would be the only one who would know who recorded the tune. It wouldn't be any more work for Baxter that way (unless he were to open another forum topic specifically for this-hint hint).
- Rated: 25 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 8:54 p.m. Shuie:

Bear,

All I'll say is that music is something to be shared. Without shame. It's probably God's greatest gift to us.

Posting in 'Your Tunes' gives people the option to listen if they want to, post a reply if they like, or ignore it altogether.

Every morning I wake up and strive to play better than I did yesterday. I play for a living and take a lot of knocks, make no mistake. There are more times than I dare admit to when I just want to jack it in, for all sorts of reasons. In the end, though, it's the love of my life.

Here's a thought- why not register again with another name? Put up the music under a nom de plume and keep your regular identity for normal posts.

Just don't call yourself 'Grizzly' or something bear-y cos I'll be looking out for ya!
- Rated: 52 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 8:58 p.m. Bear:

I guess Kodiak, Panda or Koala are out of the question???
- Rated: 22 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 9:02 p.m. gretschiam:

I'm not the first volunteer for inviting criticism, but I think there's a lot of benefits by putting yourself out there. You still have the anonimity of these pages, but the couple of times I've done it I've liked the honest- sometimes a little brutal- feedback. I also think it's sort of important to let people know who you are musically- we sort of get to know each other, and it's always interesting to see the photos, hear the style. Gives a more complete picture of who you are.
- Rated: 52 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 9:06 p.m. Bear:

I wonder if I can grow larger cohones at my age?

I would have trouble "putting my tunes out there". I really don't think I play all that well. I enjoy what I do but I really don't think I could toss it out there any more.
- Rated: 18 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 9:24 p.m. K-Wad:

Bear, I know how you feel. The idea of someone judging my playing scares the crap out of me. After hearing some of the other clips posted on here, I think to myself "I stink compared to these guys, hopefully no one finds out how bad I play". But, like I said earlier, I have to get over it. So I just posted a short clip of the song I'm working on.

I'm sure that after you hear how bad I stink, you won't be afraid to post your stuff!
- Rated: 52 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 9:39 p.m. Bear:

K-Wad, I already listened to "Gallopin' Scratch" and it is pretty darned good. It has that "Ghost Riders in the Sky," "Theme from Bonanza" vibe going for it. I like that kind of stuff.

However, the thought of putting my stuff out there for all to listen to just makes me queasy. I'll just have to wait and see if we do that anonymous thing but thanks for the encouragement.
- Rated: 18 ↑
Jun 29, 2008 9:51 p.m. K-Wad:

To tell you the truth, I've been queasy since I posted it! Thank you for your comment.
- Rated: 14 ↑
Jul 3, 2008 6:31 p.m. MarkW:

I think it is a GREAT idea. If only I could figure out how to record at the level I USED to.

I am not PC handicapped, but I struggle with the digital record thing.

Used to be all over the 4 track reel to reels but now I try and ...
- Rated: 15 ↑
Jul 3, 2008 7:47 p.m. Matt:

what if I created a user name with a password that everyone knew. If you wanted to post, you could post using that username no?
- Rated: 0 ↑
Jul 3, 2008 7:53 p.m. AnonymousPost:

Test
- Rated: 0 ↑
Jul 3, 2008 7:53 p.m. AnonymousPost:

Test
- Rated: 15 ↑
Jul 3, 2008 7:55 p.m. Matt:

There it is... AnonymousPost. The password is Gretsch. Clever, I know. It even double posts!!!

Let me know if you think that's a good idea.
- Rated: 0 ↑
Jul 3, 2008 8:40 p.m. AnonymousPost:

Matt, I don't think this is a good idea. Imagine the flame wars where every post is by the same user and we're all trying to figure out who is who by their syntax. It might be better to change the password for AnonymousPost and abandon it.