GP's Guitar Superstar 2010 Submissions -- Cool or Crap?

[happydog]

Of all the stupidity I've read in the comments of this years Guitar Superstar are comments to the effect of "music is not a competition". Well, guess what? Guitar Superstar is a competition. One that's supposed to bring out the best of the best. If it starts to come down to levels like beginners, weekend warriors and sporadic hacks, it's no longer a Superstar competition.

 

I see your point, but I think you're missing mine. When I say 'music is not a competition,' I am referring to the whole concept that being able to play faster, louder, or weirder than the next guy somehow comprises 'music.' It doesn't. I think we have a lot of guitar players out there who are good at calisthenics and finger exercises, and not good at music. Competitions like this one encourage calisthenics and finger exercises, and, in my opinion, discourage music. Guitar players in general have a hard time being musical because of this fixation on speed over tone and style over substance. To me competitions like that encourage players to think that speed and style are all there is to it.

 

The problem with the competition is that there is no real definition of what great guitar playing truly is, and everybody is going to have a different definition. To some people it means playing like a machine gun and seeing if you can hammer 512 notes per measure, regardless of what it sounds like. Other people think it means playing BB King's licks exactly the way BB played them (or Stevie Ray's licks exactly the way he played them, or Jimmy Page, or whoever) is the epitome of guitar playing.

 

Maybe I grew up listening to too many weirdos like Frank Zappa or something, but what about composition, dynamics, being able to hit a variety of tones, stuff like that? That doesn't get rewarded in a competition like this, it's almost always just the guys who can cram in the most notes per measure.

[happydog]

@Charlie and Gil - Since I am the guy who seems to be the first to suggest that you two, as "pros," shouldn't be in the competition, I will say that I appreciate your input. I will also say that I was not at all aware of what both of you have been through. I was laboring under a bunch of misconceptions, to say the least. I hope I learned a lesson about shooting off my mouth and thereby shooting myself in the foot on a forum. Thank you for your gracious responses.

 

I'm still of two minds about the situation but I can definitely see your individual points of view and understand the viewpoint of having people of your caliber of playing included in the competition. I realize that I am an isolated screwball with my own odd ideas about things, because there are certainly enough people who believe you both should win to justify your entries, and I wish you both the best of luck.

[hue]

Maybe I grew up listening to too many weirdos like Frank Zappa or something, but what about composition, dynamics, being able to hit a variety of tones, stuff like that? That doesn't get rewarded in a competition like this, it's almost always just the guys who can cram in the most notes per measure.

 

I grew up listening to Zep and Zappa, The Beatles, King Crimson, Yes, Chick Corea and Al Di Meola among others. I was raised on Jazz. Getz, Gilberto, Byrd. I learned to appreciate classical eventually.

 

Speaking of shredders though, let's take Zappa as an example. I love the man's song writing but some of his solos were all out wankery. Just triplet riffs and sloppy at that. If you deny that, you are not listening. Dweezil is a much cleaner player, more technical but not a writer or at least not a good one afaik. I'm not saying Frank was bad. Not in any way. He was a pioneer.

 

Now take Michael Jost. There's a guy who plays pseudo speed for the sake of the sound of speed. He's sloppy. No really he is sloppy. Listen to him play again and you can hear that what he's doing is not really technically all that difficult. He's just riffing with open notes. Again, I have to say, he is no Flamenco player. Not when you have listened to the likes of Tomatito, Paco Pena or Vicente Amigo. Not to mention the classics Montoya et al.

 

Sure music is not a competition but this contest is. Competitors should be judged on their merits as musicians. That includes their musicality. You CAN have technical ability and melodic sensibility in a musician. It has happened in the past. It happens now. The fact is that most fans don't know a thing about music. For that matter, many "musicians" know nothing about it. Otherwise we would not have the likes of Lady Gaga at the top of the charts. That's what public voting gets you in the way of talent.

[charliecrowe]

No worries, happydog. I get it. Appreciate the post. Have a great weekend, man. Cheers!