Ah yeah, the Stranglers, one of my faves tbh. I'm no music connoisseur, as you've probably guessed. Wouldn't know a duff note if it hit me on the head.
I think it is more down to the availability of music and the amount of different genres, there are not such clears lines anymore you used to like rock or pop but now there are so many different styles that there isn't such a big fan base for one type of music. Festivals show this with line ups that include DJ's alongside rock acts, acoustic tents, electronica tents and so on.
I play bass in a funk/afrobeat band. Although the band are on a sabbatical atm (babies, jobs, travel etc) I've never learned to read music, or learn the discourse of musical terminology. Not saying that's a good thing, just that you don't actually need to in order to be able to play well. In my experience I would say 50% is down to technique and 50% is down to being able to 'hear and feel' what you and your band members are doing. A lot of our songs are based around Jazz arrangements, so whilst they have an intro, chorus, verse, bridge, outro etc, they are more loosely based around allowing the soloists (Vox, Sax and Keys) to shine. So rather than learning songs note for note and being rigid with the structure, our songs are more fluid and allow for expression. For me, that's what playing live is all about, the push and pull, building tension and release in a song. Simply copying songs and trying to play them note for note is a bit boring really .
Absolutely agree about not learning to read music and it's terminology. A lot of top artists over the decades wouldn't have a clue if you put a music sheet in front of them (excluding tabs). Music education going back decades was very snobbish, thus off putting for what were actually talented pupils. However, the guitar broke down those musical barriers and as you said helped people express themselves, as long as you can hear it and feel it, the soul will do the rest. As Beetoven once said, to play a wrong note is insignificant, but to play without passion is unforgivable!
One of my fav music stories. Duff Mckagan was at a Mudhoney gig and wanted to join the band on stage for a jam, this was agreed and Mckagan joined them for a warm up he approached Steve Turner and asked what key he was in, Turner replied "what's a key?".
I’m sure he was having a laugh. Of course you need to know what key you’re playing in. I’d pick it up after a few minutes though.
You can’t write music without a key. If everybody played in a different key the result would be a cacophony
You haven't seen anything until you've seen Jose Feliciano do a set comprising, amongst others, Hey Jude, Purple Haze, Malagueña [with one hand] and a Mozart symphony. Truly, truly amazing.
Maybe not though. Donita Sparks from L7 once jammed with them and remembers playing lead on one of their tracks. "I started playing and I was in completely the wrong key, I noticed Mark Arm out of the corner of my eye with his arms in the air like it was the best thing ever." @NSIS
Probably higher than a kite..even Clapton was so out of it once that he played in the wrong key without noticing. The roadies let him know,
Cracking guitarist on the Sunderland boards called Marcus, he gigs most weekends @marcusblackcat I'm sure he will throw his penny worth in about being self taught.. For the record Rory Gallagher was self taught and rated one of the greatest ever, Jimi Hendrix words in 1970 and not mine but he is a class act like, as was Andy Powell from Wishbone Ash.. Funny world isn't it..
Probably one of the best examples of masterclass on a beat up Fender Strat.. Hang in for the final solo and listen to how the piano complements this song brilliantly.... Enjoy..
I suppose it depends on what we define as self taught...HiaG for example plays in a band who's singer sounds like a dead cat, so not much influence there for his self teaching skills. Whereas Rory Gallagher was complemented by Hendrix. The comparisons are universes apart
I had training as I went to music college. But a lot of what I learnt was from listening to guitarists I liked and admired. BB King and other blues players like Howlin wolf, Albert King, Muddy Waters were one of my earliest influences. But there are many others. Santana, Clapton, Beck ( hugely underrated!). And not forgetting probably the greatest white blues guitarist, Peter Green. You learn and copy a riff from one, pinch a phrase from another, and that way you build your own style.
I’m completely self taught but am a rhythm guitarist now. The lead guitarist in my duo was self taught but also had lessons later in life to fine tune! He now teaches guitar!!!! Class on guitar mind
