Would you be willing...

[Akiba]

Well said, Jim.

[MTGuru]

No, it's not a competition. It's simply that the Chiffboard is a very artificial environment for this sort of exchange. In a less artificial face-to-face setting, it's the most natural thing in the world to accompany a criticism by simply picking up your instrument and saying: "This is how I'd play it ...". That's really all that's involved here, or the cyber-equivalent.

[Denny]

I was jess pullin' Jem's leg a bit

[jemtheflute]

I was jess pullin' Jem's leg a bit

Which I knew..... and yanked ( ) a bit meself...... What happened then?

(Pretty much agree with Jim, BTW.)

[Denny]

dunno, I just dunno....

[talasiga]

to give me some feedback on this tune. It is an air/song, recorded on a Burns Blackwood Bb.
It has reverb, so, purists....beware!

Arbo


http://www.box.net/shared/pa5oo9hby4

Now that I am finally back home (and PC with audio) after 2 funerals and 1200 kilometres of car travel I tried to listen to this but got this message

This shared file or folder
link has been removed.
If you feel this is a mistake, please email
either the owner of this shared file/folder
or contact Box support for questions

[rama]

tal, try this link, it is a later version of his tune -> http://www.box.net/shared/7perqztptz

[Akiba]

Hey Arbo,

Finally listened to your version of Paddy via Rama's link--http://www.box.net/shared/7perqztptz-- and I liked it. I think it's the best track I've heard from you. I like the harmonies, good pace, nice ornaments, the feel is good. The vibrato doesn't bother me; sounds like a very conscious artistic choice on your part and I think it works. Very pleasing overall. I'm thinking about doing something similar with two flute harmonies. Nice work.

[talasiga]

thanks to rama I have listened to it twice and I could listen to it more despite some of the negative points I will mention in a minute.

Arbo, your flute has a very beautiful timbre and if you are a beginner your playing evokes that quality from the flute very well.

I DO have natural or cultural bias against harmonies ( and esp. in solo delivery) as well as against vibrato. However I didn't really notice the vibrato so you must have worked it in a seamless way. That could have been deliberate or, more often the case, because you played "from the heart" and this naturally and spontaneously effected technique subservient to the spirit of the piece.

As for the harmoniy backing it I found it distracted from the elegant simplicity of your well ornamented line delivery. The exception was when the "other flute" was playing or holding a note that sounded like a drone.

There was a "glitch" in your flow somewhere near the middle of the piece. I wonder if this has anything to do with playing notes that aren't there that benhall was talking about. However, that didn't disturb my enjoymnet of your attempt overall.

The tempo of the piece is well chosen but I felt an insipidity or undue languidness from about half way on. I wouldn't want it speeded up but I think I would start playing about within tyhe pulse of the the phrasing and varying it by "rubato" and other things (whose technical names I forget) as far as these things may be applicable to this type of music.

I am not suggesting your delivery lacks variation but rather it needs to be a little more "dramatic" as the piece progresses.

When I get down to learning this piece (its one that I like) I will not hesitate to test my command of the melody line by playing along with you (on my Syn Bb whsitle).

Also, I had absolutely no issues with your octave folding.

I hope you will find these comments from a "listener perspective" useful. I have not exercised any diplomacy in this post.

Best Wishes

[LorenzoFlute]

Yes, the second clip is a bit different from the first one...

[jemtheflute]

Finally managed to listen to Arbo's double tracked clip. I listened to it all the way through! Much more listenable! (Nearer to a natural sound, too, which helps muchly.) I still don't like the ever-present tense breath vibrato, am not keen on the harmonization (agree with tal - quite nice when it is just a drone) and still find the "melodic variations" in the 2nd & 3rd runs a bit distractingly, uncomfortably odd - not against trying such by any means, but for me these don't work.... The tone and the overall phrasing and sense of the melodic flow are good.

[ImNotIrish]

Hey Arbo,

Finally listened to your version of Paddy via Rama's link--http://www.box.net/shared/7perqztptz-- and I liked it. I think it's the best track I've heard from you. I like the harmonies, good pace, nice ornaments, the feel is good. The vibrato doesn't bother me; sounds like a very conscious artistic choice on your part and I think it works. Very pleasing overall. I'm thinking about doing something similar with two flute harmonies. Nice work.

Jason,

Thank you for listening and commenting. I am not accustomed to playing any harmonies, so that was a bit of an experiment. Working on doing away with the breath vibrato. What you hear is more finger vibrato.
Arbo

[ImNotIrish]

thanks to rama I have listened to it twice and I could listen to it more despite some of the negative points I will mention in a minute.

Arbo, your flute has a very beautiful timbre and if you are a beginner your playing evokes that quality from the flute very well.

I DO have natural or cultural bias against harmonies ( and esp. in solo delivery) as well as against vibrato. However I didn't really notice the vibrato so you must have worked it in a seamless way. That could have been deliberate or, more often the case, because you played "from the heart" and this naturally and spontaneously effected technique subservient to the spirit of the piece.

As for the harmoniy backing it I found it distracted from the elegant simplicity of your well ornamented line delivery. The exception was when the "other flute" was playing or holding a note that sounded like a drone.

There was a "glitch" in your flow somewhere near the middle of the piece. I wonder if this has anything to do with playing notes that aren't there that benhall was talking about. However, that didn't disturb my enjoymnet of your attempt overall.

The tempo of the piece is well chosen but I felt an insipidity or undue languidness from about half way on. I wouldn't want it speeded up but I think I would start playing about within tyhe pulse of the the phrasing and varying it by "rubato" and other things (whose technical names I forget) as far as these things may be applicable to this type of music.

I am not suggesting your delivery lacks variation but rather it needs to be a little more "dramatic" as the piece progresses.

When I get down to learning this piece (its one that I like) I will not hesitate to test my command of the melody line by playing along with you (on my Syn Bb whsitle).

Also, I had absolutely no issues with your octave folding.

I hope you will find these comments from a "listener perspective" useful. I have not exercised any diplomacy in this post.

Best Wishes

Thanks Tal for listening and taking the time to comment. I appreciated the feedback and will work toward incorporating some of your suggestons. I don't know about 'rubato.'

Arbo

[ImNotIrish]

Finally managed to listen to Arbo's double tracked clip. I listened to it all the way through! Much more listenable! (Nearer to a natural sound, too, which helps muchly.) I still don't like the ever-present tense breath vibrato, am not keen on the harmonization (agree with tal - quite nice when it is just a drone) and still find the "melodic variations" in the 2nd & 3rd runs a bit distractingly, uncomfortably odd - not against trying such by any means, but for me these don't work.... The tone and the overall phrasing and sense of the melodic flow are good.

Thanks for listening through Jem. I agree about the melodic variations. It is , after all an experiment on my part trying to work in a harmony line. I am still trying to get out what is in my head. I tried also to cut the wind vibrato, and use finger vibrato. That is a habit I need to better manage. On another note, I enjoyed the R&R take of this tune by you. As always, your comments and feedback are most appreciated.

Arbo

[talasiga]

Thanks Tal for listening and taking the time to comment. I appreciated the feedback and will work toward incorporating some of your suggestons. I don't know about 'rubato.'

Arbo

Is this a motherhood type response to my feedback?
Whatever it is I am confused by this because I did not suggest any THING that you might incorporate other than "rubato" and that is not important.
I simply offered my observations and if they are agreable to you you will need to devise for yourself how you can implement any changes.
In retrospect, the main observation from me (that requires action) was that I think you need to have more dynamic variations as you progress with the piece.

Basically, when I listen to music for critical feedback I do so with an open mind and don't seek to analyse all that I hear. I just like to let it affect my feeling. Its only where it fails to do that that I analyse why that could have been. I don't go out to nitpick with the listening. For instance if a section has a positive aesthetic effect on me I won't listen to it over and over again to find some technical fault somewhere in it.

In short, you don't need to take any advice from me. I am giving you feedback from the "audience" perpective and not as a player or an expert teacher (although I do play flutes). I am sure that, simply by playing more and more and getting honest audience comment you will, yourself, arrive at the appropriate point for your virtuosity.

I think you have it in you to a greater extent than many others who block their talent by a copy cat approach to learning.