Once upon a time I sent music to a member here that I corresponded with. He about tore me a new arsehole and told me I should work for free. We both lost our friendship that day. [/quote]

Well that's just plain "efed" up and mean spirited. How can a comment like that be helpful at all?

Hi All,

Frank Callahan in Dirty Harry (Clint Eastwood)says "a man need to know his limitaions" if you don't know your limitaions, don't ask others to tell you it may well offend you, simple, if you are worried, don't post your work, we need neither laugh, clap or cry.

Tony

Constructive criticism is the best kind of criticism in the world; it says someone cares enough to help me with his opinion.
If their hidden motive is I am better than you than their opinion has no value and should be treated as such.

When I came off the bandstand I searched my friends for their opinions -- I really did not want to hear how great I was my pride was doing a good job with that one.(grin) I wanted to hear where I could improve, how could we do it better.

John C.

How about this for constructive criticism - Clint's Dirty Harry name is "Harry," thus the movie title "Dirty Harry."

Just havin' fun with you, Tony,

Gary

Frank Callahan
http://www.onemanband.com.au/index-2.html

Gary,

Did it just for you, it was your subliminal eye test, shows there is at least nothing wrong with your eyes, beware I am working on a brain test for you heeeeeeee bloody haaaaaaaaaaaaa

Rock on Gary

Tony

How the hell can you fall fast asleep and play the violin. (fiddle then)

John,

When I came off the bandstand I searched my friends they had all gone and those who were not my friends had gone too, lighten up John this is a barrel of laughs, this is all that SZ has got left at the moment, note I never post work, you would all go walkabout, Nigel would have to close CZ down.. lack of support, TRUSS me John.

What annoys me is why someone would post a song for a group of professional musicians playing maybe 4, 5 or 6 chords when all they need to do is what most average professional musicians do and purchase a "Fakebook" for around $35 and use the 15 chords that the song calls for. Or, perhaps just play it on a gig with the 4, 5, or 6 chords where the general public doesn't know that you're murdering the chord chart of the song. Doesn't this make good common sense?

Playing by ear causes this. I play by ear. However, I won't play a tune unless I do research on the chord structure, unless it is a simple blues or a 4, 5 or 6-chord tune.

Less face it, the public enjoys the lyrics of a pretty song and all of the popular tunes of the day and the oldies but goodies. However, they don’t know a Kb from a Q#, so you can get away with anything if you know the lyrics. But why murder a beautiful song like “Body and Soul” with 5 or 6 chords, especially in front of a group of professional musicians. What’s more pitiful is being told that you did a great job because no one wants to be called a know it all on the forum because they told you that you need to learn the other 12 chords and repost.

Get a Fakebook and educate yourself, if you’re wanting to play intricate chord changes for the many tunes written in this fashion. Otherwise, do what you know you can do and stick with it. The public in general is one thing. Hurting the ears of your professional musician peers is very annoying. Also, you’re actually teaching others how to play intricate chord pattern tunes with simple 4, 5, or 6 chord changes. What an injustice to music and to the person that thinks that that was “cool.“

Now I guess I’ll only have Russ and a few others here that will agree with me.

I quit listening to the old jazz standards that the folks post here on the forum. Dam’it Russ , why did you ask this question.

Well, damn, "Brick", I was looking for the ONE person who had the balls to tell it like it is, and, guess what? YOU get the prize.

The conflict I have had is there have been some postings from people I know and really like that were TERRIBLE!

Because of their popularity, I said nothing. Others gave positive reviews of what, in several ways, were really awful efforts...from structure to a bad lead line and more.

I don't think that's doing anyone any good. I expect that the general public will say good things about marginal work...they don't know any better.

We DO!

But, it's a fine line. Face to face, I'd say, "Brick, I think that last change was a D minor seventh, not an F". You would try it out and we'd go from there.

Here, with no "face to face", when you hide behind the keyboard, you get responses that are "biased" in both directions.

Smart-assed responses get irate rebuttals. Feelings get hurt.
The learning process in hindered.

I've thought of posting a really marginal piece as a joke/test to see what happens. Keep in mind this is from someone who has NEVER responded with a critique to a marginal piece, so, If I'm preaching to the choir, I'm sitting in the front row.

I sincerely appreciate your honest response.


Russ