Help: Ethical Delimma

Subject: Ethical Delimma-Is This Karaoke?
From: Celticat
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 08:44 PM

After months of practicing and building a repetoire of celic music, I have been asked to perform at various social and political functions in the area. I have searched in vain for any musicians in the area to accompany me. No one seems to favor this style of music. Besides that, the few local people who call themselves musicians would not know the difference between a major chord and an extension cord! My delimma is: Should I play fiddle solo and feel uncomfortable or record and play my own backup music and do my best to convince myself that this IS'NT Karaoke (which in my opinion is a CANCER that strikes and kills LIVE music. My backup recording would involve me playing a bodhran, a guitar, and a 4 string banjo. At least it would be me playing on the backup CD! What would you do?

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: Sorcha
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 08:50 PM

Just play the fiddle and don't be uncomfortable. I have done it many times.

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: 8_Pints
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 08:55 PM

Simplest is best!

Its too easy for the technology to go wrong & distract from the performance I would suggest.

Good luck!

Bob vG

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: Mrrzy
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 09:05 PM

Not a performer, but as an audience member, my question is which would be more comfy: doing something familiar but alone, or doing something unfamiliar (I'm assuming you don't usually tape stuff to be your backup)? I prefer a comfy performer.

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: khandu
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 09:05 PM

Play it straight and do it proud!

khandu

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: katlaughing
Date: 17 Jul 01 - 09:07 PM

Whatever you are most comfortable with. My dad, who is 84, plays banjo, fiddle, mando, and keyboard, and sings. He uses back up tapes, of himself, all of the time. It sounds okay and he never gets accused of karaoke, but there are many times when I wish he would just play solo instrument and sing. It makes him feel better, though, as it is more like the dance bands he played in. He saved his solo stuff for round the campfire with us kids.:-)

kat

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: SeanM
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 12:26 AM

It isn't really karaoke until after the fifth beer... unless you're at a sushi bar, in which case the seventh round of saki may be substituted.

I'll second (or more accurately, third or fourth) the "just do what makes you comfortable" angle. In my ever so failing to be humble opinion, totally live music is preferrable to canned, but canned is still better than watching someone fidget and drop notes because they need SOME sort of backup.

Not folk, but one of the great 'acoustic guitar' performances I've seen is David Byrne's "Psycho Killer" from "Stop Making Sense", played alone on an empty stage, with only a boombox playing a percussion track to back him up.

M

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: Cappuccino
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 03:19 AM

Yes, keep it simple. Apart from any other considerations, it gives you less things to worry about. Good luck.

- Ian

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: English Jon
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 05:58 AM

Celic music? Delimma? Easy on the old speed-typing now eh?

Keep it simple. You'll never get a good sound from a backing tape unless you really know what your doing. and remember,

Live music is the scourge of the recording industry. ;)

Main thing is to enjoy the performance, so I guess do whatever you are most comfortable with.

EJ (who records things for a living, when not playing live!)

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: GeorgeH
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 06:50 AM

You'll also find it easier to "grab" an audience if you do it "live, solo". Plus you can play more freely if you're not having to keep with your backing tape . . (so if your nerves make your timing drift now and then no-one will ever notice . .)

Where on earth do you live that there are no other Irish-style musicians around . .

Mind you, I'd guess there's many a fine Irish player who wouldn't "know the difference between a major chord and an extension cord".

G.

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: Skipjack K8
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 07:04 AM

I'd divide the pieces into two groups; those that you feel confident carrying solo, and those that sit better with the backing. I'd then do the solo first and finish with the backing, and then round up with asking your audience what they thought of the two presentations.

Skipjack

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: M.Ted
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 11:17 AM

My vote is to do it unaccompanied--it sounds like you'll be doing a lot of "step-up-to-the-mike-and-play" things, and a you'll need to fit yourself into someone else's program--Easy if it is just you and the fiddle, hard if you have to worry about tape, equipment and timing of prerecorded tracks--Anyway, the unaccompanied fiddle has been the center of folk music and dancing for most of the last 500 years--

Subject: RE: Help: Ethical Delimma
From: GUEST,Dita (at work)
Date: 18 Jul 01 - 11:38 AM

Worst gig I ever sat through was a John Martyn concert when he and Fos Patterson played with a programmed drum system. I enjoy John's free style and it was painful watching him try to play to a machine. So my vote is the fiddle on it's own.
I always felt the same about "Tonight at Noon", Gavin and Peter were much better with a live bass and drums.
ps. which land of phillistines ar you bannished to that you can;t find a back-up player.
The Govan's often are a bunch of back-up's looking for a lead player to sub.
love, john.