Can feel be taught?

Axtman · #1 10-23-2009, 12:32 PM

I know a couple of musicians that are technically competent but "feel" challenged. That is to say that they can play the notes but there seems to be something missing or lacking in their style of playing.

I guess that this is similar to someone reading the lines from Shakespeare as opposed to a professional actor performing the lines to Shakespeare. Both are saying the same words but the actor is giving the words feeling and conviction.

So back to my original question. Can feel be taught? If so, how?

RicPlaya · #2 10-23-2009, 12:39 PM

I think it can, not so much with practicing or drills. It's more of a philisophy..listening to players with great feel is what did it for me, and also being a drummer. How a bass player sits in the pocket, how they approach a passage, how they groove etc.

Richard Lindsey · #3 10-23-2009, 01:33 PM

I don't know if it can be "taught" (though why couldn't it be?), but I am absolutely certain it can be learned.

Fetusyolk · #4 10-23-2009, 01:35 PM

in my eyes feel=dynamics

when used correctly.

TrevorOfDoom · #5 10-23-2009, 01:38 PM

when i think of teaching feel, i remember that scene from Mr. Holland's Opus where he's beating a kid with a bass drum mallet while the kid wears a football helmet, trying to teach the kid to keep time.

also, i can't type.

scottbass · #6 10-23-2009, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard Lindsey

I don't know if it can be "taught" (though why couldn't it be?), but I am absolutely certain it can be learned.

+0.75. I don't believe it can be taught, but it can definitely be learned from others. The action of listening critically and then incorporating it is all on the part of the student.

RexNFX79 · #7 10-23-2009, 01:48 PM

I think it's something that a player developes from different places. Some learn it from watching others, some from listening to their favorite players, ect. but I do think that "feel" is something you have or your don't have. Maybe it takes some longer to get it out but it's always there. I've played with guys that are very proficient players but sound rigid when they play because they have no "feel" or "soul" or whatever you choose to call it. IMO you got it or you don't. The ones that have it can't explain it and the ones that don't have it can't understand it even if you tried because they don't hear what's missing from what they play. All they hear is that they're playing the right notes.

groooooove · #8 10-23-2009, 01:51 PM

it can be improved through teaching, but i dont think it could be taught.

IF it was something that can be "taught" i think listening to the right stuff is the only thing that'll teach you. but i still dont believe that the most unfunky person can practice enough and listen enough to start playing with feel.

Jehos · #9 10-23-2009, 02:06 PM

I think it can be taught. It's not like theory though--you're not going to get it from a book. You have to teach with examples, either recordings or live playing. It's much more philosophical than technical.

One other thing that helps is proficiency--you can't really play with much feel if you're struggling to play a piece. Once you've got it completely mastered, *that's* when you can start messing around with feel.

Axtman · #10 10-23-2009, 02:28 PM

To me "feel" is the same thing as groove. It's playing with your heart and not your head. Heck a player piano can play the notes....but the music lacks soul. I would also say that "feel" is playing fluidly and with expression. Great lead guitar players can make their instrument cry or sing and expression the player's emotion.

Bassfrenzy · #11 10-23-2009, 03:40 PM

Feel comes with seasoning. Sooner for some than for others.

RTO · #12 10-23-2009, 03:46 PM

Yea don't learn the feel from playing by yourself in your jam room, thats for sure. It comes from playing infront of others. Its a confidence thing IMO. For me, some days i got it, some I don't. If I'm really feeling bass then man I got that down pat. Some days, it just wears off.

Sahm · #13 10-23-2009, 03:56 PM

I've seen it happen, but as has been mentioned, the lesson is more philosophical than technical. I've steered musicians in my bands to a better feel by giving them a lot of analogies. It's not an elusive, un-teachable notion that has to come to you like some sort of enlightenment, but it's close! You have to have a willing student- that's key.

Deluge Of Sound · #14 10-23-2009, 03:59 PM

Feel is listening, and then playing with your ears just as much as playing with your hands.

mambo4 · #15 10-23-2009, 06:18 PM

I think it can be taught and learned, given the right teacher and student. Feel must be defined before it can be taught. Comments about feel being a combination of dynamics, listening, confidence and proficiency are on target. I would hope that most teachers realize this.

I don't think that feel is an elusive, mercurial, unteachable mojo faerie dust at all. To say " either you got it ot you don't" seems a bit of a cop out, at least if coming from a teacher.

Perhaps feel as a whole is a phenomena greater than the sum of its parts, but those parts at least can be taught.

RicPlaya · #16 10-23-2009, 07:17 PM

Bass playing is mostly feel IMO

Sure notes are important, but you can hang on the same note the whole song..if it has feel it will sound good. It can be taught, it most certainly can. Peoblem is most instructors want to do modes and scales, and most I assume do not get into this too much.

tomas_almeida · #17 10-24-2009, 05:30 PM

Most musicians who seem to lack feel are actually lacking in confidence. They may feel insecure and play nervously, and even if they're playing on the time you can tell by some little hesitations or because it sounds "cold". I'm saying this because it happened to me to some extent when I started to learn jazz, and sometimes still does. I used to record myself and it sounded a lot better because I felt totally relaxed. It also helps to be extremely familiar with the tune being played (having practiced it).

emblymouse · #18 10-24-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deluge Of Sound

Feel is listening.

You've got to hear it before you can do it. Like a painter needs a vision. You can pile up whatever technique you want on it but unless you can recognize the element you seek you have no hope of reproducing it.

ianangus · #19 10-24-2009, 06:28 PM

I think that one of the best ways to learn to play with great feel is to learn to dance. After all when you groove you're trying to make people move with the music so it helps if you know how to move with the music yourself.

Rudyboy98 · #20 10-24-2009, 06:48 PM

Argh, teaching feel...now that's a tough one.

I think it can be taught. It takes time to learn to "feel" something. Playing any musical instrument requires a skill set that not everyone has, correct?

I know of many kids that start playing an instrument only to be frustrated early on because of multiple reasons. However, I have never heard a kid quit because they "couldn't feel" the music.

Feel/groove/confidence-call it what you will. But it comes with time and perseverance.

IME, feel can be also what your fellow musician next to you feels when YOU are playing. I can feel the music just as you can feel what an actor conveys while they are playing a role in a film. It appeals to your emotions.

There is no *real* answer here I expect. But, FWIW, I think notes can be played with or without feel. Ianangus mentioned learning how to dance. I don't know if that works. Personally I can't dance to save my life, but I can sure play with feeling and express my piece intimately. I got groove man...I just can't, don't, and won't dance.

If I were to explain to a student to "feel" their song. I'd have them close their eyes and start with feeling the beats the drummer/percussionist is playing to ensure the time is right and then open their eyes to read. Learning to check and re-play the phrase over a few times might sound redundant, but at least I could have them hear the other instruments playing around them to get them to "feel" the music.

Am I wrong or right?

Perhaps someone wiser than myself could comment.

R...