Is the Magic gone?

tangentmusic · #1 09-11-2010, 03:39 PM

Many times when I have learned a new song the "magic" is lost for me.
Let me explain
If you ever learn to play one of your all time favorite songs, no matter how difficult,challenging or simple it may be, do you ever hear it the same way again?
Many years ago, when 2112 came out, the band I was in learned the song. Of course we couldnt play it as good as the original, but we got it down fairly well. Years later, when I hear 2112, I'm not as thrilled with it as I was before learning it. The "Magic" is gone in the sense that when I hear it now, I relate to it as "this riff goes like this, this part goes like that" sort of thinking. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great song. That doesnt change. The creativity of it's writers & structure was special.
But when you learn a song, do you feel as if you have "unlocked it's secrets"? Then you dont think the tune is as awsome as it was or as other people may hear it?
These days, I shy away from learning certian songs because I dont want to ever lose the "Magic" of them either.
Some songs for me are almost sacred. I dont want to "unlock their secrets". Anyone else feel this way?

ggunn · #2 09-11-2010, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tangentmusic

Many times when I have learned a new song the "magic" is lost for me.
Let me explain
If you ever learn to play one of your all time favorite songs, no matter how difficult,challenging or simple it may be, do you ever hear it the same way again?
Many years ago, when 2112 came out, the band I was in learned the song. Of course we couldnt play it as good as the original, but we got it down fairly well. Years later, when I hear 2112, I'm not as thrilled with it as I was before learning it. The "Magic" is gone in the sense that when I hear it now, I relate to it as "this riff goes like this, this part goes like that" sort of thinking. Don't get me wrong, it's still a great song. That doesnt change. The creativity of it's writers & structure was special.
But when you learn a song, do you feel as if you have "unlocked it's secrets"? Then you dont think the tune is as awsome as it was or as other people may hear it?
These days, I shy away from learning certian songs because I dont want to ever lose the "Magic" of them either.
Some songs for me are almost sacred. I dont want to "unlock their secrets". Anyone else feel this way?

Familiarity breeds contempt?

Rocker949 · #3 09-11-2010, 03:55 PM

I can identify with what you're saying. However, to me the most magic is in writing your own songs, or at least co-writing and being pleased with it. Learning other people's songs is necessary, too, of course. Also, it's necessary to just keep getting better. whether with original songs or with learning cover songs. The progression can't stop.

eltroyo11 · #4 09-11-2010, 03:56 PM

I totally know how you feel. While it's not really a conscious decision, I've never learned how to play any of the songs on Revolutions Per Minute by Rise Against, which is the album that got me into bass.

puddin tame · #5 09-11-2010, 03:58 PM

I do not get that at all. Never even thought about it

Skitch it! · #6 09-11-2010, 03:59 PM

I know what your saying a little about over analysis, every time you hear the song you know what it takes to do it, I suppose it does dispel some of the mystic but I still enjoy listening to the tracks regardless because they are great tracks, when I was a bit younger I found it hard to go and see a pub band or Jazz band without unintentionally zoning in to purely what the bassist was doing instead of the whole, I kind of have 'switchoff' time now where I just put music in perspective for what it is...a sum of parts interconnected as one flow, rather than getting on the bass trip too much, learning anything you really like won't hurt your playing though, it teaches you how to get the effect you were drawn to in the first instance, cop the style/tone then make it your own (but don't let your influences stick out too far, you'll get sussed

)

tycobb73 · #7 09-11-2010, 05:34 PM

I felt this way when I learned how to play music. Now I know all the tricks and how I listen to music over the past 25 years has changed.

MIJ-VI · #8 09-11-2010, 08:18 PM

No mystery, no magic...

OmnitzGarima · #9 09-11-2010, 08:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddin tame

I do not get that at all. Never even thought about it

+1

GianGian · #10 09-11-2010, 08:23 PM

Not really, but I get what you say. Also,sometimes I learn a song and I think it will be great, and when I play it, it is not as fun as it sounds to be.

JimmyM · #11 09-11-2010, 08:56 PM

the magic gone???

nope, they're right here.

Staredge · #12 09-11-2010, 09:20 PM

I know that feeling. Same thing I used to get when my OCD kicked in and I listened to songs 150 times. Little different though....new type of magic in being able to play along with it. MUCH bigger smile on my face now.

GianGian · #13 09-11-2010, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Staredge

I know that feeling. Same thing I used to get when my OCD kicked in and I listened to songs 150 times. Little different though....new type of magic in being able to play along with it. MUCH bigger smile on my face now.

My OCD tells me that I can only listen to a given song once a day.

The opposite. I mean it though.

timbledum · #14 09-11-2010, 09:50 PM

Yeah hard. I've been trolling through (in a good way) MarloweDKs playbassnow.com site looking for cool and impressive riffs...... as soon as you slow it down and figure it out they aren't as cool or impressive anymore.... but they still are when you play them to other people!! Hahaaaa my whole bass playing reputation is based on that guy.

And also with music techniques too. I got into bass by listening to dub and being blown away with the trippy soundscapes... now I know it's a bit of analogue delay and reverb etc it's not quite so impressive. And hiphop/DnB is so much less magical now I know about the Amen break.

ual · #15 09-11-2010, 09:57 PM

For me it's the other way around - when I learn a song that I love listening to and can play along to it, it makes it that much better. 2 examples are Killing In The Name, which is basically the song that got me into bass and was the first one I sat down and learned, and the other is Hump De Bump which I used to listen to and think "damn, that's awesome. So I learnt it and now I apprediate it's awesome even more

Skitch it! · #16 09-12-2010, 10:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by timbledum

Yeah hard. I've been trolling through (in a good way) MarloweDKs playbassnow.com site looking for cool and impressive riffs...... as soon as you slow it down and figure it out they aren't as cool or impressive anymore.... but they still are when you play them to other people!! Hahaaaa my whole bass playing reputation is based on that guy.

And also with music techniques too. I got into bass by listening to dub and being blown away with the trippy soundscapes... now I know it's a bit of analogue delay and reverb etc it's not quite so impressive. And hiphop/DnB is so much less magical now I know about the Amen break.

Marlowe is an excellent teacher and dude, I picked up more of the.......well everything really, he's cool IMO too.

tangentmusic · #17 09-13-2010, 09:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rocker949

I can identify with what you're saying. However, to me the most magic is in writing your own songs, or at least co-writing and being pleased with it. Learning other people's songs is necessary, too, of course. Also, it's necessary to just keep getting better. whether with original songs or with learning cover songs. The progression can't stop.

This is now where i'm at. When you're first learning bass (or whatever your instrument is) we really need to learn other peoples music as some sort of template to grasp the ability to play. It becomes our musical vocabulary that points us in the direction that our own original musical ideas will most likely take us. Paul McCartney once said "a good musician doesnt borrow.. he steals, man"

M0ses · #18 09-13-2010, 10:01 AM

Not in the least. If anything I enjoy songs I know how to play even more.

Mr wiggl3s · #19 09-13-2010, 10:59 AM

Naw. It's even better because you can see, or feel, the person who wrote the line.

Kwesi · #20 09-13-2010, 01:46 PM

Nope, in fact it was the opposite for me. The best examples I can give are Birdland and Spain. Two songs that I had been listening to for years before my jazz band actually played them. I was so happy to be able to and when I finally did learn them it felt great especially the unison line/tutti in Spain. If anything I dig songs more when I know I can play them.