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Date: Sat, 7 Jul 2001 10:16:59 -0700 (PDT)
From: Ode to Joy Summer Challenge
Subject: RE: Ode To Joy

Ron harp1111 writes:

>Alec, I really am sure 100 percent , you nor any one
>on this list would ever be satisfied or convinced ,
>even if the perfect song slapped you in the face,
>most of you would find something to bitch
>about.somewhere,no doubt.

Anyone on this list? Do you really know every person
on this well enough to make a blanket statement like
that?

Even for those of us who have spoken up, the evidence
runs in the opposite direction.

I created the Ode Challenge website to stimulate open
discussion, and to get players to share and compare.
We can all learn a lot and grow as players from doing
things like this.

I didn't do all that hard work because I would never
be satisfied with any of the results or because I
wanted to bitch. Bitching requires practically no
effort - most people who just bitch, and never find
anything good to say, are the people who never lift a
finger to do anything positive.

I see you have a pretty grand name for your website
(harmonicaplayer.com). Perhaps you can do more than
bitch (which is the only thing your post does) and
share with us what positive things you are going to do
with that name.

>I dont even like the song, ode to joy and wouldnt
>want to play it

Fine. Play something else - but try to do it as
musically as possible. Listen to your own playing, be
critical, and work to make it better. No-one is even
close to perfect. This challenge is about discovering
where we are as players, sharing the results, and
benefiting from what we learn.

?I have better things to do , than learn songs to
>prove points, to people that really dont even have a
>clue. Ron.

So do I, Ron. The challenge is not really about
proving a point. Perhaps I should have re-phrased
Richard's original words; it's true that they give
that impression.

But I know that Richard has an open mind about
integrating bends into melody, and so do I.

Can it be done? I certainly hope so. But really good
examples are pretty rare. The reason I picked up from
his words is that I saw the opportunity to encourage
players to actually examine a number of things that
they tend to take for granted:

- - the actual level of their technique, when listened

to on playback.

- - what their beliefs and assumptions are, about the
interpretive possibilities offered by the diatonic
harmonica, given the various techniques it employs.

- - What it really takes, after you manage to get the
notes, to interpret a piece of music and deliver it
musically.

You think people should have a clue? Isn't that what
I'm talking about here?

====Winslow Yerxa
Ode to Joy Summer Challenge creator and facilitator
http://www.geocities.com/odechallenge

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