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Performance and facial expressions

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Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 12:26:22 AM11/18/09
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Friends,

Is this player's performance uplifted by her radiant smile? Or is it
the notes, and nothing but the notes that count?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3r9xbwj1M70

TG

Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 12:29:01 AM11/18/09
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Alain Reiher

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Nov 18, 2009, 12:43:20 AM11/18/09
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"Tommy Grand" <howar...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:2cb099f2-5b27-43ec...@l2g2000yqd.googlegroups.com...
> Friends,
>
> TG

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rh17wisgFIA


Check the lips licking at 2:43 ... I think that's what Dicerous is talking
about!

maybe that's one of the many components that makes it an amazing performance
....

Alain


Dicerous

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Nov 18, 2009, 1:56:02 AM11/18/09
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On Nov 17, 10:43 pm, "Alain Reiher" <rei...@telus.net> wrote:
> "Tommy Grand" <howardj...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> lain

See how relaxed her lh is tommy? It's not *perfect* 100% of the time,
but she's loosey-goosey.

Wollybird

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Nov 18, 2009, 7:46:19 AM11/18/09
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Todd alwas got after me for doing what you do with your face.
It doesn't hurt that she's a lot more fun to look at than you, as well

Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 7:54:11 AM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 7:46 am, Wollybird <wollyb...@frontiernet.net> wrote:

> Todd alwas got after me for doing what you do with your face.
> It doesn't hurt that she's a lot more fun to look at than you, as well

I too detest my flat expression, but somehow it seems fake & lame to
put conscious effort into making a face. Hm.

Try an experiment, click this link but don't watch, just listen. Then
watch, and see if you think the visuals make the singing sound better
or worse:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjkx558g2xA

Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 7:57:01 AM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 7:46 am, Wollybird <wollyb...@frontiernet.net> wrote:

> Todd alwas got after me for doing what you do with your face.
> It doesn't hurt that she's a lot more fun to look at than you, as well

BTW, I'm surprised to hear this about Todd, considering all the photos
on his site seem designed to make him look like a menacing goon. Ha
ha!

Wollybird

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Nov 18, 2009, 8:02:05 AM11/18/09
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I noticed that, too. I never had the nerve to ask him why he poses
like a hit man. He's a very gentle soul in person,.

Wollybird

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Nov 18, 2009, 8:08:00 AM11/18/09
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well, I did see in the archives where he offered to punch Larry's

lights out, but otherwise.

Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 8:09:41 AM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 8:02 am, Wollybird <wollyb...@frontiernet.net> wrote:

> I noticed that, too. I never had the nerve to ask him why he poses
> like a hit man. He's a very gentle soul in person,.

Yea, he does seem nice and genuinely caring. When I saw the pics, I
felt the same way most people seem to feel about my videos: "this guy
needs to loosen up!"

So what did he tell you to do? If you don't want to reveal info from
private lessons, then disguise it as your own personal advice.

Wollybird

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Nov 18, 2009, 8:14:16 AM11/18/09
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much much better. I couldn't make it through that with out the video.
I think there's something else to it though. Got any normal looking
people to try that with?

Tashi

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Nov 18, 2009, 8:55:56 AM11/18/09
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Damn she is cute!

Wollybird

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Nov 18, 2009, 9:00:45 AM11/18/09
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He just said "smile, Andy". He was very direct that performance was
more than just the notes... the whole thing. enterance, bow, facial
expressions, body language....He told me to film myself.......If you
don't feel like smiling, fake it. a little anyway.

Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 9:47:14 AM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 8:14 am, Wollybird <wollyb...@frontiernet.net> wrote:

> much much better. I couldn't make it through that with out the video.
> I think there's something else to it though. Got any normal looking
> people to try that with?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PO4WL6AjQ20

dofrenzy

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Nov 18, 2009, 9:59:36 AM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 7:54 am, Tommy Grand <howardj...@yahoo.com> wrote:


>
> I too detest my flat expression

Think of it as playing like John Williams. Doesn't seem so bad now,
does it?

David Raleigh Arnold

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Nov 18, 2009, 12:31:03 PM11/18/09
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A review in the /New Yorker/ of a Julian Bream concert, in
its entirety:

"Lute music, with faces."

JB worked on that much more seriously afterward.

Segovia was hell on bad showmanship too. He did a hilarious
imitation of Arthur Rubinstein playing, looking like he was
sucking a lemon.

Piano players get a break because they expend more physical
effort and do not face their audience. Nevertheless, faces
are not good.

The absolute best was Ida Presti. She had a beautiful, peaceful
expression whenever she was playing, no matter what. In Lisner
Auditorium, which was a dead room acoustically, AL looked extremely
agitated and unhappy, but IP didn't reveal a thing.

You have to look like you're having a good time, otherwise, how do you
expect your audience to react? Regards, daveA

--
For beginners: very easy guitar music, solos, duets, exercises. Early
intermediate guitar solos. One best scale set for all guitarists.
http://www.openguitar.com/scalescomparison.html ::: plus new and
better chord and arpeggio exercises. http://www.openguitar.com

Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 12:46:43 PM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 12:31 pm, David Raleigh Arnold <d...@openguitar.com> wrote:

> You have to look like you're having a good time, otherwise, how do you
> expect your audience to react?  

If your faking it, how do you avoid *affectation*? Perhaps the thing
to do, is force it for a while until the change occurs from the
outside in.

Tonight, I shall try to make a video with faces. Since I am stuck in
a rut of facial woodeness, I'll have to force it. Undoubtedly the
results will be humiliating, so be sure to tune in.

p.s. I'm hoping to catch Andrew's performance again tonight, so it
depends on how late I get back to my hotel room.

dofrenzy

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Nov 18, 2009, 12:52:24 PM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 12:46 pm, Tommy Grand <howardj...@yahoo.com> wrote:
> On Nov 18, 12:31 pm, David Raleigh Arnold <d...@openguitar.com> wrote:
>
>
> Tonight, I shall try to make a video with faces.  Since I am stuck in
> a rut of facial woodeness, I'll have to force it.  Undoubtedly the
> results will be humiliating, so be sure to tune in.
>


Too much emphasis is put on smiling. Personally, I think the most
important expressions involve the eyebrows, and eyebrows should
precede the smile.

David Raleigh Arnold

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Nov 18, 2009, 1:59:21 PM11/18/09
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On Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:46:43 -0800, Tommy Grand wrote:

> On Nov 18, 12:31 pm, David Raleigh Arnold <d...@openguitar.com> wrote:
>
>> You have to look like you're having a good time, otherwise, how do you
>> expect your audience to react?
>
> If your faking it, how do you avoid *affectation*? Perhaps the thing to
> do, is force it for a while until the change occurs from the outside in.

*Work* fun, not clowning. Regards, daveA

dsi1

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Nov 18, 2009, 3:20:39 PM11/18/09
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That has been my experience with CGers - introverted with a tendency
towards the deadpan. They're not very skilled at emotional expression.
On the bright side, this makes them unique among most any kind of
guitarists you can think of. :-)

Dicerous

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Nov 18, 2009, 5:02:37 PM11/18/09
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OTOH, wearing mickey mouse ears on stage would hurt one's credibility!

dsi1

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Nov 18, 2009, 5:25:52 PM11/18/09
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A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do... OTOH, faking it looks fake.
That's the breaks.

David Raleigh Arnold

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Nov 18, 2009, 7:57:29 PM11/18/09
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On Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:59:21 +0000, David Raleigh Arnold wrote:

> On Wed, 18 Nov 2009 09:46:43 -0800, Tommy Grand wrote:
>
>> On Nov 18, 12:31 pm, David Raleigh Arnold <d...@openguitar.com> wrote:
>>
>>> You have to look like you're having a good time, otherwise, how do you
>>> expect your audience to react?
>>
>> If your faking it, how do you avoid *affectation*? Perhaps the thing
>> to do, is force it for a while until the change occurs from the outside
>> in.
>
> *Work* fun, not clowning. Regards, daveA

Concentrate on your performance and you will look like you
are concentrating on your performance. Pavarotti used to
concentrate visibly, and he enjoyed what he was doing and
you could tell. Regards, daveA

Charlie

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Nov 18, 2009, 8:10:10 PM11/18/09
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I play with my eyes closed.

O well.

Charlie


Dicerous

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Nov 18, 2009, 8:50:11 PM11/18/09
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I CLOSE MY EYES TOO WHEN YOU PLAY CHARLIE!

Tommy Grand

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Nov 18, 2009, 9:26:21 PM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 7:57 pm, David Raleigh Arnold <d...@openguitar.com> wrote:

> > *Work* fun, not clowning.  Regards, daveA
>
> Concentrate on your performance and you will look like you
> are concentrating on your performance.  Pavarotti used to
> concentrate visibly, and he enjoyed what he was doing and
> you could tell.  Regards, daveA

Dave, thank you for the advice. Unfortunately I find both of your
posts incoherent. Could you please try again, but make it more crisp?

roofus

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Nov 18, 2009, 9:56:31 PM11/18/09
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On Nov 18, 12:43 am, "Alain Reiher" <rei...@telus.net> wrote:
> "Tommy Grand" <howardj...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

Who is this guy? Very good player.

Dicerous

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Nov 18, 2009, 10:18:45 PM11/18/09
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Hate the piece, but he's very musical. Looks a little like a young
David Russell. His hands are very nice, must use good soap! haha

roofus

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Nov 18, 2009, 10:59:12 PM11/18/09
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He plays like a classical guitarist.

Dicerous

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Nov 18, 2009, 11:40:01 PM11/18/09
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agreed. Notice how flexible and fluid his left hand is. It's not
*rigid* and his technique isn't a straitjacket for him. For instance
while moving to the high notes at 2:50 or so, his lh prepares by
shifting to a slight angle v. the fretboard. This guy, though has
room for improvement must have a great teacher.

ycle...@verizon.net

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Nov 18, 2009, 11:41:45 PM11/18/09
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> intermediate guitar solos. One best scale set for all guitarists.http://www.openguitar.com/scalescomparison.html::: plus new and

> better chord and arpeggio exercises.  http://www.openguitar.com

Lisner, my fave auditorium.

And where is Sol Hurok when you need him?

Much missed.

Cheers,
md

Alain Reiher

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Nov 19, 2009, 12:15:54 AM11/19/09
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"roofus" <ray...@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:a9011c2a-25d8-4715...@j35g2000vbl.googlegroups.com...

=================
Haaaa! Someone noticed!
Yes! he deserve something good ... I hope he'll get it.
The best unknown youtube guitar player I have ever heard!
He is playing his guitar with the exact amount of reserve and "pudeur" that
is the all mark of the great school (is it really a school?) of the non
expressive face player (but nonetheless it's pure involvement that translate
in his face!) His Approach to Tedesco's platero is so honest that its
becomes even more interesting for the listener. No artifice! (And roofus, I
like what you say about him playing like a classical guitarist, excellent
compliment!)
Me I say double Bravo and hail the talent of this young player.

Alain


Dicerous

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Nov 19, 2009, 11:44:20 PM11/19/09
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On Nov 18, 9:15 pm, "Alain Reiher" <rei...@telus.net> wrote:
> "roofus" <rayf...@yahoo.com> wrote in message

Tommy,

Little trick Stephen Robinson taught me (for shy people):

Watch your LH on the fretboard when you play.

As you play, make little circles with your head, as if your watching
the movement of your hands make chords, melody.

As you grow as a player and do make more difficult repertoire, start
making the circles bigger and more demonstrative.

Soon enough you'll be more relaxed with it,

It usually works to give you a gateway to stage presence. The point
being, most actors are helpless without a script and a stage
director....

David Raleigh Arnold

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Nov 21, 2009, 11:01:05 AM11/21/09
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Sure. Stop all this ****. Stick with the wooden face. You are very
lucky that it doesn't look like a bunch of mice running around under the
skin, like JB's face used to. Regards, daveA

roofus

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Nov 21, 2009, 11:10:43 AM11/21/09
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I meant that facetiously. There is a kind of cliche in effect with
his expressiveness.

Tommy Grand

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Nov 21, 2009, 12:08:51 PM11/21/09
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On Nov 21, 11:01 am, David Raleigh Arnold <d...@openguitar.com> wrote:

> Sure.  Stop all this ****.  Stick with the wooden face.  

Ok that was clear enough. Ha ha. Dave I think we agree, faces should
definitely not matter. However I think the sad fact is that they do
matter, to most people. :( What to do?

Dicerous

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Nov 21, 2009, 5:40:17 PM11/21/09
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Stage presence matters, however only a little. At least take a shit
and piss before going on stage!

David Raleigh Arnold

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Nov 22, 2009, 12:16:27 PM11/22/09
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The problem is to eliminate those things which turn your audience
off, not "what to do". Faces matter. Don't start making them.

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