Shredding....

Shredding (guitar playing technique)...
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

"Shredding refers to a guitar playing style where technical proficiency is the major goal. It is a term that is most often connected to the music style of Neoclassical Rock. Tony MacAlpine, Yngwie Malmsteen, Chris Impellitteri and Michael Angelo are considered to be examples of first class shredders in this genre.
This playing style has become popular in other music styles as well. Progressive Rock, Progressive Metal, and Jazz rock have adapted the style successfully. Greg Howe and Steve Vai are two examples of shredding jazz rock players. John Petrucci is the foremost Progressive Metal shredder. Ed Van Halen and Jason Becker are two really good examples of shredding blues rock players. Greg Howe is able to use guitar techniques that few others, to this day, have been able to copy. Allan Holdsworth (originally a member of Soft Machine) could be considered as another example of an outstanding shredder.
Occasionally, the term "shredding" is used with a negative connotation; in this context, it refers to playing with blind speed and technicality at the sacrifice of feeling or musicality.
When guitarists such as Holdsworth played technically difficult pieces during the 1970s, the term "shredding" had not been invented. However virtuoso playing from that era is also dubbed "shredding". Therefore, one could say that "shredding" was invented long before the specific term for it arose."

To many electric guitar players out there, the term "shredding" is not of new since the early 80s. Made prominent by a young Swedish then, Yngwie Malmsteen, this sub genre took the electric guitar world by storm before continuing its rampage off the mainstream today.

Shredding, like many other forms of music or art, at the very first glance or hearing, may just sound like a bunch of notes played at an exceptionally fast speed without "feel" and is nothing but techincal proficiency. This is indeed a huge misconception. If you were to pay a bit more attention, you will hear classically inspired phrases and melodies and now with more artistes having influences from other forms of music, you can actually hear jazz and such incorporated into it. One such eg is John Petrucci of Dream Theatre, and let's not forget Marty Friedman who has an exotic taste.

The appreciation all boils down to individual taste and preference which is a huge grey pool. I would just like to point out that no one complained when Bach composed toccata, neither did anyone complained when Mozart had his crazy way of playing and writing and so also for Vanessa Mae who shreds on the Violin. Listen to most classical pieces and jazz composition, and you will realize the similarity among them, as far as technique and speed is concern. So where's the "feel" and "technique"? As far as I am concern, it's up to each individual.

One has to the right to hate or like it, but you cannot deny or ignore it. It is just like boys band, rap and bubble gum pop, you can hate them, but they do, to a very huge extend, influence, touch and appeal to a large crowd.

As a member of the listening audience, I guess, if you say you love music, then you got to at least pick up the pros and cons of various artists' styles, genres they belong to and creativity. That will open your mind even more. Unless, you are an individual who denounces emotions as a weakness for the least, then my advice is that maybe you should refrain from the arts all together as they're all expressions of emotions that every blooded living thing possess. Technicality is just one of the tool to use to express feelings.

Therefore, in summary, shredding is one way in which players choose to use to express and create their art, just like a painter who chooses the different kind of brushes, including his fingers and body parts to paint.

Happy Lunar New Year 2005

Wishing one and all Happy Lunar New Year 2005.

All the best and more for the years to come.

Gong Xi Fa Choi!

Soundtrack

I am both an avid music and movie buff and therefore I am going to talk about something relating to movies and that is soundtrack.

I like a good movie, however, I am one of those misfits who simply don't give a fuck about the director, producer or actors/actresses' portfolio. Not even critiques can make me decide where I should put my hard earn monies at. I spent the money, watch the movie and judge for myself. That means I can both hate and like a show according to my terms. Enough said about the crap on my way of watching a movie. So let's come to the musical part of it. Music pretty much plays a background but significant part in a movie. It partially is responsiblr for you to indentify certain character (e.g. James Bond Theme), or makes you feel scared (e.g. Halloween) or a certain sense of climax etc.

Ok...here's a list of composers and music that I actually like:

1. Brad Fidel - Terminator, Terminator 2
2. Danny Elfman - Batman, Bettlejuice
3. John Williams - Jaws, Star Wars
4. Jerry Goldsmith - Total Recall

Some other soundtracks:

1. Krull the Conqueror
2. Lord of the Rings
3. The Living Daylights
4. The Hunt For Red October
5. Transformer

Theme songs:

1. St. Elmo's Fire - John Parr
2. Eye of the Tiger - Survivor
3. After All - Cher and Peter Cetera (If i am not wrong)
4. Kumite - John Bush

ok..the above is just some of my preference, pay attention to the music next time you watch a show..have fun.

I was forgetful and that's why I met you, I am forgetful that's why I left you...

"I was forgetful, That's why I met you.
I was wilful then, I have just fallen out of love.
I was unreasonable, therefore I abused you.

Time flies, I met you again.
I was recovering, before I met you again.

I am lucky, that's why I met you again.
I am contended, I have just fallen in love.
I am fortunate, therefore I marry you.

Time flies, I forget again.
I am sick, therefore I see a doc.

I am happy, for I have married you,
Before my memories fade,
I write to tell you, "I Love You!"

I am sad, for I am forgetting you,
before me, memories fade.

I am fine, for I can't remember you,
before me, who are you?

Who're you?
Why are there tears in your eyes?

Who're you?
Why do all these places, people and situations looks familiar?

Who're you?
Where're we? Is this heaven? Why the enactment?

I was forgetful and that's why I met you, I am forgetful that's why I left you...

I still love you, even if my memories fades in my mind, but never in my heart..."

Words inspired by the Korean film A moment to Remember (2005)

Idols Idols...all that matters is....

There's this fever and post fever going around the world and Singapore is not spared of this too. That's the Idol fever. American Idol, Singapore Idol, World Idol etc.. Before Sylvester Sim, Taufik, there were other idols. Have we not forgotten some people like Frank Sinatra, Tom jones, Tiffany, Alan Tam, Sakura, Michael Jackson, New kids on The Block, Aaron Kwok etc...they might be had been or still is an Idol to people.

You can choose to criticize, not like them, cast them as a sub-standard life form etc... But all that matter is, they are there at the top and they affected the majority, are in a social class above the rest and are bloody rich to last them a life time and many folds more. The fact they get you to criticise, bitch and trying to avoid listening or seeing them, get pissed with the mere mention of their names, is already a success at the very least. There are those who are better musician, better looking people, more passionate artiste, but the fact is this, till they're there, no one gives a fuck. Idols, be it they have talents or not, does not matter, but they are already there ...and THAT'S THE BOTTOMLINE!!!

What's good music? What's a good song?

Many a time, when we listen to music, we hear something we like and we go Wow..that's good! And if we listen to a song, we like it, then we go...This is a damn good song!

Many a times, have we actually sit back and think if what we saying or thinking is correct or not. At the very least, in a political sense. Before we go further in depth on this topic, let's take a look on the definition of both the words song and music.

Song:
1.Music.
a.A brief composition written or adapted for singing.
b.The act or art of singing: broke into song.

2.A distinctive or characteristic sound made by an animal, such as a bird or an insect.

3. a.Poetry; verse.
b.A lyric poem or ballad.

Music:

1.The art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.
2.Vocal or instrumental sounds possessing a degree of melody, harmony, or rhythm.
A musical composition.
The written or printed score for such a composition.
Such scores considered as a group: We keep our music in a stack near the piano.
3.
a.A musical accompaniment.
b.A particular category or kind of music.
c.An aesthetically pleasing or harmonious sound or combination of sounds: the music of the wind in the pines.

Now that we know what is music, and what's a song, I can proceed on to talk a bit more. From the definitions, we can see that song is very much a sub set of music. Music may consists of singing alone, solely instrumental or a combination of both.

In a nutshell, they all conform to a certain standard range or benchmarking of sound, timing and tempo to give you a distinction, an emotional effect or certain kind of atmosphere. Their audio colors are almost infinite as long as it falls along the audible range of the intended audience. Even animals such as birds, make music, as in they sing.

So then what makes music good music? What's a good song? Ever heard of the phrase "music to the ears"? This phrase basically means something appealing. So Music has got to be appealing. Music is something that moves you, touches you and also leaves you a long lasting impression, making you come back for more. It could be the techicality, the feel, the melody, the complexity or a combination that produces the music. This is extremely prominent in movies. Remember the theme of "Superman" from the movie? Imagine watching a movie without music, the desired effect would be much less. It could also have an extremely catch tune that makes you remember. e.g. Deep Purple's Smoke On The Water, Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 etc..

A song, atmany a time, have at least a minimum number of words to form lyrics. It may or may not be sang with musical accompliment. Again, the objective here is to convey a certain message, or expression of a certain emotion or a range of emotions. So songs, like music, can make u cry, stand up and boogie, laugh or simply relax.

However, what makes music or a song a good one? In reality, if we look at them properly, there's really no definite distinction. All of us have choices. Some people prefer Jazz, some people Rock, some Ethnic, while others pop, rhythm and blues etc. So what makes them good is that they leave a lasting impression or given you a clear expression of the intended message, or to tell you a story, or just to relax you. Whatever that is good to your ears and makes you personal to is good. So be it Techno, Heavy Metal, Folk or Ballads it really doesn't matter at all as long as it's appealing to you and suits what you're looking for. We can't detest people for their liking to a certain music etc. but we fail to do that many times. It's ultimately disgustingly and shallow to categorize people to what they like or prefer. A certain kind of music maybe an irritant to you but may be a reliever to others.

However, we should be open to all kinds of music, we may or may not like what we hear, but at the basic level, we should respect (not idolize), appreciate and recongnize the beauty of each music. We can view and voice our dislikes and likes, but should never gun down a certain genre or style, then we can absorb the essence of as many form of good music or songs possible.