# What do you think phrasing is?



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Can you tell me in 50 words or less what phrasing is to you? A sound or video clip would be be very helpful. Thanks.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

Phrasing in music is much like phrasing in speaking. Start with a capital, say something intelligible, stop with a period. Take a breath, and repeat.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

closest I can come is "instrumental vocals". _saying something_ with your guitar.
Mark Knopfler, Larry Carlton, and David Gilmour are the absolute masters of phrasing, imho.


[video=youtube;_EyoXb4DtHA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EyoXb4DtHA[/video]

solos here:
[video=youtube;iJZYG5qwHHI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iJZYG5qwHHI[/video]

[video=youtube;VwGHaKbnoL8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwGHaKbnoL8[/video]


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## kmrumedy (May 10, 2011)

One of the best teachers out there....

[video=youtube;7vUsfG2lUIs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vUsfG2lUIs[/video]

[video=youtube;A66cKNcPvcY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A66cKNcPvcY&feature=related[/video]


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Can't view YouTube at work. Do that when I get home. I guess phrasing is, in a simplified nutshell, not what play, but how you play it.


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## jeremy_green (Nov 10, 2010)

To echo what bw66 said - phrasing is essentially words made of a cluster on notes. When you assemble those words into statements, with the use of space between each, you are phrasing. I would also define it as a vocal quality. Blues is FULL of it.

My personal fav is Scott Henderson. 
Scofield is a master too. Others have been mentioned (Larry Carlton, Gilmour etc)


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## DMac604 (Jul 8, 2007)

[video=youtube;nisOvBQmDi8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nisOvBQmDi8[/video]


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

bw66 said:


> Phrasing in music is much like phrasing in speaking. Start with a capital, say something intelligible, stop with a period. Take a breath, and repeat.


Pretty much what he...


said.


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## John Watt (Aug 24, 2010)

Yeah! If you can't sing it... you can't play it.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

John Watt said:


> Yeah! If you can't sing it... you can't play it.


The thing is, I don't sing. Learned to hate it right from kindergarten. Even when I got into a band in high school, hard time singing on key. I took the attitude, let the others sing, I'll play the instruments. Finally discovered why I couldn't stay on key when I vocal noodling along with some Zappa songs - I'm a baritone - before I was always trying to sing in a higher register. Even now I view the voice as a musical intrument, that's how I listen to it. Don't pay attention to lyrics (with a few exceptions). Voice is number four on my favourite musical instrument list behind electric guitar, Hammon B3 and tenor sax.


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## John Watt (Aug 24, 2010)

I can dig your electric guitar, Hammond B3 and tenor sax list. I might have violin instead of guitar.
As far as you saying you don't sing, and saying you're a baritone, that's not all I meant.
I'm sure you can hear in your head what you want to play, or you wouldn't be playing it.

When I was backstage with Mr. George Benson in 1970, he was singing note for note with his guitar playing,
but he didn't sing a song. I said he had a really nice voice, and should be singing some songs.
He asked why. I said he could be standing up, moving around stage, hiring more musicians and getting backup chick singers.
That could be a more commercial gig than just being the Downbeat jazz guitarist of the year, having that already.
He seemed interested, but we got back to trying his guitar, helping me decide about how to play left-handed.

When I heard "Masquerade" on the car radio, I was telling my friends "That's George Benson".
So in my mind, he went from not singing a song to major stardom.
I'm still trying to make that transition. 

Frank Zappa would be hard to sing to, being very linear with his compositions.
The original Max Webster was half Zappa, five guys from Sarnia sounding as good if not better than Zappas' big band.


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

John Watt said:


> Frank Zappa would be hard to sing to, being very linear with his compositions.
> The original Max Webster was half Zappa, five guys from Sarnia sounding as good if not better than Zappas' big band.


I can't remember the name of the tune but it has the line "No cigarettes. Noooo Matches" - I thought it was a Zappa song the first time I heard it.

Yeah I do hear songs in my head. It's just that something often gets lost by the time it reaches my fingers.


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## gtone (Nov 1, 2009)

Robert1950 said:


> I can't remember the name of the tune but it has the line "No cigarettes. Noooo Matches" - I thought it was a Zappa song the first time I heard it.
> 
> Yeah I do hear songs in my head. It's just that something often gets lost by the time it reaches my fingers.


"Toronto Tontos" IIRC.


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## jimihendrix (Jun 27, 2009)

Toronto Tontos Lyrics


(M--Mitchell; L--DuBois)

bonjour aux amis de malheur...

nous sommes fous.

Radio Moscow U.S. Audio...Bandits

Sweden Solo London Soho...Candids

free publicity is not free when its public

put down a little life from a morning cosmic

bonjour aux amis de malheur

nous sommes fous

c'etait plust fort que moi

pas de chas pas de deux

nous sommes fous

put down a little life from a morning cosmic

Toronto Tontos Vegas Babies...Transit

Arctic Market Frantic Spanish...Onions

free publicity is not free when its public

put down a little life from a morning cosmic

i've got no fire on me / i got no fire on me

no cigarettes / no matches

[video=youtube;I-ZIzH6L2EA]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-ZIzH6L2EA&feature=related[/video]


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