Originality comes from failed attempts at imitation?

Bob-Dubery

Yesterday evening Mrs X-rated and I watched Elvis Costello being interviewed on his own show. He offered up an interesting idea - that originality in pop music (that's the term he used) often emerges from failed attempts at imitating somebody else. He offers his own vocal style as an example. As a kid he loved Van Morrison's vocals but knew he could never sing like that so he didn't even try. Then he heard The Band and decided that he COULD sing like Rick Danko. So he tried, failed and ended up sounding like himself. He also says that Danko was trying to sing like an old school R&B singer, failed and hence ended up sounding like Rick Danko.

Jack-Flash-Jr

I can get behind this however I imagine that at some point self confidence and determination to try something new takes over, especially when an artist becomes aware they are pushing boundaries... the rest of us, well yes ?

Keira-WitherKay

yep i'm with jack flash on this .... i think we all imitate in the beginning of our careers, or aspire to be just like some band or even just stylistically , but i do feel that once an artist gets to the point of being a performing artist , thats when ,often over years they find their individual voice( be it their vocal or instrumental work) ....... and of course the early influences will still be there, but we seldom inspired by just one artist ..... which also helps not becoming a direct clone .......

shaundtsl

I tend to agree, Alot of the coolest pieces (according to me) I have done, came from trying to imitate something else and it turns out not sounding anything like I planned in the first place.

singemonkey

I was working out some Peter Green licks the other night. It was so obvious how they derive from B.B. King. Same playing positions, same changes from major to minor. And yet listening, it sounds nothing like B.B. King at all.

Squonk

+1

I think the majority of my technique (or lack of) is based on trying to imitate and finding my own style quite by accident.

Squonk

I went through a Nuno phase, which I extended to my acoustic playing.

In trying to imitate Nuno and 'More than Words", using the percussive type of strumming, I somehow came up with my own rhythmic?percussive style of playing the acoustic.

Now to imitate Eric Johnson!

Bob-Dubery

Squonk wrote I went through a Nuno phase, which I extended to my acoustic playing.

In trying to imitate Nuno and 'More than Words", using the percussive type of strumming, I somehow came up with my own rhythmic?percussive style of playing the acoustic.

Now to imitate Eric Johnson!

You'll just end up sounding like Squonk.

What you need to do is put together a book "Play Like Squonk in Seven Days". Then the rest of us can all discover ourselves.

Jack-Flash-Jr

Squonk wrote In trying to imitate Nuno and 'More than Words", using the percussive type of strumming, I somehow came up with my own rhythmic?percussive style of playing the acoustic.

And it rocks. A lot of players seeing you the night I did would've gone home and tried your style out. The wheel turns. Just sayin'...

(I would've given it a bash but I don't like air inside my guitars)

singemonkey

Jack Flash Jr wrote
(I would've given it a bash but I don't like air inside my guitars)

...or all those fiddly strings.

Jack-Flash-Jr

singemonkey wrote
Jack Flash Jr wrote
(I would've given it a bash but I don't like air inside my guitars)

...or all those fiddly strings.

Good lord man, I see you hobbling in from a mile away...

AlanRatcliffe

It's a fair point. Unfortunately, it doesn't always work - listen to Joan Baez failing to do Dylan's Simple Twist of Fate. Or me - vocally I sound like the guy from the Crash Test Dummies failing at being David Bowie with an added pitching problem. :-[ I think the best singers aren't the ones with the best voices or the widest range (although I can always appreciate a Mercury or Orbison), but those who learn to use what they have effectively to serve the song.

Jack Flash Jr wrote (I would've given it a bash but I don't like air inside my guitars)

I'm the same, but didn't let it stop me. ? Paco de Lucia was a big early influence, but I only play solidbodies - so I experimented a bit and adapted it (and adapted the guitars a little too).

Jack-Flash-Jr

Alan Ratcliffe wrote
Jack Flash Jr wrote (I would've given it a bash but I don't like air inside my guitars)
I'm the same, but didn't let it stop me. ? Paco de Lucia was a big early influence, but I only play solidbodies - so I experimented a bit and adapted it (and adapted the guitars a little too).

And as a sideffect gave us all a serious dose of nylon envy ?