BS: Humming - the other instrument?

Subject: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 12:08 PM

Last night I had a chance to hear in concert, for the second time in a decade, a respected folksinger/songwriter who has been on the music scene for nearly 30 years.

His vocals and songs, as always, were superb. He had an odd little vocal trick, however; in lieu of an instrumental break, and he is a fine fingerpicker, he would hum the break, sometimes saying "and the band goes here".

Is this a common thing for solo singer/writers now? Even though he has a charming, laid-back stage presence, I found this to be annoying after about the fifth time.

Also (minor thread shift), and this may have been discussed in another thread, when did "encores" become a standard, expected thing, even if the performance is just average. Were they common in the 50's or 60's, or is it a later phenomena - I can't remember !?

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: Whistle Stop
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 01:01 PM

Yeah, Les, I would find that annoying too; a suitable entry in DougR's "musical pet peeves thread," perhaps. It seems to me that, if someone is going to get by with just his own guitar as accompaniment, he should learn to play it well enough to handle the instrumental breaks himself. That may take some thought and rearrangement, but what the hell, that's what we get paid for. Humming in place of the band might be amusing once, or even twice, but beyond that it would certainly wear on me.

I also thought that encores were supposed to be reserved for those times when the audience demanded more after a truly stellar performance. But I've been going out to see live music concerts for most of my 43 years, and in almost all cases the act comes out for an encore (or multiple encores). It's a silly development, I think.

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: Clinton Hammond
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 01:07 PM

Humming??? dreck...

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 02:01 PM

I went to my first "folk" concerts in the 60s. I cannot for the life of me remember if encores were standard in those days. Not that I remember that much about the 60s anyway.

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST,Russ
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 02:02 PM

And by the way...humming no, whistling (in moderation) a qualified yes.

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: UB Ed
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 02:16 PM

There's a woman at our office who hums whenever you talk to her. Doesn't seem to be a very good listener...

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 03:09 PM

If you don't know the words, take off your shoes and hum along. (Nice to give the old chestnuts an airing!!) Jock

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST,Les B.
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 03:55 PM

Agreed, a well done whistle break is a thing of beauty.

This humming just seemed like an affectation, 'cause the guy can pick very nicely.

I'm glad it's not just me with the encore thing. It just seems so contrived and embarrasing at times.

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: MMario
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 04:11 PM

A friend was telling me about a recent performance where shills were scattered through the audience to prompt a spontaneous "standing ovation"

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: Blackcatter
Date: 01 Nov 01 - 08:32 PM

Greetings all,

UB Ed - your co-worker could have a contition like Asperger's Syndrome. I have it and often hum very quietly. Most of the time is is not audible and I've taught myself to check the habit when I'm with other people, but if I'm in a good mood and a particularly nice tune is spinning through my head I will begin to hum. (And I nearly always have a tune running through my head - currently it's the "Little Beggarman") People with A.S. can also seem distant or not very good at paying attention.

pax yall

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 04:37 AM

Jake Thackray (whom God preserve) would get to the end of the evening and tell his audience that he didn't do plastic encores, ie where he'd go off, pretend to be at the bus stop waiting to go home, guitar case in hand, only to be dragged back by the MC who would say "You won't believe this Jake, they want another one."

Then he would announce "That was the last song, and now we're going to do another one." He's been doing that since the seventies, so the planned encore must have been de rigeur even then.

What I hate is when I go to see someone who appears to be saving their best number for the plastic encore, and then don't come back on!

LFF

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST,Roger the skiffler
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 05:38 AM

I've also seen acts (no name, no lawsuits!) where there was clearly no audience enthusiasm to prolong the agony but still came back to do encores!
As for humming- it becomes (barely!) acceptable through a kazoo. My "instrumental breaks" on the midget submarine are legendary (notorious!) but greeted as a welcome relief from my singing!
RtS (and where would the Mills brothers have been without mouth music!)

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:04 AM

I've noticed at the Winfield festival for quite a few years now that planned "encores" seem to be the order of the day. A number of acts earn the encore naturally, but for some it's essentially forced by the MC, prodding the crowd. It's got to be emabarrassing when the MC asks, "Would you like to hear one more?" and the audience barely murmurs.

It also seems that more often than not they get to running 10-15 minutes behind on the stage schedules, at which point they get less generous with allowing encores, earned or not.

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: Gary T
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:05 AM

That Winfield comment above was mine. Who ate my cookie?

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: catspaw49
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 09:24 AM

Is this what that ol' girl meant when she checked out my little buddy "Joe Smackers" and said, "That's a real hummer!" Gotta' say though that Joe don't do many encores anymore. Generally the only time he figures on an encore is before the main performance. It is a good performance though and it lasts a long time with no complaints.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: John MacKenzie
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 10:04 AM

I'm not as good as I once was, but I'm as good once as I ever was!! Jock

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 12:37 PM

I remembver someone doing a really good vocal "Saxaphone" solo, acasax, they only did it in the one song and it went down really well. JohnB

Subject: RE: BS: Humming - the other instrument?
From: GUEST,JohnB
Date: 02 Nov 01 - 12:38 PM

I remember someone, but not who, doing a really good vocal "Saxaphone" solo, acasax, they only did it in the one song and it went down really well. JohnB