Jump to content

For competetive sorts


randyhersom

Recommended Posts

I'd like to throw an additional and very optional wrinkle into the Blindfold tests. Anyone who wishes to may post their guesses/determinations of Group/Leader, Title, Composer and up to five musicians for each blindfold test track. On the honor system, what you post here must be typed or written down *before* viewing any threads discussing the blindfold test in questions, and without any use of references. No printed or internet research, not listening to another CD to help decide. After the tracks are revealed, if you are not sure an answer is correct, post a request for a ruling. For example, I personally would rule "correct" if you answered Sun Ra and the CD was Sun Ra and his Myth Science Cosmos Arkestra. I would rule incorrect however, if the guess was Thad Jones/Mel Lewis Big Band and the answer was Mel Lewis Jazz Orchestra. Anyone but the asker may rule and the decision of two of the first three rulers is final.

No point penalty for incorrect guesses. I realize this will encourage some way off the wall guesses, and that's part of the fun. 5 Points each for Group/Leader, Title and Composer, one point for each of up to 5 musicians named correctly, which may include the leader.

I suspect many others, like me, are already disqualified from guessing on Blindfold Test #1, so I'll be starting this out with Blindfold Test #2.

Don't discuss the selections at all here. I don't want to take anything away from the other threads. Just post your guesses, than come back and tally and post your final score after the answers are revealed.

Edited by randyhersom
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think this is an interesting idea, and should be left to the option of the person doing the particular blindfold disc in question. For example, I'm not really into doing this because I fear it might actually steer people away from participating who otherwise have a lot to offer...I've noticed so many people saying things like "I'll feel really stupid when it's revealed" etc and I find that kind of surprising - it's supposed to be fun, you know, and there are an infinite number of recordings our there so OF COURSE you're not going to get most of them (even the pros often look really lame in the DOWNBEAT blindfold test).

So I wouldn't really be into doing this for my particular CD. Others might be, though, which is cool (and actually, I personally would have no problem posting my guesses this way and getting creamed - I have pretty thick skin! :P ). I'm also OK with it if someone else wants to steward this type of thread concerning my CD, but I don't have the time or inclination to do it myself.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of thoughts. First, to me, the "competetive" factor has to do with testing myself to see how many I can figure out. Some may come quickly, others may take more time to "click". So, when Jim Sangrey said "I take these tests seriously", I know what he means. It's a challenge. A personal challenge. But the idea of competing against other board members and keeping score, well, I don't think it's necessary and could prove to be detrimental to the overall atmosphere, if you know what I mean. Male egos, you know...

Secondly, what's this about using the "honor system" here? That is, why would it apply here and not on the main discussion thread? I think it already does, so I don't really get the point of setting up a separate thread. In the end, it's up to each individual to decide if they want to be honest to themselves. There's no way to control that unless we go overboard and "police" the whole test somehow. So, if I'm missing something here, please explain it to me.

From reading the posts ahead of mine here, it doesn't look like people want to make an actual competition out of this, but I'll agree that if somebody does want to go that route, that's cool...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A couple of thoughts. First, to me, the "competetive" factor has to do with testing myself to see how many I can figure out. Some may come quickly, others may take more time to "click". So, when Jim Sangrey said "I take these tests seriously", I know what he means. It's a challenge. A personal challenge.

Exactly, Some things I feel like I SHOULD know, just because. Others I feel like I should be able to make at least an educated guess on, and others, I have NO clue whatsoever.

The thing for me is, I take a lot of personal pride in having my own distinct, personal sound on my instrument, one that I've spent a lot of time honing. And it's an ongoing process, too, noways near finished. Part of that honing involves hearing other players and knowing waht I like but can't use, what I like but WON'T use, what I flat out don't like, and most importantly, what I can steal. ;) So it's a matter of personal pride and a self-testing of my own internal competence to have a fairly good grip on players that and genres I've already studied to some fairly thoughrough degree. If I missed, say, Dexter, or Ayler, or Konitz, that would be a sign that I've HEARD a lot, but absorbed nothing, and that just won't do, not for me.

I'm aware that other people don't look at it that way, and that's cool. My quirks are totally mine, and if I inflict them on others in these tests, just say the word, and I'll keep it more to myself. I know I'm a geek. :g But yeah, something like that Wilen thing, where the guy sounds SO damn familiar, in a style that I'd like to think that I know pretty darn well, when I can't "get" it - IT DRIVES ME FUCKIN' NUTS!!!!!!

Don't know why I'm saying all this, but I DON'T view these things as competitive like a Fantasy League, or anything like that. The object of testing is as much to learn what you DON'T know as much as what you do, and a test can often be a better lesson than a "real" lesson. I learned a few things this first go-round, and I'm looking forward to learning more in future tests. I dig learning more than almost anything else in life. Like I said, I'm a geek! :lol:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frankly speaking, I'm less interested in a competition with other participants, like who recognizes more people or tunes I'm much more interested in personal judgments or tastes - but I think some rules are self-evident, just to test one's knowledge (similar to the way our two Jims expressed it):

I personally will write my suggestions including guesses on personnel into a text file and copy that into my post in the discussion thread after I'done - I'll resist any temptation to use my collection or discographies or books or whatever - and only then I will read other comments - I suggest everybody else should do so - it's a question of honor, isn't it ? ;)

Received Dan Gould's disk today, damn hard but soulful stuff .... :rolleyes:

Edited by mikeweil
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...