One of the true living guitar greats . I have seen him many times. Anyone who doubts if he can "shred" listen to Henry Cow his group from 70s.. it is not a lack of chops that he plays this way .
I randomly clicked on the link to this video, then opened up a new tab, just listening and not viewing. At first, I thought it was some guitar with alot of effects and editting added in with a computer. I was curious and open this video tab back up, only to see him making all of these sounds himself. Amazing. I think I just found one of my new favorite musicians.
I love these rare videos that somehow attract an audience with conventional tastes who are just so confused. Nothing odd about this, people, just music. Enjoy.
A lot of impovised music with treated guitar is pretty hard work. I find this piece very musical, beautiful and entertaining. I would love to hear more.
Listen to Henry Cow's 'Greasy Truckers' set from 1973. Fred does this stuff but in more of a group setting. The improvisational interplay is otherworldly!
It's a shame people are so concerned on whether this is "music" or not, because it's just such FUN to hear the unexpected and interesting sounds he's making. If people had more FUN with music, maybe these stupid arguments would, you know, stop? Before this video, my only contact with Frith was Henry Cow. I'm now very interested on his solo work.
pangtjoff, the device near the headstock is an additional pickup mounted above the strings. Frith uses the pickup for fingertapping arppegio parts in other pieces, hes been using the same guitar for years.
Frith is a genius he is wideniuing the definitions of music as we know them ...openminding every time i hear something its innovative and astounding and brillant and not from this earth..
He uses a custom guitar. The "device" behind the nut is actually an extra pick-up, an extraneous one held in an aluminum harness bolted onto the nut, that picks up notes and pitches that sound behind and on the nut. In many pieces of his, you can hear what sounds like a scale going up as another scale goes down, both sounding at the same time. This is because the pick-up on the headstock actually picks up a "reverse" scale of notes that sound behind the frets. It's a very interesting technique.
Fred Frith,le musicien qui fait tous les efforts possibles pour ne SURTOUT PAS se retrouver au Top 50 ..bien sûr le mieux c"est même d'IGNORER qu'un truc comme le Top 50 puisse exister..mais faut quand-même pas trop en demander...très très bel effort en tout cas..
could be... i find it hard to imagine with the things he does (like rubbing a ribbon up and down yr fretboard), that he ALWAYS KNOWS exactly what sound its going to make... once again i just discovered his music, as far as i know you ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT dont get me wrong i think its fantastic what he is doing and i will read about it first before i make remarks.. thanks for making me notice from one musiclover to another :-))
His playing blows my mind. Composition with non traditional guitar sounds is completely unheard of in western music. This is as impressive as Eddie Van Halen.
Doing something out of conentional though is thinking outside of the box, but when that thinking is forced to be the exact opposite is not originality, but simply acting as a mirror, therefore, even if you're not doing what everyone else, you still depend on the action of the others to make your equal, exact opposite reaction.
Hate to frighten anyone who is stuck inside a "conventional box" but this man knows exactly what he is doing at all times, right down to the very micro-tone.
@qishmish the black thing is a pickup on the nut so it amplifies the notes between the nut and whatever is on the neck. So yes and no... I really don't know how he does it all I know is that it's fucking awesome
For some it might help to listen to how he developed before he got to this point, since he started off in the 60s. It seems that really getting into what an artist is about has more and more become a thing of the past, with all other options to choose from.
well, that's not entirely true; i know. having done this, as well as actually playin' with the guy, it's partially an amazing set of ears & intuition, & knowing when things sound/feel right, that the piece is working. he has the mechanics down to a science, but it's the openness to letting things happen that creates the real magic. that explains why there are people, like arto, who can't play a lick to save his life, is capable of creating lasting art. fred just happens to ALSO be a real player.
Alex Haddad I swear fred can do anything. This is some of his more "unconventional" playing which is really fun to listen to and watch. Then there's bands like Henry Cow and his work with John Zorn, that's before you get into all the other non prog things he's done!
IS HE KILLING THAT GUITAR DADDY? Yes, son. Yes he is. Seriously though, if you can keep an open mind this is actually a very creative way to approach the instrument and makes for some interesting music. I'd listen to hours of this before I listened to five minutes of Lady Shergar or whatever her damn name is.
@adalaku Well i'm pretty sure this fall under the catagory of free improvisation. I do think he knows what he's doing, but the effects are not clear to him before he's performing. Still nice to watch though. Like a painter, painting a still life or something. Pretty cool
You get there when you have played every single note. Every single song you wanted to play and you want to go into that Twilight Zone of playing the guitar!
Fred Frith does know exactly what he is doing at all times and is an iconoclastic guitar player in every sense. He is also a professor of music at Mills College. I have seen him play a few times and it is always very interesting and fun to watch. Those not familiar with him should check out his earlier work with his band Henry Cow.
Anyone know what makes it sound so..uhm, rubbery around 2:20? I'm an experimental guitarist, and I've watched the video like ten times and can't figured it out. I LOVE that sound though.
I couldn't agree more. Let's compare this to a marble statue versus a few tomatoes thrown at a canvas and named untitled. At least with the marble statue you can appreciate the work that went into it even if you are not a fan of the style or statues in general. Now you could argue that the tomato artist pondered forever as to where to throw the tomatoes, but if you can't tell the work that went into it then what does it matter?
People... this is not a million miles away from Mr.Hendrix playing guitar with his teeth... or even 'more alternatively' : burning the fuckin' thing on stage... as part of his 'performance'. This man can quite evidently 'play' the guitar... it's just that he's decided to approach it from a different way. Memory serves me correct... that's what a certain Mr. Pablo Picasso did... he could 'paint alright: but eventually laughed his stripey t shirt all the way to the bank ! Ahem !
@Branchdweller You don't hear the structure in this? And melody is far from the main thing that makes a musician good. What about rhythm and harmony? Also, who are you to imply that there is no melody? I agree that "trying to be different" alone is no cause for praise, but Frith has created some really cool music with his techniques. Just because its atonal doesn't make it bad.
Anyone can look at the tomato piece and say "i could do that", the same definately does not go for the statue. I'm sure many people heard this and said to themselves "i could do this" and perhaps thats what the artist is going for, however the beauty in music lies in the ability for virtuosos to blow us away with their limitless prowess of the instruments they wield.
Art is not technique. It is expression, it is passion.
The thing that makes Frith extra cool
Is he has the expression, passion, AND the technique!
One of the true living guitar greats . I have seen him many times. Anyone who doubts if he can "shred" listen to Henry Cow his group from 70s.. it is not a lack of chops that he plays this way .
agree mate.
oh i see.. interesting, thanks.
It must be a lack of shops: he couldn't find a bunch of picks.
Fred has been way beyond unnecessary "shredding" for years.He has never had to prove anything except for his genius, which proves itself.
They should release Fred Frith DLC for games like Guitar Hero, just to troll the fuck out of players.
NEW! REACTION TO FRED FRITH DLC ULTIMATE CRINGE COMPILATION 2016! ★★★NEW★★★ GONE SEXUAL!!!!!!!!
bouncinbootybitches Subs: 3,000,000
Fred's on Fire!
Love this.
Imagine a Living In The Heart Of The Beast DLC where you have to play both his guitar parts and xylophone parts lmao
I randomly clicked on the link to this video, then opened up a new tab, just listening and not viewing. At first, I thought it was some guitar with alot of effects and editting added in with a computer. I was curious and open this video tab back up, only to see him making all of these sounds himself.
Amazing. I think I just found one of my new favorite musicians.
I love these rare videos that somehow attract an audience with conventional tastes who are just so confused.
Nothing odd about this, people, just music. Enjoy.
Well it is odd there’s no doubting that lol. And we love him and it for that, he’s one of the avant garde (and pop/rock)’s great oddballs
Top 5 concerts I have ever been to. With him in Iceland. More than half of the people left. They just didn’t get it.
That's so hilarious and tragic at the same time
tab pls?
HAHA :D
what an original comment
@@bulletbelt97 it means transcription = dead
literally "Fairie's Aire & Death Waltz" but irl
How is it possible that I've come back to this video multiple times already? I'm enthralled.
this is fucking brilliant
Gremby The perfect review! Cannot put it better into words Gremby :)
I hope you are being sarcastic
GENIUS. I love this so much.
In a darkened room you wouldn't know what you were listeniing to. Seeing him do this piece is everything.
A lot of impovised music with treated guitar is pretty hard work. I find this piece very musical, beautiful and entertaining. I would love to hear more.
Listen to Henry Cow's 'Greasy Truckers' set from 1973. Fred does this stuff but in more of a group setting. The improvisational interplay is otherworldly!
Oh my god ! This is a complete genius ! Change change my life forever ! Love U !
Thanks for posting this! One doesn't get many opportunities to SEE this kind of guitar playing in action.
It's a shame people are so concerned on whether this is "music" or not, because it's just such FUN to hear the unexpected and interesting sounds he's making. If people had more FUN with music, maybe these stupid arguments would, you know, stop?
Before this video, my only contact with Frith was Henry Cow. I'm now very interested on his solo work.
This is literally the single best piece of music I have ever heard.
This is one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
I have always admired the intense concentration on the moment in Fred's work.
pangtjoff, the device near the headstock is an additional pickup mounted above the strings. Frith uses the pickup for fingertapping arppegio parts in other pieces, hes been using the same guitar for years.
Frith is a genius he is wideniuing the definitions of music as we know them ...openminding every time i hear something its innovative and astounding and brillant and not from this earth..
He uses a custom guitar. The "device" behind the nut is actually an extra pick-up, an extraneous one held in an aluminum harness bolted onto the nut, that picks up notes and pitches that sound behind and on the nut. In many pieces of his, you can hear what sounds like a scale going up as another scale goes down, both sounding at the same time. This is because the pick-up on the headstock actually picks up a "reverse" scale of notes that sound behind the frets. It's a very interesting technique.
This is WONDERFUL! genius and madness simultaneously.
I first saw this video 10 years ago , its still good
Great performance! Happy Birthday, Fred!
probably one of the greatest living guitar players
Great clip! Beautifully captured!
he is such a lovely human being and gifted musicians with much more talent in one finger than others in whole..
amazing. FRED FRITH, period.
thank you so much for posting this.
ギター鳴らすのにルールはないけど
FRED FRITHの哲学とかギター、楽器に対する考え方
これは尊重すべきもの。
もはやこれこそが、ミュージシャンにとって、
"ルール"の心理なのではないでしょうか。
Fred Frith,le musicien qui fait tous les efforts possibles pour ne SURTOUT PAS se retrouver au Top 50
..bien sûr le mieux c"est même d'IGNORER qu'un truc comme le Top 50 puisse exister..mais faut quand-même pas trop en demander...très très bel effort en tout cas..
Sticky hot room and Frith was on fire. I was at this gig. Was my first taste and I liked it. Mesmerising.
Thank you Fred Frith!
weird in all his greatness, this is fantastic, i just discovered so...
could be... i find it hard to imagine with the things he does (like rubbing a ribbon up and down yr fretboard), that he ALWAYS KNOWS exactly what sound its going to make... once again i just discovered his music, as far as i know you ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT dont get me wrong i think its fantastic what he is doing and i will read about it first before i make remarks.. thanks for making me notice from one musiclover to another :-))
his plaing guitar always shows new sight of music.
i like his improvisation very much.
Fred is always amazing!
this is great - forget the flash, the slickness - this guy is all about THE SOUND. i'm a new fan
Wow! This is Amazing I love it 😊
👍 👏 👍 👏 👍
pure magic
Thank you for this great Vid............
Just amazing: the mind, applied to an instrument, is so limitless.
holy shit! i didn't know someone could do that with a guitar.
@MokshaIS An additional pickup, so he can pick up noises and "notes" from both sides of a fretted string.
His playing blows my mind. Composition with non traditional guitar sounds is completely unheard of in western music. This is as impressive as Eddie Van Halen.
Doing something out of conentional though is thinking outside of the box, but when that thinking is forced to be the exact opposite is not originality, but simply acting as a mirror, therefore, even if you're not doing what everyone else, you still depend on the action of the others to make your equal, exact opposite reaction.
"art is not a mirror, it's a hammer"
well that was amazing, like autechre on the fly, on a guitar.
Anyone have tabs for this?
great Fred !! super !!
Thanks gyantic 1, I will have a listen.
I still miss the music
i like the stuff of fred over the last 42 years. what is creativity?? .................................system-field-and...
This is amazing.
fantastic!
Hate to frighten anyone who is stuck inside a "conventional box" but this man knows exactly what he is doing at all times, right down to the very micro-tone.
Fred Frith, the Sun Ra of guitarists… amazing
I KNOW so. You can find videos of him explaining his techniques and sounds. He definately knows what he's doing.
1:21 - Thread Frith
This comment is underrated
I want to be just like him when I grow up
Love it Fred!
@qishmish the black thing is a pickup on the nut so it amplifies the notes between the nut and whatever is on the neck. So yes and no... I really don't know how he does it all I know is that it's fucking awesome
i did it! i cannot believe it! i have reached the end of the internet! goodnight and god bless!
For some it might help to listen to how he developed before he got to this point, since he started off in the 60s. It seems that really getting into what an artist is about has more and more become a thing of the past, with all other options to choose from.
will do, i find this all very fascinating
no vidíš a to jsou jen dva tóny, zatímco u Fritha nahoře se sice jedná o improvizaci,ale melodická linka je tam taky,stačí otevřít uši.
This is genius...but I don't know how to describe it.
Wtf with all these plebs crying about how "bad" this is, who brought them here and why...
It's an opinion. Ever heard of it?
Some hippie dickweed played this for me while I was tripping on shrooms and even then I thought/knew it was garbage.
‘Some hippie dickweed’. Oh piss off
Great Music!
This is great....
well, that's not entirely true; i know. having done this, as well as actually playin' with the guy, it's partially an amazing set of ears & intuition, & knowing when things sound/feel right, that the piece is working. he has the mechanics down to a science, but it's the openness to letting things happen that creates the real magic. that explains why there are people, like arto, who can't play a lick to save his life, is capable of creating lasting art. fred just happens to ALSO be a real player.
brilliant!
What, no alligator clips?!?
YUJUUU!!!!! Fred Frith and Mike Patton on México UNAM next friday!!!
Today's flavor of English Avante... Creative genius.
This is truly not easy to do.
#OdedFriedGaon #OdedMusic #OdedTodaysAvantCorner #Audioded
Cool guitar sounds man
The perfect song to drive your neighbor nuts with
@CharlieBaltazar I'm pretty sure it's some sort of pickup, so he can get sound from both sides of the drumstick.
🎶💫🎶
I've been waiting for Frith to play a conventional song since 1969. .really dug the Art Bears era. .
Very fun performance by a very prolific and diverse guitarist!
Alex Haddad I swear fred can do anything. This is some of his more "unconventional" playing which is really fun to listen to and watch. Then there's bands like Henry Cow and his work with John Zorn, that's before you get into all the other non prog things he's done!
A lot of Henry Cow’s live free Improvisation stuff was even crazier than this.
Genius.
IS HE KILLING THAT GUITAR DADDY?
Yes, son. Yes he is.
Seriously though, if you can keep an open mind this is actually a very creative way to approach the instrument and makes for some interesting music. I'd listen to hours of this before I listened to five minutes of Lady Shergar or whatever her damn name is.
magnifico
This guy a GOD.
@adalaku
Well i'm pretty sure this fall under the catagory of free improvisation. I do think he knows what he's doing, but the effects are not clear to him before he's performing. Still nice to watch though. Like a painter, painting a still life or something. Pretty cool
You get there when you have played every single note. Every single song you wanted to play and you want to go into that Twilight Zone of playing the guitar!
Fred Frith does know exactly what he is doing at all times and is an iconoclastic guitar player in every sense. He is also a professor of music at Mills College. I have seen him play a few times and it is always very interesting and fun to watch. Those not familiar with him should check out his earlier work with his band Henry Cow.
Weird as hell and I kinda love it
This guy is such fun - haven't laughed so much all year! A sort of Spike Milligan with an abused Gibson.
Je l’ai vu fin des années 1980s à Colmar
jackson pollock of electric guitar
Anyone know what makes it sound so..uhm, rubbery around 2:20? I'm an experimental guitarist, and I've watched the video like ten times and can't figured it out. I LOVE that sound though.
great stuff
I couldn't agree more. Let's compare this to a marble statue versus a few tomatoes thrown at a canvas and named untitled.
At least with the marble statue you can appreciate the work that went into it even if you are not a fan of the style or statues in general. Now you could argue that the tomato artist pondered forever as to where to throw the tomatoes, but if you can't tell the work that went into it then what does it matter?
I can hear both rythm and harmony...
And by the way, deos anyone know what that device near the headstock is?
i'll say this is very sounding very interesting, nice way to treat a guitar ;)
Wow! Just realized that you don't have to be a musician or have a technique to perform and make money! This man is genius!
かっけえ！！！！
what is the device on the headstock?
People... this is not a million miles away from Mr.Hendrix playing guitar with his teeth... or even 'more alternatively' : burning the fuckin' thing on stage... as part of his 'performance'. This man can quite evidently 'play' the guitar... it's just that he's decided to approach it from a different way. Memory serves me correct... that's what a certain Mr. Pablo Picasso did... he could 'paint alright: but eventually laughed his stripey t shirt all the way to the bank ! Ahem !
@Branchdweller You don't hear the structure in this? And melody is far from the main thing that makes a musician good. What about rhythm and harmony? Also, who are you to imply that there is no melody? I agree that "trying to be different" alone is no cause for praise, but Frith has created some really cool music with his techniques. Just because its atonal doesn't make it bad.
Anyone can look at the tomato piece and say "i could do that", the same definately does not go for the statue. I'm sure many people heard this and said to themselves "i could do this" and perhaps thats what the artist is going for, however the beauty in music lies in the ability for virtuosos to blow us away with their limitless prowess of the instruments they wield.
That's incredible. This is so much more substantive than the typical Zorn shit that gets passed off as "experimental".