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British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
How can you not want to be part of that ??

That said, I detest radios when I'm out, that persistant, "Listen to me!!", racket drives me away.

Well, I guess the answer to one is contained in the other. We all have things that annoy us. I'm not against music, but it simply does not fit into my time in the woods.

In the way that some don't like a radio imposed on you or others do not like bright lights imposed upon them, I don't like other peoples musical tastes imposed upon me.

Indeed the very need to make noise constantly be it "singing and being merry" or playing an instrument or indeed the drunken rowdyness reminds me of another quote

"Is your heart so empty that you must ever seek to fill the silence?"

I surely don't despise those who enjoy the woods their way. But I also don't like having their way imposed upon me as if there is only one "proper way" to enjoy a camp. For those that want a musical camp, that's grand. For those who seek a little solitude, nature and indeed in the modern world, peace, I see no harm in that either.

As Broch says, "I'll keep experiencing the outdoors on my own" - or in my case sometimes with one or two like minded souls, who can enjoy just sitting, listening and being.

Go placidly amid the noise and haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence.
;)

Red
 

gregorach

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 15, 2005
3,723
28
50
Edinburgh
Who said anything about constantly? There's a time and a place. To everything, there is a season... ;)
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,981
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
I feel sorry for all you unmusical people :)

It must be like being unable to taste and wondering why other people like food.

Ian

Nobody said we're not musical - I play saxaphone, piano (badly), guitar (badly), and a host of other instruments. For some reason people think that because they can others want to listen. I also enjoy listening to good music of all genres and regularly go to live gigs. But I do not go into the woods to here music other than the music of nature.

I bet that at any meet there will be a balance of those that want to listen and those that don't - the trouble is the one disturbs the other.

However, picking up on Waylands point about "getting blind drunk and quoting Monty Python" I would rather listen to music however badly played (and sorry, but most people that think they are performance class really are not).
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
Indeed - I really enjoy music.

However "the place" is not in the woods and "the time" is when all those there want to listen ;)
 

gzornenplat

Forager
Jan 21, 2009
207
0
Surrey
Nobody said we're not musical...

...and *I* didn't say *you* personally were unmusical.

I was aiming my comments at people who are. Those who feel there is never any right time
and place for any kind music to be played outdoors anywhere, ever, or they will physically
hurt the musician or destroy their instruments.

People who propose physical violence against someone who is making music, whatever it
is, whatever the (outdoor) circumstances, might (just might) be considered a tad
unmusical by some of us who wouldn't go so far.

A bit of quietly-played music is, in my experience, is less likely to frighten away animals than,
say, woodsmoke, or voices, or lights, or arguments about what frightens animals away.

But everyone to their own...

Ian
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
It's not an either / or.

Sounds of nature are a delight too, but so is music.

To do only one all the time would be so limiting. Time for both. Enjoy them both :D

To *never* have music when out would be a dreadful lack.

Do you never sing just for the sheer pleasure of it ? Tap out a rhythm and play with it for the fun in it ? Join in when someone else starts ?
Why should it only be confined to man made places ? I spend half my life outside, I'm not going to be silent in case I 'spoil' it, I belong there too.

cheers,
Toddy
 

Draven

Native
Jul 8, 2006
1,530
6
34
Scotland
Do you never sing just for the sheer pleasure of it ? Tap out a rhythm and play with it for the fun in it ? Join in when someone else starts ?
Why should it only be confined to man made places ? I spend half my life outside, I'm not going to be silent in case I 'spoil' it, I belong there too.

cheers,
Toddy

Now you mention it, one of my fonder memories was sitting on a bench beside Dunvegan loch at about 3am singing Johnny Cash songs with a couple of Dutch backpackers we met in the pub. :) Twas a good time. There was also a Swedish lass living up there a while back (I think she's gone back now, but she was there for a few years at least...) who was a lovely singer and sang a few Swedish folk songs for me and my sister by the same loch. It's wonderful that there is such a common media that can completely transcend language and culture and be appreciated by all.

Pete
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
7,981
7,755
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Do you never sing just for the sheer pleasure of it ? Tap out a rhythm and play with it for the fun in it ?

Yes, often, but not when there are others there that may not want to be disturbed.

Someone singing or playing an instrument when I am enjoying the peace is as bad to me a someone playing the radio is to you - (the music on the radio is at least a professional quality).

Anyway, I don't know why I'm fanning the flames, sorry, enjoy each other's playing and singing, I'll go back into the woods :)
 

Gailainne

Life Member
Hmm wrote quite a bit, then decided I was an old grump :rant: and deleted it:rolleyes:

Heres the jist;

I agree with both sides, to a certain extent, but to my mind if you want to listen to canned music, fine, do it thru earphones, dont subject others to your "taste" in music.

At night around the camp fire, thats the difficult one, I think thats a time for conversation, however, some of the :beerchug: "conversations" were more this :soapbox: than this :grouphug: and I have on occasion went to bed rather than listen to it.

I think the bottom line for me is, arrange it rather than just turn up expecting everyone else to stop when you turn up with your guitar, pipes etc.

Stephen
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
Snip>Why should it only be confined to man made places ? I spend half my life outside, I'm not going to be silent in case I 'spoil' it, I belong there too.

cheers,
Toddy

I think that says something very important about my attitude as well.

I don't define my activities by things I do out on in. Wilderness or city.

Sure, some things are location specific by their very nature, I don't hang my hammock between two lamposts for example but I don't compartmentalise things and say "I can't do that because I'm in bushcraft mode today."

I regularly use ancient skills in my daily life and I use modern skills on my camping trips. It's not one thing or another, it's just life.

As such I want music in the wild and silence in the city at times and vice versa.

(In fact I would value true silence any time lately because I''ve had the invisible man whistling down both ears 24/7 for the last couple of years and it's always the same :censored: note.)
 

locum76

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Oct 9, 2005
2,772
9
47
Kirkliston
For me there is time for silence everywhere just as there is a time for techno being played through a 10k rig at the bottom of a hydro electric dam in the highlands.

a penny whistle or wee jam goes down well round the fire, a mass of djembes is ace on Calton hill or Arthur's seat and like Eric - i enjoy music through my headphones just before kip when camping.
 
I think the bottom line for me is, arrange it rather than just turn up expecting everyone else to stop when you turn up with your guitar, pipes etc.

Funny - when I take a guitar into the woods it;s to a place where I can be sure no-one else will be anywhere close to hear. Never occured to me to 'inflict' myself on anyone else.

Campfire gatherings are for chat and stories.
It's also hard to neck beers while playing. :D
 

East Coaster

Forager
Oct 21, 2008
177
0
Fife/Scotland
If I happened to be out camping with John Martyn (R.I.P.) or JJ Cale then I'd be more than happy to listen to a few numbers and join in. The problem I've always found is that the person with the guitar (it's always 'guitar' players!) just don't know when to stop and think our silence or polite thanks is a signal for them to keep churning out more garbage, thereby putting a complete downer on the evening. Like I said before it's fine if it's with folk you know and they think it's cool, but don't impose your amature ramblings on unsuspecting souls! I'm a pacifist by nature but if I heard some plonker giving it laldy to a Bon Jovi number near where I was camping then I might find a side to my nature I was unaware of :AR15firin

Wayland,,,,,storytelling round the camp fire,,,,,now you're talkin :approve:
 

Wayland

Hárbarðr
Snip> Wayland,,,,,storytelling round the camp fire,,,,,now you're talkin :approve:

The problem is it's a bit like Marmite.

Some people love it and give it the audience it needs, but some people can't be bothered, don't want to listen and that makes it very difficult in a mixed group.

I guess a lot of people think that storytelling is something that comes naturally off the top of your head and for some people that is true.

For many professional storytellers a story is the end product of research, refinement and hours of practice just like any other kind of performance.

It's just something that you really don't want to do if you think the audience isn't up for it.
 

Melonfish

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 8, 2009
2,460
1
Warrington, UK
hmm, see i love nature and i do love to just sit and hear the campfire crackle and the night sounds. but i do love to hear people join in together in song or with instruments. i'm a little worried this has turned into an attack on guitar players mind, there's been one or two comments that make me think you lot have been subjected to some horrors! :lmao:

for me if i was on my own i'd take one no worries, leather case in good weather (dehumidifier in the case if needed) if i was going to a meet i'd prolly leave it because not everyone is into music at meets, which i find odd tbh i thought music was something that helped bring people together not split them apart! still you live and learn.

also British red, whoever wrote:
"Is your heart so empty that you must ever seek to fill the silence?"
i'm sorry but thats utter tosh, and clearly they're not listening to the music of their own heart!
wayland: if i ever get you round a campfire m8 i'd LOVE to hear a story, consider me a captive audience :)
durulz you can play the spork as long as they're plastic :lmao:
 

gregorach

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Sep 15, 2005
3,723
28
50
Edinburgh
My approach is pretty simple - I ask everyone if it's OK before getting any instruments out. If the response is negative, or even just lukewarm, I don't bother. I'm not interested in "inflicting" my taste in music on anyone.

What I find happens more often is that someone notices my fingernails, pulls out some hideous old beater of a guitar, and insists that I play it...
 

Boston973

Member
Feb 3, 2009
46
0
44
Mass
One of my group that I head out with is like that. He is a good player and he can sing just fine but after a little while the whole look at me thing gets old or we just want some peace. Of course none of us have a problem letting him know its time to stop. Its usually something like " Hey Romeo there are no women out here now go fetch the wood"

The thing is in a larger group or around people I may not know as well I may be a bit shy about letting someone over at the next fire who seems to be entertaining a small group of freands that he is annoying the heck outa me and turning the peacful scenery into a karioke bar.

Now real storytelling unlike music is an art that does not alwase require you to yell or make even enouph noise to carry the fifty feet or so to the next fire. I have tried to hone my story telling skills with my first doughter but most of the time I am either telling her mythology or a memorized version of Neil Gaimens latest, that gives his story very little credit.

A littel off topic but why are all the good authors from the UK?
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,709
1,947
Mercia
My approach is pretty simple - I ask everyone if it's OK before getting any instruments out. If the response is negative, or even just lukewarm, I don't bother. I'm not interested in "inflicting" my taste in music on anyone.

That sounds a perfectly reasonable approach. As with all things different people enjoy things differently. I can't imagine anyone minds someone listening to a personal stereo, reading quietly or telling a story quietly. Those things don't impinge on others. Its when those who don't wan't to participate or listen but are forced to that it can become unpleasant.

For me, I agree that the right solution is to know what others enjoy and pick your company accordingly or just ask first.

Red
 

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