Canvas/chops

Question

Hi again.I've got two more questions.I know what canvas is, but I'm not sure why this guy uses this word (he is a musician-bass guitar player, not a painter)Eg: I came up with chords voicings where there was no third, basically you play the root with a fifth and the octave of the root, with maybe some other intervals in there. It worked quite well because it kept the canvas completely open.---- What does "canvas" has to do with it? Maybe it's just some metaphor?Another word is "chops"EG: We replaced virtuosity and songwriting chops with a very good sense of dynamics, being able to create quite different textures in a very simple way.--- It seems to me that either they are talking about arguments they had over writing some songs or about different ways they used to write a song and which have been always changed by them (those ways of writing songs)?cheers

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

.
Canvas: A rough draft or model of a song, air, or other literary or musical composition.

Chop:

b.	Slang. the embouchure or technique necessary to play a wind instrument.

c.	Slang. musical ability on any instrument, esp. in playing jazz or rock; technical virtuosity.

d.	Slang. the music or musical part played by an instrumentalist, esp. a solo passage.

Newguest · Answer

Thank you MM. That was helpful. I have an impression that those "chops" refer to musical ability, so maybe they were not too good in writing songs.

Cheers

Anonymous · Answer

Yes, "canvas" is a metaphor. He's using painting as a metaphor for songwriting.

I don't think he means that they weren't good songwriters. "Chops" doesn't just mean "musical skill"; it means "obvious musical skill" or "technically impressive musical skill." He's saying that the band chose to write effective, simple songs instead of songs that are more complex and impressive-seeming.

Newguest · Answer

Thank you Anonymous!!!

CalifJim · Answer

NewguestI came up with chords voicings where there was no third, basically you play the root with a fifth and the octave of the root, with maybe some other intervals in there. It worked quite well because it kept the canvas completely open.

It is the "third" of a chord which determines its modality -- major or minor. Without that determining factor, which "fixes" the modality, the impression is that the chord is "open" ("open to interpretation) and can be used either as a major or minor chord. It increases the number of ways that sonority may be used in a composition. It is less limiting -- at least in the mind of the author. Metaphorically, it is a relatively "empty canvas" on which any number of paintings may be drawn. The empty (or "open") canvas is the symbol for relatively unconstrained musical potential.

One of the most famous examples of omitting the third to "keep the canvas open" is the opening of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, where the composer hides the identity of the chord (Is it major? Is it minor?) for quite a long time before revealing it. That's why that opening gives us that suspenseful spooky feeling that makes us wonder what's going on. Something is just arising formlessly out of a kind of musical mist.

NewguestWe replaced virtuosity and songwriting chops with ...

They're saying what they did to compensate for their lack of technical and professional training and experience in songwriting.

CJ

Newguest · Answer

Very helpful explanations Calif!
Thank you!

Canvas/chops

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