A lesson in dynamics: Working in a music store when I was younger, I remember hearing the owner berate a fellow employee telling him his playing wasn’t loud enough. His opinion was simply “LOUD” is good, “LOUD” is confident; playing “quietly” is meek and bad. I remember thinking that’s what I didn’t like about the music store owner’s own playing; it was loud and without subtlety. Throughout my musical life, that’s been one of the rarest things to hear in a guitarist’s playing: dynamics, subtleties, and knowing when to play what.
Mark Knopfler is a master of dynamics and subtle playing. [I’m sure the music store owner thinks he sucks : )] Some of the notes in this solo are played so softly that they’re barely audible. One of Mark Knopfler’s most identifiable traits is his penchant for playing with his fingers and not a pick, giving him a very distinct flavor to his sound and differentiating him from his contemporaries. This solo demonstrates a lesson in dynamics and taste and is just beautiful. Remember, learning the notes is just the beginning, playing them correctly is the real challenge...
