People who have bad rhythm and don't admit it

[T.D.Nydn]

Anybody remember Benny Hill singing "I left my heart in San Francisco"?...

[Mark Gunter]

you could do one of those chevron things

Eoin, you lost me on that, can you explain what you mean by a chevron there?

[Randi Gormley]

JL277z, if didn't know better, I'd say we knew the same musician -- except mine's female. Years as a chorus teacher with guitar accompaniment, has entertained professionally -- as a soloist -- and has a lovely, trained singing voice. But when she's playing ITM, she's completely tone deaf to the changes, the rhythm, the pulse and even how to modify her usual accompaniment. She always seems to play just a beat too slow, or doesn't seem to understand the difference between jig and reel timing. Yet she's an accomplished musician in her own right. It is, as has been said before, a question of listening. I've found that people who are very good at one thing are either open to everything .... or pretty convinced of their abilities and don't take criticism, however well-meant, kindly, or only take it from certain people. I can mention to her she's playing a chord that doesn't sound exactly right in a specific tune, f'rinstance, but she won't take the exact same statement from another band member even though he's far more versed than I on guitar accompaniment, he being a guitarist who has played ITM for years. She only knows him as a so-so fiddle player and took me aside and asked me frankly if he was serious or joking when he told her flat out she was in the wrong key (which she was). I think perhaps it's because she was a teacher (she's retired now) and is used to being the best musician in the room, or someone who is expected to be always right, at least when teaching youngsters music theory.

[Jess L.]

... I've found that people who are very good at one thing are either open to everything .... or pretty convinced of their abilities and don't take criticism, however well-meant, kindly, or only take it from certain people. ...

Good point.

... asked me frankly if he was serious or joking when he told her flat out she was in the wrong key (which she was). ...

Lol!

... I think perhaps it's because she was a teacher (she's retired now) and is used to being the best musician in the room, or someone who is expected to be always right, at least when teaching youngsters music theory.

That's the best explanation I've heard so far, sounds logical.