CMC here, whasssup? Wow…how can anyone possibly write well
about “Guitar playing?” What in the heck does it mean? Why
would anyone take up such a potentially dangerous,
potentially hearing damaged pursuit as guitar? -Or am I
totally over-thinking this?
Perhaps you’re here to just read about “GUITAR PLAYING”
without the sound and fury-just facts and figures. Well, if
that’s the case, you might want to read someone else’s
articles. You see, guitar playing is the epitome of what you
might call a Romance language, musically speaking. Our
tradition goes back to the Troubadour’s in the Middle ages,
courting their paramour under a second story window, with
wine and song. So much so, in fact, that one of L.A. Most
famous nightclubs, you might have heard, is even named The
Troubador. I have no idea who Doug Weston is or if he’s even
still alive but I know that he is the name associated with
that infamous stage. Yes, the glory abounds on that hallowed
stage but you know what? -for me and maybe for you, it was
and will be found elsewhere. My feet never graced the club
stages of L.A. and Hollywood or anywhere other than a few
living room, garage, stairwell and basement floors. My glory
was found in a three story apartment stairwell where I went
to practice long into the night, forced there by the need to
play my strat without amplification or headphones. The
acoustics were amazing since everything was clean, no
furniture or carpet to absorb sound. My rockin riffs echoed
through those epic chambers and who knows, maybe if that
place really was a “stairwell to Heaven” I might hear them
again some day. Because I was sure that my playing reached
heights equal to my heros-Beck, Page, Hendrix and others.
Check out this cool GUITAR LESSON
And hey, here’s a suggestion- RECORD! From day one, think
about turning on your iPhone and recording every time you
play. Ya never know when lightning might strike and all of
the sudden, you are playing turbo charged riffs like
Malmsteen or tasty phrasing like Beck. Sometimes it just
happens without warning…and then it’s gone. My biggest
regret, if I had regrets, would be not bringing a recording
device every time I practiced or played. But to get back to
basics, if there is in fact a need for “basics” (and there
probably is not) guitar playing is an Art -just like any
other and yet like no other. Yes, Picasso and Warhol had
their day in the sun. Yes, actors win their Oscars. But no
one calls them “gods,” now do they?
Only that iconic figure on the stage-usually male but in some
cases female, get’s that tongue in cheek and yet earnest
assessment. Regardless of what style you play or want to play
or what level you are at, I have only one thing to say: SHINE
ON, you crazy diamonds!
I recommend you to check out some of our best courses in DVD:
