The surprising power older guitarists hold 🎸
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I've been thinking a lot about how things have changed musically for me. When I first started playing decades ago, it was all about speed and acrobatics. I spent hours mindlessly practicing exercises, trying to become one of those guitar heroes that plastered my teenage room. I'm in such a different place today. And I realize, as I’m getting older, that there’s this whole other world on the guitar that is so much more profound and impactful than playing 16th notes at 215 beats per minute. I’m talking about soul. The kind of thing that we guitar players talk about, but never really work on. And yet, if I had spent half of my time trying to figure out how to bring what I felt onto the instrument, I would’ve gained so much more than from the hundreds of hours spent on mindless exercises. It’s funny because, when I think about what I’m writing about now, it’s the kind of thing I would’ve made fun of in my teenage years. I used to think people who talked more about feel than technique were just too old to play fast, so they focused on something else. I was young and dumb. But if you think about the players who really had an impact on you, I bet they’re the ones who have feel and musicality. Guys like David Gilmour or Jeff Beck. They’re not particularly fast, but man, can they make their guitars sing! So, how do you do it? Well, you start by listening. But not just any kind of listening. Deep listening. Put on a backing track, put your guitar down, and just listen. Once you hear it, get excited because what you’re hearing is your very own musical voice. Your job as a player is to find a way to translate what you’re hearing in your head through your guitar. That’s where it starts, Reader. Most players forget to do that, especially younger players. Next time you sit down with your instrument, don’t reach for it right away. Just close your eyes and listen within. If nothing comes, give it time because I promise there’s something there. Grab your guitar and try to replicate what you hear. What I just described is the most meaningful work you can do on the guitar because it will allow you to almost instantly play the music in your head. If you’re curious about diving into this soulful way of playing, my friend Chris Liepe and I created something just for you. 📌 Click here to discover the most meaningful thing you can do as a guitar player >>> On that page you will find:
Discover this new way of playing that makes you play like.. you! >>> If you have any questions don't hesitate to reply to this email! David PS: For those of you in the know, we're preparing a big surprise later this month. I've been teasing a few things about it in each email and I'll leave you with another clue below. What if clicking the invisible link below got you one step closer? |