Initially, I wanted to write an article about sweep-picking, which is an essential part of the rock guitar style to share with my students. Then I came across a video clip of Paul Gilbert's lesson on sweep-picking. I decided it would be better if you just watch the video.
I am a great fan of Paul Gilbert. He is both an amazing performer and a great teacher, clear and concise. How often do you find that in a guitarist?
By the way, in order to pass the Trinity Rockschool Grade 8 Electric Guitar Examinations, you have to know your sweep-picking.
Here it is:
Showing posts with label guitar techniques. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guitar techniques. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Generalist or Specialist
"If you learn everything, you cannot go in depth. You will be floating, of no significance to anything or anyone."
This came about during a discussion with a fellow classical guitarist. I explained my philosophy that as a musician, we can no longer simply play one style of music and ignore every other genre available to mankind. He disagreed. He said that ours was a generation of superficality, skin deep but of no substance.
My reply was that classical music is beautiful and sweet, but choosing only that and disparaging every other genre (just like Daniel Barenboim did on BBC radio), is liken to that a person saying I am going to only wear blue shirts for the rest of my life.
(Point of note: I also spoke to a lot of rockers who disparage other genres,
and for these rockers I don't feel angry, I feel sad because they don't know what they are missing out.)
The guitar is a democratic instrument, portable, popular and adaptable. Instead of trying to box it into a small fit, we should instead utilise its strengths. Play jazz, learn classical guitar techniques, try some hawaiian slack key tunings, pick up the electric guitar and play some Van Halen tappings. Embrace some Peruvian folk songs as your repertoire.
The world has changed, globalised. We Singaporean musicians need to move on. Western musicians have no qualms about crossing musical boundaries. So what about us? We are already left behind.
Think about it.
This came about during a discussion with a fellow classical guitarist. I explained my philosophy that as a musician, we can no longer simply play one style of music and ignore every other genre available to mankind. He disagreed. He said that ours was a generation of superficality, skin deep but of no substance.
My reply was that classical music is beautiful and sweet, but choosing only that and disparaging every other genre (just like Daniel Barenboim did on BBC radio), is liken to that a person saying I am going to only wear blue shirts for the rest of my life.
(Point of note: I also spoke to a lot of rockers who disparage other genres,
and for these rockers I don't feel angry, I feel sad because they don't know what they are missing out.)
The guitar is a democratic instrument, portable, popular and adaptable. Instead of trying to box it into a small fit, we should instead utilise its strengths. Play jazz, learn classical guitar techniques, try some hawaiian slack key tunings, pick up the electric guitar and play some Van Halen tappings. Embrace some Peruvian folk songs as your repertoire.
The world has changed, globalised. We Singaporean musicians need to move on. Western musicians have no qualms about crossing musical boundaries. So what about us? We are already left behind.
Think about it.
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