blog
Technique Or Music?
There are certain styles of music that tend to focus heavily on the technical aspects of playing. Classical, for example, is one style of music where incredible technique is simply a requirement. Shred is another. There is certainly nothing wrong with striving for good technique. I think every guitarist should try to be the best player he or she can. Many of my favorite guitar players have awesome technique (Phil Keaggy, Pat Metheny, Jeff Beck, etc.) However, they use their technique to serve the music — not the opposite.
Unfortunately, for some players, technique becomes the goal and music is written or chosen to show off their technique. We’ve all seen players blazing up and down the fretboard in an endless barrage of notes. It is quite impressive — for a few minutes. Yet after it’s over I usually don’t remember a thing that was played. It’s all technique with little or no emotion. All hands, no heart.
I’m not trying to pick on shred, or classical, or prog, or speed metal, or whatever they call technical playing nowadays. Certainly, abusers are found in every style of music. However, those styles simply lend themselves more easily to the dilemma of how to play technically difficult music without just showing off. Here are my thoughts.
Ask yourself why am I playing this song or solo? Is it to touch people with my music, or to show them how good a player I am? If it’s the later, you better be really good. Let’s face it, there are tons of awesome guitar players out there. Standing out on technique alone is a hard road to travel. But… If you can play music that touches people’s emotions (technical music can do this) they will remember you and want to hear you again. Always focus first on the music, not the technique. Don't play more than is needed simply becuase you can. Save your flashy technique for when it is appropriate for the music.
A good example might be a guitarist performing a chord melody solo of a jazz standard. To do that well is very difficult technically, yet listeners don’t usually comment on the player’s technique, they just love the sound of the music. It touches them emotionally and they want to hear more. This should always be the goal. Touch the audience’s emotions, which will always leave them wanting more.