Enjoy today’s video of a solo guitarist. It is wonderful to watch a gifted artist maximizing their creativity.
Notice a couple things. (1) He is left-handed. That is rare to see because most guitars are strung for a right-handed player. I know I’m showing ignorance here, but that was a delight to observe. (2) He uses so many difficult techniques that if you close your eyes they might be missed. That is the mark of a craftsman.
I spent a couple of college years trying to learn to play the classical guitar (inspired by Leo Kottke and others). Thus, when I see this level of genius, I’m glad I spared the world from my attempts.
Imagine the hours it took to get to this level of performance. Are you doing the same with your writing craft? Retuning your words, finding a rhythm, and making it seem effortless?
(If you cannot see the video, please click through to the site and view it there.)
That was a fantastic musical introduction to my day! Thanks, Steve.
I have seen a great many amazing videos of guitar players recently; picking up the neck, using percussion, doing things that nobody did in our day. Of course technology also plays a role. especially the looper (which is used in this video also, mostly for percussive effects). The retuning moves were new to me, and really remarkable, (even doing two strings at once).
As in so many fields of creativity (including writing) the standard of excellence keeps rising. At least for the guitar (and music in general) I don’t think there is much danger of AI bringing it all down to universal mediocrity.
Steve, you are the first person I’ve met since the 1990s who even knows who Leo Kotke is. The man is wildly talented. I saw him live at Mount Baker Theater in the 90s and was completely hooked on both his music and his dry humor.
He plays like Tommy Emmanuel. You should look him up, too. Awesome.
I noticed he adjusted or tuned the strings as he played and picked the strings all the way up the neck. He didn’t’ lose his rhythm while moving his fingers to the headstock.
I t reminds me of the great Glen Campbell who could play the William Tell overture with the guitar above his head! Campbell was a sought after studio musician years before he had any hit songs and the public knew about him. He never let the fact that he couldn’t read music handicap him. Guitarists amaze me!