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The Point of it all

With so much emphasis being placed on the “correct” technique, the “right” gear, the “perfect” tone one has to ask. “Are we not missing the point?”

Once you have the right technique, the right tone etc. what are you going to do with it?

There are so many people out there who have spent years and years focusing on technique related issues that they haven’t played a note of actual music in ages.

This seems to be a common problem among the flashy players out there. They know plenty of exercises, a whole bunch of sequences, but find themselves totally unable to create a song, play rhythm guitar, and sometimes to actually play in time!

Now please note, I am not at all taking an anti-technique standpoint here. Quite the contrary, technique is extremely important. The point I am trying to make however is that technique needs to be APPLIED to music. Find balance in your guitar playing, for each exercise, make sure once you have practiced the exercise, APPLY what you have learned in a musical context.

That after all is what you are doing this for isn’t it? To make music on the guitar.

Think clearly about your goals. What do you want to achieve? Then, once you know this, you will be able to structure your practice sessions in such a way that you see improvement in what you are doing. Make sure that you don’t just set technique goals.

Set some goals involving ear training, theory, repertoire and musical interaction with other people. Become a well rounded musician as opposed to just a guitar player.

Fancy technique means absolutely nothing if you cant inject some of your own musicality into the song you are playing, or the riff you are trying to come up with.

So the bottom line is this: Your primary aim in learning the guitar is to make music. That must be the top priority in your mind. Technique is used to make this music on the guitar.

Once you have the music, you can put the speed picking, tapping, whammy bar machinations, whatever you want in there. The point is, you will have the music, and be able to add the extreme guitar technique with taste and style.