TIME FOR A TEST (Nov-08-03)

[moved from old forum:]

"Borrowing from Webster's: 1. the method of procedure (with
reference to practical or formal details) in rendering an
artistic work or carrying out a scientific or mechanical
operation; 2. the degree of expertness in following this, as:
the pianist had pleasing interpretation but poor technique

I guess that puts me in the JS camp. Technique is the
combination of picking, vibrato, bending, pull-offs, etc. etc."

These are known as idiomatic devices you use on the guitar.

"that we seek to improve. I don't believe it is the emotions we
are trying to communicate. Rather, good/great technique is the
avenue through which we can express our inner self and impact
others. The "better" the technique, the more effortless the
communication of more complex messages to the listener."

contemplate: what is "better" technique....you will find a lot...


All my best to you,
NEY MELLO

[moved from old forum:]

"Great Guitar Playing Technique is a higly developed
collaboration between the soul, the mind and the body. Being
able to play effortlessly and communicate with ease with your
fingers/hands etc. what the mind hears and what the soul
speaks."

contemplate: you have uncovered the first veil. there is a state that must be reached..an ability to do something specific.. to BE in a specific state of mind...

All my best to you,
NEY MELLO

[moved from old forum:]

Great Guitar Playing Technique is a highly developed collaboration between the soul, the mind and the body which results in a fearless expression in your own true voice - without the ego. Being able to release yourself from all attachements, play effortlessly and communicate with ease, with your fingers/hands/teeth etc. what the mind hears and what the soul speaks. Your own true voice.

This is a state of mind. A state of love, encouragement, compassion and detachement. This meditative state has been called many names, Jamie refers to it as "The Alone Place".

Best regards,

Jónsi

[moved from old forum:]

"Great Guitar Playing Technique is a highly developed
collaboration between the soul, the mind and the body which
results in a fearless expression in your own true voice -
without the ego."

contemplate: great guitar technique is one of the fruits of what you describe above....but whta is it?

"Being able to release yourself from all
attachements, play effortlessly and communicate with ease,
with your fingers/hands/teeth etc. what the mind hears and
what the soul speaks. Your own true voice."

The alone place is the best place to experience the process of great technique and utilise it ..but what is it?

All my best to you,
NEY MELLO

[moved from old forum:]

It is me when I've become the music.

Best regards,

Jónsi

[moved from old forum:]

Great Guitar Playing Technique is being able to play whatever your soul speaks, both in your mind without the instrument, and also physically with the unity of the guitar and your body.

One who has devloped great guitar playing technique can visualize and hear in his mind the execution of a piece of music on the guitar whenever, wherever... regardless of the actual physical precence of the instrument. He's able to "play from the mind". A highly developed collaboration between the soul, the mind and the body enables the player to execute the exact movements of his body required to produce the sounds heard in the mind which results in a fearless expression in his own true voice - without the ego.

Jónsi

[moved from old forum:]

Hi Ney,


Thanks for inspiring us all to really think and meditate.
Here goes my latest shot at this.


Great Guitar Playing Technique is:

Focus of the mind on total body awareness to create a perfect balance of tension between the body and the guitar so that there exists no tension beyond or below what is required to produce the sounds wanted.



Jónsi

[moved from old forum:]

This really is a hard question. I've spent the week thus far contemplating what great guitar technique is. At the moment I don't think I can give a detailed answer as I'm still very much in the dark about what great technique truely is.

So my answer at this time is, that technique isn't necessarily ONLY the physical side of playing guitar but more so than the emotional and spiritual side of it. Great guitar technique I believe includes but isn't limited to: control of ones body, using the most efficent move(s) both for your own anatomy and for the musical situation, being able to understand your body's signals and adjust movements so they become as easy as possible. I believe there's way more to great technique then these things, and I have ideas about what some or those things are but I can quite find the right words to express the idea I have.

To me, when ever I heard someone talk about a guitarist having good technique in the past I would immediately think, "Dude, they must be talking about some insane shredder". But now, that's no longer what I think. Now its a much different thought.

I realize that fully understanding what great technique is and isn't will undoubtedly help someone towards achieving the level they want to play at. At the same time I think this maybe like the concept of "practicing and playing is purely mental". I believe Ney has said that it took him many years to fully understand this concept, I think that understanding great technique is much like this and may take some many years to fully understand where as some may understand it in less.

-Bob

[moved from old forum:]

HI Bob,
Great insight on the need to fully understand. Just that realisation will take you deeper much faster.

All my best to you,
NEY MELLO

[moved from old forum:]

O.K. I DID give this post some thought over the past week, though I have not weighed in with my response until now. I have NOT read all responses (yet) in their entirety, though I have read a handful of posts - all of NEY's actually, which prompted my post. I look forward to reading through this thread over the next few days (yes - I'm one of those "family" types to which NEY referred, that does not have hours upon hours per day to practice!).

Anyway, I define of "Great guitar playing technique" as follows...

The manifestation of the conditioning of physical faculties, via the mind and spirit, in order perform music, with the purpose of communicating the message of that music in the most accurate, sincere, effortless and masterful manner.

-Scott Chlebove