Here’s a peek into my mind as to how I craft something musically for solo guitar.
I recently arranged the Beatles “Michelle” for solo fingerstyle guitar and while I feel it could be way better ‘technically’….it looks like people are digging it, from the comments. (thanks Youtubers!)
It is very far from perfect – but it feels good! There’s a different “perfection” in the good feeling I am talking about.
I am not tooting my own horn, please understand! I am talking about the overall sound and feeling of the piece, and I wouldn’t have posted online it unless it had that “little piece of magic.”
Of course, guitarists will ask me for sheet music, because they want to learn the arrangement, and that’s all fine and good….it’s very good!!!
But there’s a secret as to where the answer lies. To get the sound of the song….well, it ain’t on paper!
It’s not in the chords, or where I put my fingers.
First, I listened closely to the original Beatles version for the songs “essence”…the life, the personality and gut feeling for this musical “entity” called “Michelle.”
Inside, I am singing the song…and every note, bump scrape, slap and mistake I make – has to aligned with the “Michelle” essence. I had to “become” the song…and wait patiently until the fingers tell the story.
(Further proof that life is an “projecting” outwards of our inner vision! )
Actually I don’t even see what I am doing as an “arrangement” …I’m just trying to sing you the song – with my fingers.
It’s the same thing as when a painter steps back from the canvas and takes the whole thing in. It’s almost like you have to look with fuzzy blurry vision, rather than obsess on the “perfect shadow cast by the cherubs little finger.”
Get it?
In regards to “essence vs technique”….
- Essence wins – with the “people” – They can hear the SONG!
- Technique wins in school. You get a good grade, and then reality strikes!
Gut, intuition and exploration are the tools needed!
Wow…it only took me 37 years to figure this out – that something imperfect can have a deeper perfection ….when we see (or hear) it in terms of the big picture.
Rock on!
Love it !!
Yeah, you’re so damn right! That’s it!
Technique without essence, as you call it, is sterile. Essence, however, without technique becomes a different kind of masturbation. Gordon Willis, the cinematographer for The Godfather, said “…the art comes out of the craft. For example, you might have a great idea for a painting, but can you paint? If you say no, then your idea is worthless, because there’s no way for you to project that idea. It’s being able to execute the idea that sets you free.”
Your arrangement of Michelle is lovely. When I first heard it, I thought it had more of a groove/bounce than I remembered from the song. And here’s one of the cool things about arranging. In my memory, what dominated the groove is Ringo’s steady and heavy, almost relentless, backbeat on the song. It’s pretty much the antithesis of the groove feeling you have. But sure enough, Paul puts your bounce solidly in the bass, and its not something I’d ever paid much attention to in the song before. So thanks for a great song, and also for opening my ears to another level of subtlety in a Beatles song. (I hadn’t actually listened to the track in probably 15 years or more, and its interesting the things that you remember hearing and not hearing in a song that you knew well, but long ago.)
Thank you for all of your thoughtful comments!!! Yes, one doesn’t think “swing” with Michelle…until you actually go back & listen!
Adam, you look happy playing it, and that´s probably the difference. Playing good technique makes you feel proud, but feeling the song just makes you feel happy and emotionally affected.
Yes Thomas!
Love this blog. Reminds me of an old story about Arthur Rubenstein teaching one of his students. He said something like “Your technique is quite brilliant, when are you going to start playing music?”.
I guess perfection can be a limitation.
Its interesting that you mention magic Adam, as I have been praying of late for some kind of supernatural intervention to get through a couple of your arrangements… and now I know you too are using some kind of spell….. now theres a book you could sell as a download.
“I Wish” – never has a song been more aptly named 🙂
I’m about to play a few of your numbers at an open mic night (if I can get over performance anxiety that is).
Best Wishes, Ben
Ben
I suggest 2 thing – 1) listen to the original Stevie Wonder 2) simplify the arrangements so they are comfy. I have changed I WISH since the DVD session. Still tricky, but always in search of comfort & groove.
Thanks Adam, I’m glad you said that as I’ve already changed a couple of bits here and there in the arrangements to help me get through them and with your permission I’m now guilt free… 🙂
In ‘I Wish’ it’s the mental athletics that’s the biggest challenge, for me anyway.
You touring the UK anytime soon?
Best wishes, Ben
Isn’t the essence of a song the result of an individual’s analysis, and therefore subjective? Can’t the essence change subject to a person’s mood?
We can play songs less than perfectly, but with belief, and we will make music. Better and better technique can give more opportunity. No technique – no music!
Some technique and total belief makes music?
Mark – technique is just as important as feel… Sorry for the late reply and thanks for commenting!
I 100% agree with you…that was the first thing I thought when I listened to your version of Michelle and Tommy Emmanuel’s one, people probably will kill me for this comment but hey, that’s my opinion and my feelings, I simply felt more involved with your version than with the one from Tommy, yours sort of made more sense in the realm of emotions and feelings, as simple as that.
Personally in my little playing I repeat a piece many times to make sure everything flows quite well and the pace is there, then I start to play music, which means starting to tell something to the external world that comes from inside, something like: hey listen! I want to tell you a story made out of emotions and sensations, it is really like talking to somebody with your heart and trying to convey a message…sometimes I even try to do it when I actually talk to somebody 🙂
I found that without knowing, playing like this even improves a lot the flow when I listen to the recorded piece, although while I play that’s not the focus, when I start to “play music” I simply forget everything.
Thanks a lot, Adam! Super!!! Unfortunately, my english is very poor and I can’t express all my gratitudes to You!!!;))
i really appreciate your message. The groove comes fairly easily to me as does at least some ability to communicate my musical message. Getting the chops to throw down some of your complex and overlaying rhythms and melodies is what holds me back. I’m a 60 year old drummer trying to learn a new instrument.
Well man, stay with teh groove, simplify and dont sweat the chops (2 cents) 🙂 – AR
Hi Adam
I clicked the link on your latest email, expecting to go to “melody v percussive tapping” but was directed here (musical essence or technical perfection) instead. Maybe you can check the link is correct?
So forgive me for “replying” to your email without having first read your thoughts!
Anyway, my own thoughts on the matter are as follows.
Let me first explain that I have been playing for decades, but that I am a relative novice to finger style. And also add that it was hearing (and trying to play) your recording of Overjoyed that first started me on the journey I am now on.
That was 2 years ago. Since then I have come to your workshop in Hamburg, and also attended workshops with Matt Midgely & Mike Dawes here in England. I have been to gigs by you, Matt Midgely, Tommy Emmanuel & Mike Dawes. I have also listened to many contemporary recordings by a host of finger style players including you, Tommy, Stuart Ryan, Mike Dawes, Thomas Leeb, Owen Van Larkins & Andy McKee. And re-aquainted myself with Stefan Grossman / John Renbourn’s 1980’s recordings.
My conclusion is that it’s all great music! If I was going to have to salvage a few albums in a hurry from a shipwreck then I would take Gratitude for sure, along with Wandering Hands, Art of Motion, Stefan Grossman & John Renbourn & What Just Happened. Hopefully there would be room for some 70’s rock as well.
What I’m coming to is this: great melodies are wonderful. But so are great rhythms. And the two together are simply sublime, so why choose?
Thanks a lot!!!
I don’t think you are right. I don’t see and hear any technical imperfection. Everything is just fine- technically and emotionally.
As a child I had a music teacher wgo used to say: “The worst enemy of good things are VERY GOOD things!”. Your music is very pleasent, I like it and I am listening to it. The music made by Satriani, Steve Vay and Machvishnu is perfekt, but it’s disgusting and I don’t listen to them. Yes, the worst enemy of…
Thanks Apostol!
Adam, I absolutely loved your rendition. As a painter, I understand perfectly and agree completely with your points.
In my book, Essence is where the ‘magic resides’.
Kind regards
Thank you Anthony!
Do have tabs for Michele?
Steve a full video lesson for Michelle is available on Study With Adam – and there is a (truly) free 14 day trial. Dive in and enjoy! – AR
I was battleling essence over technique with my guitar teacher, sure you need technique so you can progress , but if you can’t put soul in your performance, there something missing. That’ why i will learm with you, as i joined the study with adam website.
You will be my new teacher for a long while, there is so much i can learn from you.
Thank you Adam.
Thank you Pierre!
It’s the difference between playing the notes that make up a song and playing a song made up of notes. Thanks, Adam, for your focus on the heart and soul of the musical message.
Thanks for commenting Peter!
hey Adam nicely done congrats , not sloppy at all .
Thank you Rick!
Good Post Adam!
I have never ever in my 50 + years of guitar playing been overly preoccupied with playing anything “perfect”
But I do try to capture the essence of songs and grooves. Then like any language, I use them as vehicles to speak music.
When I play the rare cover tune, it is only a drop in point in the ongoing conversation.
I like to work towards being able to have unhampered spontaneity and an ever evolving flow of music.
“mistakes” are only unexpected direction changes that, if accepted in the moment, can lead to new discoveries. I love to bring audiences with me in this journey. But it takes a lot of trust and the audience has to be willing to go along for the ride.
Sometimes the falling on my face performance experience is just part of the communal thing, sometimes we stumble and reach for the right word in conversations. But if we are honest the audience will know it. And they feel included.
So I say go with the feeling, but don’t sweat the tech so much.. motto of the moment…..
Love the way you speak Music!!!!
Thank you Dave!
Technique is simply one of the tools that the musician brings to the performance. It’s like his instrument, equipment, talent, experience, training, and so on, The musician uses his tools to express his interpretation of the music, but the expression IS the performance, or vice versa. Tools are frequently imperfect, but can still be used to express the essence of a piece.
Technique MAY be observed and evaluated by sufficiently skilled observers, but everyone listens to the performance. Whether acting, singing, or spinning plates, the performer uses his skills (including technique) to artistically express the soul of the work of art he’s interpreting.
Is any performer perfect? Surely there is always someone with equal or better technique, but the expression is unique to that artist. Does Bob Dylan have great singing technique? It doesn’t prevent him expressing his art at a Nobel Prize-winning level. Roger Miller made his reputation performing complete doggerel, written while drunk, but he entertains and inspires millions with his performance. Does Eric Clapton have the technical skill of Jimi Hendrix? Does anyone? Yet people are transfixed by his performances because of what he brings out of the paper.
No question. Expression is the art. Technique is one tool.
Thank you David!!!!
Thanks!
Fun timing with this one coming into my inbox as I’m getting ready to pay my own video, which I also think is far from technically perfect but it feels good to me. Great post, very encouraging! 😀
Pay = post
Julie, not sure I get this….:-) AR
Ah now I see!!!!
I jumped to the end, so bear with me….strong feelings on this topic!
Technique provides the skill set. However, by itself, it is without spirit, without soul, without groove.
However, harnessed to the the other skill, as a tool. of expressing spirit, soul, groove….magic happens. Transcendence! Beauty!
‘Nuff said.
Amen Larry!
Story goes a little further. Back in early 1970’s, I was teaching a classical Sor waltz…Opus 32 No. 2… to a high school student. He nailed the technique…but it DID NOT WORK. No magic! As a teacher, what to do??? Inspiration struck…turn it into a fairy tale. I was lucky it fit, with typical fairy sequence: First part was the white knight. Second part introduced the fair young maiden, gathering daisies. Third part brought on the the bad guy, minor key and all: fire breathing dragon. Fourth part: dragon abducts maiden, white knight charges to the rescue on his horse, battle ensues. You know who wins…back to reprise of the first part. You know whose hand he wins…reprise of the fair young maiden theme. For my student, magic happened. Ever since, I can’t play this waltz without remembering, and sometimes telling, the story. Now, in my later years, I am getting back to playing again. The story continues… Kind regards, –Larry
Reminds me how much a thinking and planning game great playing can be – when you really manage the instrument’s limitations and exploit the opportunities. And develop a vibe.
Thanks Adrian!
Now something very internal thing you said.
This does not really talk about the music teachers.
Thank you