Adam Rafferty

Hitting “Plateaus” in Guitar Practice

Often we hit “plateaus” when we play guitar. We feel that we haven’t been improving.

That’s good! 🙂

To my delight I just started book called “Mastery – The Keys to Success and Long Term Fulfillment” by George Leonard. Mr. Leonard points out the American “war on mastery” – an epidemic of wanting things “quickly and easily”. He then accurately describes the delicious, sweet, long term path to mastery through his story of Aikido.

The path to mastery is not a steady incline; there are growth spurts, and then long plateaus where on the surface “nothing” seems to be happening. At first, the student feels that these plateaus are disheartening and frustrating and wants only the peaks. [Read more…] about Hitting “Plateaus” in Guitar Practice

“I Remember Michael” Voted by Jazziz Magazine as a Top 10 CD of 2011 (Critics Choice Award)

By Adam Rafferty 3 Comments

Great news!

(Revisiting this….I know this is a few years old now but heck, it’s cool anyway…enjoy!)

JAZZIZ magazine has voted “I REMEMBER MICHAEL – A Michael Jackson Solo Guitar Tribute” as a Critic’s Choice Top 10 CD of 2011. Wow!!!

I am truly honored. I worked very hard on this project by practicing guitar for hours and hours, funneling 15 MJ songs onto a little wooden box with strings, and using 10 just fingers and lots of imagination.

Thank you to JAZZIZ magazine – and extra special thank you to all of YOU who have watched my videos & commented (and egged me on for more).

Without your “audience participation” – this CD project would never have happened.

Here you go…take a listen to “Human Nature” from the CD….enjoy!

[soundcloud url=”https://api.soundcloud.com/tracks/22077163″]

You Can’t Learn This From YouTube

By Adam Rafferty 16 Comments

I just got back to NYC a few days ago from a short trip to Germany. I was a guest artist at the Remschied Guitar Festival in Germany – and it was a lovely scene and experience. The students were mainly classical and rock guitar players – and they were excellent.

With each student I see and teach, I see a little part of my past and history, and to be honest – I almost get “tear jerked” as I remember how much my beloved teachers helped, taught and mentored me.
[Read more…] about You Can’t Learn This From YouTube

Perception – Ain’t it a Bitch?

By Adam Rafferty 3 Comments

When a bell is struck, it vibrates and then in turn vibrates the air molecules around it. Waves of air molecules eventually hit one’s eardrum and vibrate the eardrum.

When we hear the sounding bell, we think and perceive the bell as “out there” but the sound is really “in here”. It’s the eardrums reaction to being hit by the vibrating air molecules.

Isn’t it interesting how we perceive not just sounds – but people, events, smells, sights and all sensations as originating “out there” when in fact they are inner experiences?

When the line of what’s “out there” and “in here” starts to blur for me it’s actually quite fascinating. We can change my perception of what’s out there if we want.

Here’s a fun example of how we all have different perceptions of the same “thing” out there. You may see from this that perception could just be an inner experience.

Today in the Aachen, Germany train station I could not help but notice a very attractive woman…long black hair, (looked freshly blown and straightened from the hair salon), silver hoop earrings, tight jeans, black boots and a coat with a big furry collar and to boot she had a gorgeous face. I even got a smile from her. Hey, what’s not to like?

On board the train, I was asked by a female conductor for my ticket. I looked up and – oh gosh, it was her! Huh?

She was an undercover cop, busting riders who thought they’d get away with a free ride on a regional train!

Aha! If they see an official conductor, that could alert freeloaders to run to the bathroom hideout. Luckily, I paid for a ticket and got a second chance to flirt.

Off in the distance I heard desperate arguments from riders (one teenage girl rider was almost in tears) followed by my favorite lady cop’s unwavering demands for 50 euro as a penalty.

Talk about a tough cookie! She was not taking no for an answer. Her job was to shake people down for money, and she was on the warpath!

In review – someone who boosted my ego and made me feel good today pretty much destroyed a few peoples days and caused them to be upset.

She was the same person all day, but depending on one’s perception, you either liked her or hated her.

Perception – ain’t it a bitch?

Do You Have New Years Resolutions? Consider This…

By Adam Rafferty 4 Comments

We all make New Year’s plans and resolutions – plans on how to “work hard” to “get what’s out there.” I’m offering you a different angle on that idea….

I recently picked up a copy of Deepak Chopra’s book “The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire” and just finished it on a plane ride to Europe. What’s not to like about a title like that?

“The Spontaneous Fulfillment of Desire” is an excellent book. Deepak is a dedicated meditator and I felt that the book pulled me into the peaceful, mystical, “boundless” place that he writes from. I am thankful to feel very chilled out right now. I needed that!

I admit, I sometimes fall prey to the state of “wanting more”, and I work every day at finding peace and gratitude for what I’ve got. I always come back to finding that my joy, peace and creativity comes from being spiritually centered.

“Wanting more” is in fact the cause of pain and restlessness itself. There is a cure though. Once we are thankful for what we have and enjoy a feeling of peace within, more comes rushing into our lives. That’s the irony!

I read something in the book that resonated with me, a message I much needed to hear as I gathered ideas about “achieving goals in 2012”, and I’d like to share it with you.

“Suppose a hunter in the Amazon rain forest is having difficulty finding game. If he goes to a Shaman, neither the hunter nor Shaman looks anywhere but within the hunter himself to solve the problem.”

“It never occurs to them to say something like ‘There’s no game out there’. ”

Happy New Year, and may all your good find you in 2012!