Masterclass

• How To Move People With Your Music - By Chris Standring
  I have never been more interested in musical phrasing than I am now. Perhaps it is because I have recently been hearing young technically astounding players with chops up the yin yang and I am not satisfied. Why? I have been asking myself. And I think the answer is that, to me, it appears they are not 'in the music', they are simply showing off their astounding technique. "Look what I can do!" in other words. This is not the way of the peaceful warrior.
  
  
• Observe Yourself - By Chris Standring
  Distractions, they come a plenty and in all shapes and sizes. One must be ready to deflect them but these days my approach is a little different. I embrace them. Why? because they are simply everywhere and the days of me torturing myself because things were not perfect are over.
  
  
• Interpretation, Individuality & The Miracle Of Music - By Chris Standring
  The one thing that I always come away with from these classical maestros is the deep respect they have for the original composition. Of course this is a very classical musician's approach, and quite different from the jazz musician who is free to take a composition and butcher it as he or she sees fit!
  
  
• Creative Guitar Comping - By Dave Fox
  I can't help it. I like guitar players - I like the fact that they can rhythmically groove in a way that horn players just cannot do. This may be due to the fact that a guitar has a built-in capacity for being strummed. Things that can be strummed usually groove well with the beat, because of all the different possible ways that they can be strummed. Both guitarists and pianists are practiced in the art of strumming and, consequently, groove in a kindred way.
  
  
• Put That Guitar Down! - By Chris Standring
  From that time I have gone through many periods of practicing and letting go, practicing and letting go. Personally I like music to breathe, I don't like it cluttered, so if I want the music to breathe I feel it is necessary for me to also. It's as simple as that.
  
  
• Take A Breath, Listen To The Spaces - By Chris Standring
  As jazz guitarists, there is a terrible tendency for us to play a lot of notes, firstly because the genre historically has given us permission to do so, and second, archtop jazz guitars don't generally lend themselves to sustaining notes, so in order to 'get over', guitarists fall into the trap of overplaying.
  
  
• Creative Music Tools - Why Licks? Why Not? - By Mark Stefani
  Great lines (including bass) plus great progressions equals great music. It's not all that unbelievable when you think about it.
  
  
• Maintaining Your Focus - By Mark Stefani
  What is a high priority goal as opposed to a low priority goal? Ah, that's a very tough question, because it differs from player to player, and is highly dependent on what stage you're already at, and where you're trying to go with your music.
  
  
• How To Avoid Musical Burn Out - By Tom Hess
  Do you sometimes find it difficult to stay focused and motivated to practice or play music? Most musicians I know (including myself) have had at least one significant period in their lives when they have experienced musical burn out - a general feeling of being uninspired, unmotivated, bored, or just plain lazy!
  
  
• Emotion In Music - Passing The 'Soul Test' - By Mark Stefani
  Self-expression. Feeling. Soul. These are just three ways of describing the one most integral part of a musical experience, and without these elements of emotion there's really nothing of lasting significance in a performance. As I've said many times in the past, it's so easy to get caught up in the mental or physical side of what we do, but they're utterly meaningless without the most important ingredient of all.
  
  
• How To Develop Your Own Style Part 1 - By Tom Hess
  Among musicians in general and guitar players specifically, the approach that is commonly taken to being "original" is often crippling, oppressing, unnatural. This is why so many people only seem to struggle and become frustrated.
  
  
• How To Develop Your Own Style Part 2 - By Tom Hess
  Some musicians rely heavily on the crutch of their instrument through improvising. While I do know that creating music in this way is perfectly legitimate and can produce good results in some situations, it is the most difficult process in which we can hope to discover our own originality.
  
  
• The Pursuit Of Artistic Greatness - By Tom Hess
  The Pursuit of Artistic Greatness has been among us for thousands of years, yet it has eluded most of us. It seems almost impossible to pursue that which we can hardly define.(artistic greatness). It's not surprising so many people, who may possess all the potential they need, still fall short because they didn't realize they already possessed the single most important element. But what is it?
  
  
• Thoughts From A Robben Ford Masterclass - By Chris Standring
  An artist becomes a truly great artist when he or she is thinking about their own music and how to make it unique. The struggle for an identifiable and distinctive voice becomes the number one goal.
  
  
• Take Command Over Your Instrument - By Chris Standring
  "What do you really want to say musically? Play a phrase and damn well mean it! Every note from beginning to end!"
  
  
• How To Seriously Improve Your Guitar Playing - By Chris Standring
  There are bedroom guitar players and there are live performers. There doesn't seem to be anything in between. The minute you walk on to a stage (whether you get paid or not) you are a professional. You are in the business of entertaining and displaying your wares, so to speak. And if you really want to seriously get your guitar playing together it is the latter you need to strive for in my opinion.
  
  
• Developing Good 'Time' - By Chris Standring
  How do we approach improving our 'time'? Well first, it is extremely important that we are aware that it is one of the most important aspects of music. At all levels, we need to work on this.
  
  
• Playing With Conviction - By Chris Standring
  Imagine you are in a club or even a concert hall. Play a musical phrase and imagine that the people in the back of the theater need to "feel" that phrase, just like you mean to feel it. How would you do that?
  
  
• Building A Relationship With Your Guitar - By Chris Standring
  To become a wonderful guitarist takes time. This article addresses the idea that positive results often happen in their own time and that we must let things ebb and flow, just like a healthy relationship.
  
  
• Defining the True Artist - Do You Have What It Takes? - By Chris Standring
  Great artists are uniquely different from the norm. But what makes those true greats really stand out from the crowd? This article explains why real talent is so elusive to many and what musicians need to focus on in order to reach dizzying heights of success.
  
  
• Reaching For The Soul Zone - By Chris Standring
  That Zen like trancendental state is what all serious searching musicians are striving for. The question is; why is it not always possible to get there? This article answers that question and presents some thoughts on the subject.
  
  
• The Art Of Improvising Part 1 - By Mark Stefani
  The focus for this trio of brief articles is improvisation. My intention here is to offer something concrete in the way of a solid game plan, underlining some of the more important considerations along the way. As with any other kind of approach philosophy, the main goal is to 'cut some fat' from your practice schedule and help you streamline your efforts in becoming the best soloist that you can.
  
  
• The Art Of Improvising Part 2 - By Mark Stefani
  Despite my general disdain for the fact that so many players and teachers overemphasize scale practice, I'd be the last person on earth to suggest that you skip the notion of including them in your improvising arsenal. But let's spend a few moments defining the most important scales to know, and why.
  
  
• The Art Of Improvising Part 3 - By Mark Stefani
  Yes, I know. I've heard the line before. Improvisation is all about being spontaneous and creating 'on the fly.' A great soloist never repeats himself. Right? Well, yes and no. While it's certainly true that you want to be spontaneous, what you're really after is the ability to play well at the same time.
  
  
• The Secrets Of Transcribing Part 1 - By Mark Stefani
  One of the biggest factors in successful transcription is familiarity with either a style or an artist, so you may wish to choose a project based on your desire to evolve within a certain style, or your desire to absorb as much as you can from an artist that you admire.
  
  
• The Secrets Of Transcribing Part 2 - By Mark Stefani
  I'm not about to lie to you. There's inherently a pretty high frustration factor involved with transcription, sometimes to the degree where it keeps a player away from doing it at all (which is a big mistake!).
  
  
• The Secrets Of Transcribing Part 3 - By Mark Stefani
  Don't even consider picking up your pencil until you can play what you're going to attempt to notate. And by the way, use a pencil (not a pen) with an "industrial strength" eraser. Accept the fact that you're going to make a lot of mistakes until you get good at this.
  
  
• Lost In Time - By Jamie Andreas
  When you play your guitar, you must be able to become "lost in time", lost in NOW. There must be no concern for a future that takes your Attention out of the NOW.