The studio guitarist’s guide to happiness and personal fulfilment, as related by session ace Mitch Dalton. This month: Existentialism for dummies.
The title ‘Self Employed Musician’ carries with it any number of assumptions, most of them utterly erroneous. But I’ll refrain from trotting out clichés describing sleep patterns which begin and end at 3 (am and pm), heroic consumption of craft beers and an intimate relationship with the Department For Work And Pensions.
The reality is very different. And without engaging in some critical self-analysis, can be as dark as a dawn December commute wearing prescription Ray-bans. So the next time you engage an itinerant ukulele player in conversation, I’d avoid patience-testing enquiries as to what ‘real’ job he undertakes when not attempting to entertain the great unwashed. Unless you’ve a thing about A&E departments.
First off, the combination of constant insecurity and the reliance on random offers can be more than enough to puncture even Mary Poppins’ positivity. And secondly, there is a corrosive emotional aspect to periods of unemployment in the creative arts. Musicians feel defined as much by what they do as by what they are. And by extension therefore, what they don’t.
The loss of any job is a source of anxiety. But when a factory closes or relocates to Slovakia it is rarely accompanied by the notion that you - personally - aren’t good enough. So, before punching ‘Beachy Head’ into your sat-nav, it might be helpful to remember that most of the stuff that happens has little to do with you. Here are just some of the causes of angst in Showbiz, made infinitely worse by the fact that you’ll never know for sure if all or any of the following lies behind your vigil by an apparently disconnected telephone.
Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 2019-Ausgabe von Guitar Techniques.
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Diese Geschichte stammt aus der February 2019-Ausgabe von Guitar Techniques.
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PAT METHENY
Nick Mellor offers an insight into the jazz great's 16th-note lines, and his approach to improvising over static Minor and Dominant 7th chords.
MARTIN MILLER
Another fabulous JTC guitarist demonstrates his impressive techniques for us, focusing on an approach called Rythmically Dependent Alternate Picking.
THE KINKS' RAY DAVIES
This month Stuart Ryan takes a virtual trip into to North London to get to grips with the acoustic style of the original Muswell Hillbilly.
STEVE LUKATHER
This month Andy G Jones looks at the fluent soloing style of the LA guitarist who co-founded Toto in 1977 then ruled the 80s session scene.
JEFF HANNEMAN
This month Charlie Griffiths Shows No Mercy as he lays down the gauntlett with five shred licks from Slayer's undisputed master of attitude.
10CC
This month Martin Cooper checks out Eric Stewart and Lol Crème, whose distinctive styles helped give this UK band its unique sound.
T-BONE WALKER
From the heart of Texas to the cool West Coast, join David Gerrish on the journey of this hugely influential electric blues guitar innovator.
FERDINANDO CARULLI Andantino In G (Opus 241)
This month Declan Zapala goes back to basics to explore core classical technique with this emotive miniature by the pioneer of classical guitar playing.
THE CROSSROADS Steely Dan's Mu Chord
This month John Wheatcroft shows us how Donald Fagen and Walter Becker dressed their harmony to the 'nines, as he explores their trademark chord voicings.
GET YOUR MOJO WORKING! 60 Years Of Blues Licks
From the Kings to Jimi and Eric, Blackmore, Stevie Ray, Gary Moore, John Mayer, JoBo and beyond, Jon Bishop introduces six decades of blues guitar innovation.