Several years ago I was lucky to visit Ecuador and on arriving in Quito we visited the old quarter of the city.
In a little street there was an old man elegantly turned out in a suit and wearing a Panama hat sitting playing a guitar. It was obvious that he was self-taught and was using the open strings and simple melodies on the top two strings of the instrument, very simple but very beautiful.
It was for me a profound moment where I really was touched by this man and his playing which seemed so genuine and heartfelt and it brought me back to what is was to be a musician.
For all of my knowledge of the instrument sometimes that magic does elude me and just experiencing someone playing from a real love of the guitar can take you back to what it was that hooked you in the first place.
Maybe we just need to not think for a while and listen with no judgement and by turning off the part of the brain that wants to analyse we can learn something new.
Vic
www.bluescampuk.co.uk three days in a rock band...
In a little street there was an old man elegantly turned out in a suit and wearing a Panama hat sitting playing a guitar. It was obvious that he was self-taught and was using the open strings and simple melodies on the top two strings of the instrument, very simple but very beautiful.
It was for me a profound moment where I really was touched by this man and his playing which seemed so genuine and heartfelt and it brought me back to what is was to be a musician.
For all of my knowledge of the instrument sometimes that magic does elude me and just experiencing someone playing from a real love of the guitar can take you back to what it was that hooked you in the first place.
Maybe we just need to not think for a while and listen with no judgement and by turning off the part of the brain that wants to analyse we can learn something new.
Vic
www.bluescampuk.co.uk three days in a rock band...
