Authenticity

“Think constantly about creating new ways to improve the functioning of your body… and the hell with conventional methods and opinions.”

It is heartwarming to see this pearl of wisdom being expressed by one as great as the great Bruce Lee himself. And I’ll have to admit, it is hard to beat this kind of eloquence.

My philosophy all these years has echoed those sentiments—always follow your intuition, and do what feels good and works for you, even if it contradicts conventional methods and thinking. Along these lines, I have always believed that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all methodology and have distrusted those approaches which advocate teaching from a template—from a fixed set of rules and formulas—without regard for individual differences in hand physiology, and body types.

For years, I have been perplexed with an apparent conflicting issue. How is it that some people seem to get all the things “wrong” in their technique and yet possess the most fluent and effortless technique and yet some players seem to do everything “right” and yet remain mediocre?

Take for instance Segovia’s technique. Over the years I have heard criticisms of his right hand technique, especially how it did not conform to the “straight wrist” rule propagated by some pedagogues. But here’s a man who played into his nineties, who reportedly never suffered any hand injury and whose playing, at least in the videos I have seen, is the epitome of effortless and efficient technique. Did he know something we don’t?

When one observes Segovia, it is clear that he had fused together a technique that was uniquely his, a technique that worked with super efficiency. All one has to do is to look at the lightness of his touch. His gentle stroking and caressing of the strings is so light and effortless it reminds me of the old lady down the road stroking her cat, and yet listen to the massive sound that he was able to produce with such a light touch. It is obvious that all the elements in his playing had come together to form a unique and highly efficient technique, one which can best be called an “authentic technique.”

All of us have an authentic technique, much like our authentic selves. An authentic technique is one that is uniquely yours. It is one that works best for you and takes advantage of everything you have. It is not based on some arbitrary standards and rules imposed from some external source but instead is based on your unique personal physique. In other words, it is a technique that is customized for you.

My whole teaching philosophy is based on helping each student find his or her authentic technique. The basic premise is that we are all different, that there is no single way to play the guitar, and that the student is not some malleable piece of clay that I can mold into any image I like.

Here are some of the principles which have guided me over the years in helping students finding their authentic technique.

1. Start with a blank slate. Do not start out with any preconceptions of what constitutes “right” or “wrong” technique. The only “right” technique is the one that works for you.

2. Work with your body, do not fight it. Always find the easiest way to perform a task.

3. Avoid going into the specifics of technique and concentrate on outcome. Is the method producing the desired results? Are you playing better? That is the only validation you need.

4. Be highly sensitive to the comfort level of your playing. If it feels good, you’re on the right track, if you feel discomfort, that’s your body telling you something is not right. If you feel pain, that’s the body telling you to stop whatever you’re doing. Always listen to your body.

5. Do not try to copy someone’s technique slavishly. In all probability, he has found his authentic technique. That’s why it works so well for his but his physique is different from yours and his technique may not work for you. Emulation is a great learning tool but instead of emulating specifics such as hand positions, angle of attack etc, emulate generalities, like sound, or feel.

6. Practice and practice. The only way to find your authentic technique is through practice. Your body’s natural learning ability and intuition will lead you to your authentic technique. But you have to practice to make it happen.

7. Create the conditions for your authentic technique to emerge. There are certain universal principles of efficient technique which has to be in place before you can find your authentic technique. Among these are the common ones of relaxation, balanced posture, and secure rhythm.

To be authentic is to be true to your innate nature and your natural talents and gifts. It is to know yourself intimately, to know what works for you and what doesn’t work for you.

Take time to find your authentic technique. When you find your authentic technique, you will discover a new effortlessness in your playing. You will find that you do not have to fight the instrument quite so much. Everything will feel completely natural. And you will enjoy playing more. You will spend less time worrying over if you’re doing something right and more time actually having fun and expressing the music.

previous | next