Most people agree that relaxation is key to everything – if you’re relaxed, you’ll be able to function more effectively.

No rocket science here, the question however is, how do you achieve it?

There’re probably as many answers as there are teachers and performers.

For me, there’re three basic components to relaxation.

Looseness, lightness, and release.

Looseness has to do with your body state, lightness the quality of your movement, and release focuses on its dynamic nature.

If you do these three things, you will never be tight.

Over the years, I’ve read and become acquainted with other methods of achieving relaxation.

Most of them, I’ve noticed, deal with the obvious – keeping your body relaxed. That’s easy to say, of course, but how do you stay relaxed in the middle of action? How do you stay relaxed when you’re moving at ten actions per second?

Release — that’s the missing component from many of these methods.

The key to staying relaxed in the middle of action is to release all tension as soon as the action is completed.

In guitar terms, the instant you strike the string, you must release all tension in your finger and allow it to become completely relaxed again.

This crucial dynamic component of relaxation is often missed, I suspect, because most of these relaxation experts are operating in the theoretical. They have little understanding of the fluidity of the moment, when actions are occurring at dizzying speeds and when you have to constantly exert and release tension at split second intervals.

Perhaps the most bizarre of these theoretical approaches to relaxation is the so-called Jorgensen technique.

According to advocates of this technique, to achieve relaxation, you must first tense yourself up to the max, and then release that tension.

The rationale behind the approach is that if you understand what extreme tension feels like, you’ll be better able to avoid it.

Kind of like asking someone to gorge on food so he/she can better lose weight.

No, I’m not knocking these methods. They will work perfectly fine at attaining relaxation – if you’re lying on a beach somewhere.

For everything else, however, you’ll have to have a more sophisticated approach, one that factors in the dynamic nature of performing.

One of the greatest myths about speed is that you have to develop fast ‘twitch’ muscles to be fast.

And words like ‘ballistic’ and ‘explosive’ are often used to describe the kind of action you need to cultivate to develop this speed.

The principle may have some validity in sports, but the guitar operates under slightly different rules.

On the guitar, it’s not how fast you can pluck the notes, but how fast you can get to the strings that determines your speed

Let’s say you have a task of pulling a lever in five different locations.

We’ll call these points A B C D E.

To perform the task, first, you have to pull a lever at point A, then you have to run to point B and pull the lever there, and then you have to run to C and pull the lever there, and then you have to run to point D and do the same thing, and the same again for point E.

What do you think is the most important determinant of your speed here?

Is it your speed in pulling the lever or your speed in getting to the location?

Clearly the latter.

Pulling a lever is a relatively simple task which doesn’t require much time, but getting to the location is the part that takes the most time and effort.

It’s the same in plucking strings on the guitar.

Plucking a string is a relatively easy task, it’s getting to the string that often takes the most time.

That’s why I’ve always focused on getting to the string quickly and efficiently rather than on the actual plucking itself.

In fact, if you have good speed in getting to the point of action, the actual execution of that action can be done rather leisurely, without hurrying.

And that’s what you’ll see good players do.

Even at the fastest speed, you’ll never see them hurry, in fact, they often look like they have all the time in the world to pluck the strings.

The next obvious question is, how does one go about developing speed in getting to the strings?

Finger independence, which I have written about before here.

This is not an article about virtuosity or guitar playing, but about another subject that’s close to my heart.

Although I teach at the college level, on a slightly different subject matter – guitar playing as opposed to high school math, for example – and serve a different clientele – college level students as opposed to k-12, the problems of teaching are the same whether you’re in college or in the schools.

I’ve been watching a few TV ads from Exxon Mobil lately.

Heartwarming stories about how some of their employees were inspired by their teachers.

That’s a bunch of malarkey. (Apologies to the VP)

Reminds me of a similar set of heartwarming ads put out by BP recently, announcing their commitment to the Gulf Coast and to America.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it is to be wary of people who are a little too aggressive in promoting their good intentions. Because you can be sure that behind that warm façade usually hides some other less honorable intentions.

But let’s get back to the subject at hand.

The greatest fallacy these days in education is that teachers can influence students.

I’ve written about it before. Teachers are not miracle workers.

We cannot make students learn if they don’t want to learn.

And if you’ve ever parented a teenager, or even a toddler, you’ll understand what I mean. Have you ever tried telling a kid to do something he/she doesn’t want to do?

Okay, how about inspiring students with innovative and interesting approaches?

This is the sugar-coating option. If students don’t want to learn, come up with ‘new’ and interesting ways to teach the material.

Who hasn’t heard of the super-teacher of the year, who’s been able to ‘inspire’ a whole class of reluctant students and turn them into overachievers with their ‘enthusiasm’ and ‘innovative approach to teaching?’

But how much effect have these super teachers had on the general state of education in the country?

Not much.

Because after all the media hoopla and the awards, and the Oprah appearance, and perhaps the Hollywood movie, test scores and standards continue to decline in the country.

Why?

Because you can’t base a whole educational system on a bunch of gimmicks, or as they call it, ‘innovative teaching methodologies.’

The general malaise in our educational system reflects a wider problem and is symptomatic of our society in general.

We are placing the entire blame for the failings in our society on teachers.

Instead of pointing the finger at teachers, how about looking at the breakdown of the family unit, how can students learn when they live in unstable and dysfunctional households?

How about looking at the lack of parental guidance as a possible reason why students don’t want to learn? Parents who are more interested in their own lives and care little for their children’s welfare?

How about looking at our entertainment-driven society and the value it places on having fun and partying?

How about looking at video gaming, and how it is turning a whole generation of children into mindless zombies who live in an unreal world of virtual thrills and highs?

And in the middle of all these distractions, where is the value society places on education?

And in the middle of all this, how do we expect children to sit quietly in a classroom and absorb the finer points of math or any other subject?

What kind of ‘innovative teaching techniques’ can compete with ‘Halo’ (or the latest hot title from Electronic Arts)?

To use a biblical analogy, all teachers can do is plant a seed and if the ground is fertile, the seed will grow and bloom into a tree. And if the ground is dry and infertile, the seed will wither and die.

So to all those parents who complain about teachers, look into the mirror first.

When was the last time you sat down and helped your child do his/her homework?

When was the last time you called his/her teacher and asked how he/she is doing?

When was the last time you asked your child what he/she wants to be when they grow up?

When was the last time you read a book to him/her (assuming they’re at that age)?

When was the last time you brought your child to a museum or did something to help them grow their curiosity?

When was the last time you taught them to respect their elders and teachers? (Because teachers can’t teach if students don’t respect them.)

In other words, what have you done lately to ensure your child wants to learn at school?

You’ve probably heard it said before, “There’re no shortcuts in life.”

It’s usually directed at people who are impatient at doing something, trying to get rich quick, for example. Or trying to learn to play the guitar.

Yet my whole life has been directed towards just that goal – of finding shortcuts in life.

When I was in high school, I spent almost as much time trying to find shortcuts to exam success as I did on actual studying.

And when I was learning the guitar, I spent an equal amount of time trying to find some hidden underlying secret to techniques as I did on actually practicing them.

The truth is, I hate wasting time.

Why take a longer way when there’s a shorter way?

In a sense, it’s not shortcuts I’m talking about; it’s taking the shortest possible route to doing something. But to some people, it might as well be shortcuts, because they will always take the longest possible route.

For instance, take two points in a city.

You’ll be surprised at how many people will actually take a longer route between the two points. They will opt for main thoroughfares when taking a side street would be shorter.

It comes down to life philosophy.

And my life philosophy has always been to apply life’s finite resources in the most efficient and productive ways possible.

In this philosophy, I have been guided by two things.

First, a healthy dose of skepticism.

Distrust anyone who claims to have the answers to your problems, because anyone can claim to be an expert in their field.

And nothing wastes more time then being stuck with someone who doesn’t know what he/she is doing. It’s like going on a jungle trek with a guide who doesn’t know the way.

The second point is to actively seek out the real experts. We’ve already established that anyone can claim to be an expert in their field.

Well, how do you separate the real from the cons?

From what they do.

Do they and can they actually do what they preach?

And once I find the experts in the field, I become their biggest fan.

I read everything about them, I watch them and dissect everything they say and do, to try to find out if they have any special tricks or techniques to make playing easier.

It was what I did with two of my greatest heroes – Glenn Gould and John Williams

The former, I have close to every CD he’s ever recorded and own almost every book, interview, and everything else that’s been written by or about him.

And John Williams?

I spent so much of my teenage years listening to him, I actually had recurring dreams of meeting him. And I spent a whole year after my jazz hiatus, trying to decode what he did – analyzing his fingerings and his technique –  trying to unearth some basic underlying principle in his approach to guitar playing.

What’s the point of all of this?

To make playing guitar easier.

Again, no point killing yourself when there’s an easier way to play something.

So if someone were to tell you there’re no shortcuts in life, it just reveals their total ignorance.

Life is full of shortcuts.

In fact, if you want to maximize your productivity and effectiveness, you owe it to yourself to find those shortcuts.

In my previous post, I differentiated between the physical and non-physical components of virtuosity.

What are the non-physical components?

I mentioned skill – knowing how to perform the task in the most efficient and effective manner, and knowledge – familiarity with the task. Both of these vital components come from experience.

For example, if you want to play scales on the guitar, you must have knowledge of the scales which includes fingerings etc, and you must also possess the specific skills (or technique) to be able to perform it. Without these basic factors, you wouldn’t get far.

But if these non-physical factors are so important, why did I leave them out of the AOV?

Because they’re not basic fundamental qualities; they’re task-specific – they differ from task to task.

For example, the skills involved in executing a flying kick is quite different from that of playing tremolo on the guitar, even though they both share the same basic underlying physical properties.

And it’s these basic physical properties that I was interested in when I wrote the AOV.

They’re the building blocks of virtuosity.

Lightness, looseness, fluidity… (you can read about the other principles here); these are key elements of virtuosity and absolutely essential if you want to achieve speed, power, and precision.

I mentioned in my last article how one word made all the difference in my attempts to master the rest-stroke.

Lightness – it’s so obvious and yet how many of us pay any attention to it?

But just check out any good player.

And I can guarantee you will not find a single one with a heavy touch.

And look at any beginner, and you will probably see that classic heavy beginner touch.

In fact, look at any accomplished person in any field, whether it’s an athlete, a sportsman, a dancer, a martial artist, and I guarantee you will not see a single person with a heavy gait or touch.

In fact, lightness is the key defining characteristic of the Master, the virtuoso.

Lightness is what makes a person look effortless. If you’re moving heavily, you’re in all likelihood not looking effortless.

But back to my earlier point.

How many of us pay any attention to this quality?

How many of us, when we do something for the first time, force our way, try too hard and generally become heavy in our approach?

I was not immune to this tendency. Even though my touch in everything else was light, yet when I attempted to play rest-stroke, it became heavy.

It took one word from Mr. Shearer in his book to help me recognize my error.

And that’s the amazing thing about life and about playing guitar.

Most of the time, the answer to our problems is right there in front of us, but we’re unable to see it.

And it takes a special moment, when all the pieces are in the right places, when we’re completely open and receptive; when that moment comes, it doesn’t take much – just one word, and voila! instant enlightenment!

So now that we’ve established that lightness is a key quality of virtuosity.

How about other qualities? Are there any other key qualities that you have to be aware of besides lightness?

The answer is yes, but you’ll have to read the AOV to find out.

A number of years ago, I wrote about the phenomenon of water freezing into ice.

It was an article inspired by a book called Chance and Chaos by David Ruelle.

According to Professor Ruelle, there is no scientific theory which can explain why water freezes at 0° C. If you lower the temperature of water, theoretically, it should slowly get ‘more and more viscous’ until it solidifies into ice.

But of course we know better, no such process occurs in nature. The phase transition from water to ice is sudden and instantaneous.

One minute you have water, the next, ice.

I’ve found that this sudden change of state is not so unique to water.

In fact, it occurs in almost all areas of life.

For instance, learning doesn’t occur in the smooth and progressive fashion as those learning experts will have you believe.

It occurs in sudden and unexpected ways.

You’ll be working on a problem, plodding on and on, day after day, seemingly without making any headway, and then suddenly one day, something happens and you instantly know the answer to your problem.

If it’s a guitar technique, you know exactly what to do to achieve the effect you want. One minute you didn’t know how to do it, the next, you do.

It’s what they call a breakthrough moment.

The question is; how do you experience these breakthrough moments?

In my earlier article, I mentioned practicing.

Practicing is the key to learning and understanding. By experiencing something over and over, you begin to gain familiarity with it, and eventually you get to know it so well, you know exactly what to do to arrive at the results you want.

But there’re other ways to arrive at the breakthrough.

For example, I’m a firm believer in the power of special insights.

These are those seemingly insignificant bits of information that eventually turn out to be a major part of the puzzle that makes the breakthrough possible.

Many years ago, I was deadlocked on the rest-stroke.

No matter what I did, how much I practiced, I was unable to get the smooth effortless rest-stroke I could hear in the good players.

Then one day, I happened to read Aaron Shearer’s method book. (The earlier version published by Belwin Mills, not the later Mel Bay version.)

In the book, Shearer mentioned that rest-stroke scales must be played lightly.

And instantly, I knew what I needed to do.

I realized that in my anxiety and over eagerness to learn the technique, I had been applying too much force in my rest strokes and making them too heavy. (Classic case of trying too hard.)

One word, and it made a breakthrough possible for me.

That’s what I mean by powerful insights.

As I reflect on my own teaching approach, I realize that much of my teaching philosophy has been guided by the same principle – to provide the conditions and special insights for those breakthrough moments to occur.

That approach lies at the heart of my recent series of tremolo lessons.

And it’s also the main driving force behind the AOV.

As I look back to my old posts, I realize I’ve been repeating myself quite a bit. Concepts like the automated engine, walking the fingers, snapping through the strings, kept on showing up in my posts.

Well, at least I’m consistent.

And it does point to one thing — that playing the guitar is really quite a simple matter. All you have to do is to understand the basic concepts behind the techniques and there’re only a few of them.

It’s one reason I haven’t been writing much about technique lately.

I’ve said most of what I wanted to say (with perhaps one or two exceptions which I’m reserving for my books).

But one of the concepts that I’ve been referring to, and which I haven’t written in detail yet is that of the tactile sensation at the fingertips.

To me, the sensation at the fingertips is everything.

When I first discovered the tremolo technique, all I could remember is that of the sensation at the fingertips. It was an unusual sensation. I remember the moment I found that sensation, my tremolo smoothed out immediately.

I was so excited by my discovery I decided to transfer the sensation to all my other techniques. It was a conscious effort. I had to re-practice all my techniques to get the sensation into my fingertips when I played them.

I remember that to get the sensation, the nail length had to just right and I had to make sure I hadn’t washed my face that day, because if I had washed my face, there wouldn’t be enough grease on my face to oil my fingertips. (Yes, part of the sensation is that the fingertips should be able to slide past the string effortlessly, with minimum resistance, although with a slight catch in the finger nails.)

So what’s this sensation?

It’s the sensation of complete relaxation at your fingertips. (I’m talking about the tip joint here.)

You feel as if you have full control over your tip joint. No matter how fast the tempo, you’re able to place your fingertip on the string and pluck each one of them individually and deliberately.

This gives you great control over every note, at any tempo.

You feel a slight give at the fingertips, you allow it to relax, and you snap away at the moment of plucking.

As the finger snaps away, you feel the string sliding past the fingertip with a slight catch just before it clears the string. It all happens easily and effortlessly.

Perhaps the most important of these factors is that you have to focus your movements not in the knuckles, but right at the fingertips when you play.

The beauty is of the technique is there’s absolutely no hurry. Even at the fastest tempo, you feel as if you have all the time to pluck the strings.

So if the tactile sensation is such a crucial part of finger plucking technique, how come no one has ever mentioned it before?

It’s a good question. I’ve often wondered about it myself.