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From: elf@utcsri.UUCP (Eugene Fiume)
Newsgroups: net.music
Subject: re:modern guitar technique
Message-ID: <910@utcsri.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 22-Mar-85 11:17:43 EST
Article-I.D.: utcsri.910
Posted: Fri Mar 22 11:17:43 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 22-Mar-85 11:42:04 EST
References: <1144@decwrl.UUCP>
Organization: CSRI, University of Toronto
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				[]

In the last installment of this discussion, Dave Blickstein criticised
a list of guitarists I gave in an old message for being incomplete.  Of
course I agree completely.

In his message, he pointed out that many guitarists are easy to duplicate
technically (which is, of course, what most beginning guitarists do), but
evade artistic duplication.  Again I agree, and several good examples
come to mind in other forms of guitar music, modern or otherwise.

Some time ago, I talked about John Fahey and obliquely contrasted his
technical prowess to Leo Kottke's.  While it is clear that Kottke advanced
far beyond the teachings of Fahey technically, no one, not even Kottke, can
match Fahey's sense for traditional guitar music.

Similarly, Julian Bream ranks pretty low in classical guitar technique when
compared to the likes of John Williams, Christopher Parkening, and John Mills.
But more classical guitarists I know want to sound like Bream than anyone.

And who can forget Michael Hedges, a man who is very much outside the normal
idea of acoustic guitar technique.  (Do yourself a favour and buy his
_Aerial Boundaries_ album on Windham Hill.)  The same goes for Egberto
Gismonti (on ECM); everything he's done is exotic, exhilarating, and
absolutely unique.  I've wasted many hours trying to imitate him...


Eugene Fiume
U of Toronto
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