Comments

• Buco NOVA, DCDeity Ivanovski maple/spruce

  January 28 Posts: 5,303

  Ok, why lie in bed? To assure you're totally relaxed?

  

  Every note wants to go somewhere-Kurt Rosenwinkel
• Lango-Django Niagara-On-The-Lake, ONModerator

  January 28 Posts: 1,887

  Yes Buco but if you can totally relax while sitting in a chair that’s fine too…

  Paul Cezanne: "I could paint for a thousand years without stopping and I would still feel as though I knew nothing."
  
  Edgar Degas: "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.... To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
  
  Georges Braque: "In art there is only one thing that counts: the bit that can’t be explained."
  
• wim ChicagoModerator Barault #503 replica

  January 28 Posts: 1,572

  @Buco that's the true rest stroke

  
• djazzy New Riccardo Mordeglia, AJL

  January 29 Posts: 115

  I think Joe Pass said something regarding how he "practiced," which was usually just noodling on the couch or in front of the television. He added something to the effect of it was the nature of the guitar to encourage the player to not use a plectrum because using fingers involved less tension. The sound was better too. Also, I think it was (Chet Atkins?) who said to become a great guitar player you've got to really love the instrument, love just holding it in your arms and indeed in bed. Personally, I can do that kind of thing (really relaxed, in bed, whatever) but can't with a plectrum in my hand because of that tension. Something immediately changes. It just seems to block (or direct?) my flow & soon becomes uncomfortable. Its interesting. I still find the plectrum - and the tension - necessary for jazz manouche but kinda miss playing without one.

  
• Lango-Django Niagara-On-The-Lake, ONModerator

  January 29 Posts: 1,887

  Yes the rest stroke isn’t actually very restful.

  That’s why I suggested doing it without a plectrum.

  I still think that having the ability to play in a state of total relaxation is a worthwhile goal, though it seems unlikely that I will ever achieve it…

  But it doesn’t seem as if anyone else around here agrees.

  Ah well, chacun a son gout…

  Will

  Paul Cezanne: "I could paint for a thousand years without stopping and I would still feel as though I knew nothing."
  
  Edgar Degas: "Only when he no longer knows what he is doing does the painter do good things.... To draw, you must close your eyes and sing."
  
  Georges Braque: "In art there is only one thing that counts: the bit that can’t be explained."
  
• Buco NOVA, DCDeity Ivanovski maple/spruce

  January 30 Posts: 5,303

  Oh I'm going to try it, just didn't yet.

  Every note wants to go somewhere-Kurt Rosenwinkel