LESSONS INTRODUCTION
Lessons from the world’s greatest teachers and schools...
Jason Sidwell considers the use of dynamics to help the guitarist be heard but not be too loud; be confident but not be too ‘look at me’.
Watching George Benson on the second Sky Arts series of Guitar Star, he recalled a comment made by his early mentor, the organist Jack McDuff. Jack thought he was too ‘mousey’, too quiet for him to assess his pupil’s musical quality. Turning up his amp’s volume made George’s playing count, improving not only his conviction but also how the other musicians could interact with him on stage. A win-win scenario. Volume and dynamics isn’t a hugely discussed topic in GT as we’re usually focused on technique, theory, etc. But volume is an issue that affects you, your band members and your audience. Too quiet and no one really clocks what you’re doing (if you’re not adding to a band’s sound, sooner or later you’ll be dismissed). Likewise, too loud a volume and you will appear either too ‘look at me’ driven, or just naive to the requirements of the setting (again, on your way, son!). So that’s stage dynamics but what about in the music room? I’ve spoken to numerous guitarists who like to practise without an amp to check their clarity and conviction. If picked notes, hammer-ons and string bends are articulated crisply then an amp will further augment your excellence. Of course, now you will need to keep unwanted string noise in check with relevant damping techniques – especially with overdrive. As you work through GT, consider adding dynamic aspects to everything you tackle; play a piece loud, and quietly, amp’d, and unplugged. Go slower, faster; pick less, pick more; play straight 16ths or swung 8ths. Dig deep and get more dynamics out of the issue – and your playing!