Tom Garrett Guitar Tuition

25/12/2021

What's the best Xmas song of all time?

25/12/2021

A tiny baubel of crimbo reggae

25/12/2021

It is of course Jesus' birthday, so a very happy birthday to Jesus.

On that note, seems an apt time to speak of something holy. Like the art of meditation.

There's 2 types of meditation;
The first is being completely interconnected with the physical world.
Like Tiger Woods playing golf. Or Jordan playing basketball.
They're in a zone where their sole focus is on their craft, to the point
that they have become it.

The second is watching and being aware of the breath.
This is the more typical type of meditation we think of. Awareness of reality, but not engaging with it.

Music is a strange artform in the sense that it is completely momentary
yet requires both these forms of meditation.
No matter how long I play for, I feel I will always begin learning a piece
very much using my logical mind. What notes am I playing? When am I playing them? How am I playing them?
And then once I have the skeleton of the piece down, I need to then
start feeling it, and using emotion as a fuel to play the piece.

Music is a beautiful blend of art, science, math and meditation.

So even if you 'don't meditate', I can assure you that if you're a musician, at whatever 'level', you do meditate. Intense focus.
Then effortless focus. And inevitably presence.

Merry Crimbo, pick that geet up, and remain present.

24/12/2021

A little Xmas Eve Funk improv to get you feeling...festive?

24/12/2021

Changing strings can be infuriating. But it should be really
exciting. In mere moments, you're going to have a crisp, sonorous
sounding guitar to play.
This is a great video to help you change strings. Just remember
to take a breath, and remain present whenever you feel that Homer Simpson
fury-level rising

Need to change a string or a complete set of strings? This Fender University video will provide step-by-step instructions on how to get your Acoustic guitar ...

24/12/2021

Neuroplasticity. Practice makes perfect.
Find a practice routine that works for you, and enjoy the
structure of doing it regularly, knowing it is making you better
each and every single time you do it.

23/12/2021

Playing with other truly incredible musicians is where
the sense of community and belonging comes from for us twangers,
bashers and wailers. I feel a deep sense of gratitude in those
moments.

Craig Sellar Danny Bass Smith Docherty

23/12/2021

Improvising over Pink Floyds 'Breathe'

23/12/2021

How Not to Record A Bach Cello Suite

22/12/2021

Improvising over a Lofi beat using a minor and f # minor with an auto-wah.

22/12/2021

Impromptu slide guitar lesson down the pub

22/12/2021

There's two John Williamses', and they have both been at the top of my
'How does a human being do such wizardry?' list since I was about 6 years old.