“99 ways to play better” Let’s all hope

“If you’re locked away in a basement for eight hours a day with a metronome and a torturous practice book that is equal parts Mel Bay/GuantanAmo Bay, you’re still not assured of transcendent 6-string skills. Sure, you may get stenographer-like dexterity and harmonic book-smarts up the f-hole, but playing soul-shaking music often requires a more diverse skill set. But this doesn’t mean that attaining the level of expression produced by someone like Jeff Beck necessitates a life of guitar monk-dom. First, don’t worry about the transcendent and unattainable talent of Jeff Beck. That’s just silly. What you need to do is ensure that whatever you play makes the hair on your arms stand up and quiver with bliss and excitement.” Read the rest at Guitar Player.

Two points: first of all, I know what a monk is but what’s a monk-dom? Secondly, I never want to play so that the “hair on your arms stand up and quiver with bliss and excitement;” that’s just weird.