I have been around guitars my entire life. It was unavoidable that I would pick one up, although it didn’t truly become a calling until I found a path to identity while playing one. It is one thing to learn to play an instrument as a practice and as a mechanism. It is quite another thing to seek out an instrument to define who you are and tell your story. The latter is where I began, and I am sure it’s why and how I chose being a musician as a vocation.

The first thing that grabbed me was the rhythm. Specifically, the chugging mantra of Jimmy Reeds guitar. It also came down to three concert films that I saw in quick succession when I was progressing from the ages of 10—12 years old. “Stop Making Sense” (the artistic scope and unconventional use of the guitar), Jimi Hendrix “Live at Monterey” (Anything is possible and no one else will ever be this good), and Chuck Berry “Hail Hail Rock &Roll” (Paying homage to the masters, the collaboration between journeymen, and the explosive nature of artistic creation). They also just all had great songs. Perhaps that was the defining difference between learning guitar in the 1980s and now. The song and the artists musical style was the entry point, the guitar work was the prize at the end.

On my journey to survive as a musical artist, the obstacles that we all know of have been thrown up at every turn. Teaching private lessons was initially a way for me to feed myself and eventually my family when the gigs dried up. It quickly became a passion, as teaching guitar in New York City brings in fascinating and brilliant people from all walks of life. It is fair to say that I have learned as much from them as they have from me.

Today I am writing the first of what will be a series of “chapters” in my Sub stack book of guitar lessons. I won’t go too far off the deep end today with my own philosophy and pedagogy. But I will let three of the masters speak for me. Captain Beefhearts list is a great jump off point. Mainly because it challenges your thinking, your imagination, and your intentions. It will also make you laugh and dream. That’s really what you are supposed to do to your listener when you play. A fine trick here by our man Van Vliet.

Segovia is perhaps our greatest classical guitar interpreter, what’s he doing here? More philosophy, more ways to center your approach before you play a note. He has a lot to say in this brief clip (and btw you can click through the link below, the preview will not load here on Substack).

And finally, Jimmie Vaughn, no he is not just SRV’s brother, he’s one of the greats of the Texas guitar tradition. His lesson and interview here have all the mantras you need as you prepare to walk into a bar or onstage and try to change the molecular structure of the room, yourself, and the audience. Both the Segovia and Jimmie Vaughn Videos are a few minutes long. Succinct and profound, much like they're playing.

At our best and in our wildest dreams, the music we make is like Shakespearean sonnets screaming through an amplifier or wailing through the howl of a shaman. At our worst, we are complicated people, begging for attention and listlessly wanting approval while making a lot of cacophonous noise. Yes, there is also an in between. And sometimes alas, it’s in the eye of the beholder. I have seen and felt a whole lot with a guitar strapped onto my body. Here is a place for us to start the conversation and the new year together…

Scott Sharrard

1/8/24

Captain Beefheart’s 10 Commandments of Guitar:

1. Listen to the birds “That’s where all the music comes from. Birds know everything about how it should sound and where that sound should come from. And watch hummingbirds. They fly fast, but a lot of times they aren’t going anywhere.”

2. Your guitar is not really a guitar “Your guitar is a divining rod. Use it to find spirits in the other world and bring them over. A guitar is also a fishing rod. If you’re good, you’ll land a big one.”

3. Practice in front of a bush “Wait until the moon is out, then go outside, eat a multi-grained bread and play your guitar to a bush. If the bush doesn’t shake, eat another piece of bread.”

4. Walk with the devil “Old Delta blues players referred to guitar amplifiers as the ‘devil box’. And they were right. You must be an equal opportunity employer in terms of who you’re bringing over from the other side. Electricity attracts devils and demons. “Other instruments attract other spirits. An acoustic guitar attracts Casper. A mandolin attracts Wendy. But an electric guitar attracts Beelzebub.”

5. If you’re guilty of thinking, you’re out “If your brain is part of the process, you’re missing it. You should play like a drowning man, struggling to reach shore. If you can trap that feeling, then you have something that is fur bearing.”

6. Never point your guitar at anyone “Your instrument has more clout than lightning. Just hit a big chord then run outside to hear it. But make sure you are not standing in an open field.”

7. Always carry a church key “That’s your key-man clause. Like One String Sam. He’s one. He was a Detroit Street musician who played in the fifties on a homemade instrument. His song ‘I Need a Hundred Dollars’ is warm pie. Another key to the church is Hubert Sumlin, Howlin’ Wolf’s guitar player. He just stands there like the Statue of Liberty — making you want to look up her dress the whole time to see how he’s doing it.”

8. Don’t wipe the sweat off your instrument “You need that stink on there. Then you must get that stink onto your music.”

9. Keep your guitar in a dark place “When you’re not playing your guitar, cover it and keep it in a dark place. If you don’t play your guitar for more than a day, be sure you put a saucer of water in with it.”

10. You gotta have a hood for your engine. “Keep that hat on. A hat is a pressure cooker. If you have a roof on your house, the hot air can’t escape. Even a lima bean has to have a piece of wet paper around it to make it grow.”

Segovia Interview

Jimmie Vaughn Interview