A long time ago, I saw a TikTok from a guitar teacher talking about guitarists who historically revolutionized the way we play the guitar.
I remember him mentioning three or four names, including the usual suspects like the ever-present Jimi Hendrix. Okay. What really made me turn up my nose was that, according to him, the last true guitar revolutionizer, chronologically speaking, was the Edge, guitarist of U2.
He talked about his approach to the guitar, based on a few notes that take on life and space through the skillful use of effects, especially delay. So, a technique that takes into account not only how you play the instrument but also how that translates into the evolution of the sound through the effect you use.
All right, I completely agree, since the point is about revolutionary ways of playing the guitar. Knowing that you can achieve an original result through the use of effects fundamentally changes the way you play the instrument, and inspires many people to play differently and experiment as well.
But then comes the sore point. The Edge and U2 have been playing since the '80s. Does this teacher really think that in the last 40 years no one else has brought a radical and revolutionary change?
So I commented under that video that in my opinion, just to name the most recent name that comes to my mind, Tim Henson is a great revolutionizer of the guitar. For those who don't know, Henson is the guitarist of Poliphya.
What do you see in Henson's playing? One thing is that he never does bendings. He calls them "boomer bends", because playing guitar bending the strings is boomers' stuff lol. Now tell me if just this thing alone is not a way to completely revolutionize the way you play guitar.
Beyond that, his entire style is truly original and recognizable. The choice of notes, the alternating techniques to fully express his taste. And then there's the whole aspect of effects, mixing, and producing the guitar sound. For decades, the goal in recording guitar was to achieve the most "beautiful" and impactful sound possible. And once you find the perfect sound, that's it, and you stick with it, for the entire album, or perhaps even for your entire career as a guitarist.
Not for Henson. Digital technology offers infinite possibilities, and the guitar, within a single solo, can change sound like a chameleon, with the aim of communicating, expressing, bringing about change and evolution. It goes from a clean, precise, and crystalline sound to a saturated, lo-fi feel.
How can this not lead to seeing your instrument as something different from what it's always been, and consequently changing the way you play it?
Well, it seems this teacher disagreed with my statement. And it still makes me laugh. I clearly saw how his judgment was distorted by the fact that he was a closed-minded old man. An objective judgment, such as considering that there are young guitarists today who are influencing the playing of a whole new generation of musicians, distorted by the closed-mindedness of a teacher—A TEACHER!—who doesn't take into account everything that has been achieved in the last 30 years of music history.
This is what happens when you isolate yourself and keep listening to the same old stuff over and over again, without looking around. You carry on, convinced that the best has already been done, and there's no way to evolve, only decline.
This teacher makes videos on TikTok, but he's clearly never hung out on YouTube to watch the many channels of new guitarists showcasing their fresh, new talent. I'd never want to learn from a teacher like that.