Muscle Memory…

Even though it was almost thirty years ago, I still recall everything about that initial lesson in the Fall of ‘93.

It was a Saturday morning and as I made my way across the local music store, with a loaded six-string on my back, I wondered what guitar lessons would be like, this time around. After another student finished his lesson and left, I opened the door to the tiny room, a room that was no bigger than a closet.  There seated in a small chair, was my new guitar teacher (Brian), who was busy taking some notes, tuning his guitar, and adjusting the settings on his amp.  We introduced ourselves and quickly got to work.  My first lesson initially focused on a few basic, but important elements; how to best hold the instrument, hold the pick, and how to position my left hand, thumb, and fingers on the neck and fretboard.  Surprisingly, I started to catch on, after only a few minutes.

In between providing me with instructions and a few corrections, my teacher shared some of his story.  As I remember, he was around my age and was studying music at a local university.  He was also in an Alternative rock band (Go Kart), a band that became a staple of our city’s live music scene, playing at some of our city’s most storied bars and venues, along with those located in various college towns across our region.  Go Kart would ultimately record a single and looked to be on the brink of greater success, as they later recorded a full-length album and performed at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival in 1995.

March 18, 1995: Go Kart live at the White Rabbit in Austin, Texas during the 1995 SXSW Music Festival. Fun fact: The band Sublime also played the White Rabbit the night before. Reportedly in attendance for the Sublime show were “Vans Warped Tour” founder Kevin Lyman, as well as punk promoter Paul Tollett of “Goldenvoice”.

Featured in The Kansas City Star - Sunday, March 26, 1995

As my first lesson approached its end, along with some foundational music theory, I received my most important assignment to date; the Ionian modal scale, to be played using three notes per string and alternate picking.  It started with the low E string, on the 8th fret, then to the 10th fret, then the 12th, all played with a down-up-down picking pattern. Then, over to the A string, again at frets 8, 10, and 12, this time played with an up-down-up picking pattern. Strings D and G then followed, each at frets 9, 10, and 12, again with alternate picking.  Finally, were the B and high E strings, each played using the same picking pattern, at frets 10, 12, and 13.  Upon successfully completing this brief sonic trip, up and across the neck, I was to turn around and head back to the beginning, all while driving (picking) in reverse.  Rinse and repeat.

Unlike my previous relationship with a guitar, this time I was present; practicing each night, after class and work.

Thus, when the following Saturday arrived, it was clear that I had accepted the gift of music; playing the first modal scale correctly, albeit slow and steady.  It was then time for my next lesson and second assignment; the Aeolian modal scale.  The Aeolian mode, otherwise known as the natural minor scale, is arguably the saddest and most haunting of the primary modes, and in turn forms the backbone of Metal music, whereas Pentatonic scales (Major and minor) are frequently used in more upbeat, Blues-based Rock music.  In the course of the following week, I mastered the Aeolian scale and started to feel a deeper connection with many of the songs that I loved.  Next were the B Locrian and G Mixolydian modes, and upon learning the corresponding scales, my speed and dexterity rapidly increased.  It was all coming together; synapses were firing and new ones were coming alive.

Over the next several weeks, as Brian taught me more music theory and assigned me even more scales, along with some barre chords, he ultimately shared two additional, yet very important pieces of advice, saying to me, “Tony, you’re getting these scales down quickly and that is awesome, but remember, as you move from lessons to performing, or even to developing your own riffs and runs, always play with emotion, with feel.  Use scales, without sounding scaly.”  And, as he demonstrated this important principle with his guitar, he then said, “After you learn these scales and a couple more chord shapes that I will show you, you will be able to pick up and play along with anything, solo to anything, something that is called improvisation.”  Britannica defines “improvisation” as “the extemporaneous composition or free performance of a musical passage, usually in a manner conforming to certain stylistic norms but unfettered by the prescriptive features of a specific musical text.  Music originated as improvisation and is still extensively improvised in Eastern traditions and in the modern Western tradition of jazz.”  

Coincidentally, perhaps due to a bit of synchronicity, I later took a keen interest in both of these musical traditions.  Looking back, this interest was also likely spurred along by both the reunion of Jimmy Page and Robert Plant, and their Middle-Eastern- and South Asian-infused album and tour, along with the Fusion-inspired, virtuosic playing of Steve Vai, who was the lead guitarist in David Lee Roth’s own band a few years prior.  Interestingly, it was a co-worker, who was also a rock and blues guitarist, that better acquainted me with the music and playing of Steve Vai.  Funny how things come full circle...

In the weeks and months that followed, I found myself jamming to a variety of chords and songs, seemingly developing riffs and solos out of thin air, just as my teacher said I would.  During this time, I also invested in a larger amp, along with a few pieces of gear (Boss guitar pedals), all in a quest to define my own style and sound, while also emulating those of a few others.  Progress.

To be continued...

Tony’s Takeaways

Whether it’s riding a bicycle, throwing a football, lifting weights, typing a report, or playing scales on a guitar, given enough repetition and practice, we eventually are able to complete such tasks without thinking about them.  This is known as “muscle memory”.  At its core, muscle memory is essentially, process-driven.

Similarly, processes are everywhere, and are especially important in operational areas, areas that are of an urgent or time-sensitive nature and must be completed with a high-degree of accuracy.  Whether it is when someone enters millions of dollars’ worth of stock trades, lands a commercial airliner filled with hundreds of passengers, or administers anesthesia throughout a surgery, there is no room for hesitation, no room for error.  The proper behavior (mind) and action (body) (together, process) must be second nature.  Practice makes perfect. That being said, being that absolute or true perfection is generally unattainable, we should commit to a journey of continuous improvement (through learning and more practice).

Procedural memory, including muscle memory, is also a key component to successful improvisation, a skill that acclaimed, multi-Grammy-award-winning Jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, who happened to grow up only a few miles away from me and the local music store I frequented, regularly demonstrates.

Cambridge Dictionary defines “improvisation” as “the act of making or doing something with whatever is available at the time”.  Likewise, per Vocabulary.com, the word improvise “comes from the Latin word ‘improvisus’, meaning ‘unforeseen, unexpected.’  Think about when something unexpected happens to you - you have no choice but to react in the moment, or improvise.”

While processes are definitely important, nevertheless, whether through jamming or brainstorming, sometimes we also need to live in the moment.

March 2, 2013: Toxic A$$ets playing its rendition of “Cheap Sunglasses” by ZZ Top. Our performance evolved into a 10-minute improvisational jam; a Texas or “Texxas” Jam.

Photo Credit: Melissa Sturgis