GT: What is it about guitar instrumentals in particular that appeals to you?
SH: They feature the guitar! I was about 10 years old when these erupted into being and they are a big part of the reason why I play the guitar in the first place. What’s not to like about them? The way this form of music has developed fascinates me. I’ve been allowed to develop my own style to incorporate my writing and recordings and so to release massive amounts of tracks that retell and continue molding what are guitar instrumentals. It’s just fundamental to me, although, since it’s lost its pop-chart-hit sensibility I guess millions of folk don’t truly know of its existence or relevance to the guitar story.
GT: What is it that an instrumental tune can provide the listener that a vocal song can’t?
SH: Escapism from vocals! The voice is the most pleasing sound to us, but all instrumental music thinks millions of classical compositions - soothe our ears without the division or selectiveness that voices require. Liking a voice is normal but quite a finite choice, while instrumental music allows more ebb and flow, fewer decisions about interpretation and meaning so allows greater expanse of freedom from definition.
GT: Are there any tendencies with instrumentals that you aim to embrace or avoid (rhythms, harmony, playing approach, tones)?
This story is from the November 2020 edition of Guitar Techniques.
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This story is from the November 2020 edition of Guitar Techniques.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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