Today, I want to talk about something I call "the gift and the curse." It's a phrase I use a lot when describing the guitar, because honestly, the very things that make it so amazing can also make it incredibly challenging. As always, I recommend that you watch/listen to the video over the article since it has the most detail, but you also have the article for a quick summary. 

But before we dive into that, let's take a quick detour. You've probably heard the story about the four-minute mile. For years, it was considered humanly impossible. Records show the first recorded mile race was in 1776, and it wasn't until 1954 that Roger Bannister finally broke that four-minute barrier. Almost 200 years of "impossible!"

Then, something incredible happened. Within months, others were doing it. Within a decade, high schoolers were regularly running sub-four-minute miles. It wasn't that humans suddenly evolved; it was that the mental barrier was broken. Once someone proved it was possible, others followed suit.

Now, let's bring this back to the guitar. The beautiful thing about our instrument is that we have endless examples of what's possible. Every genre, every style, every technique – it's all out there, inspiring us. We hear a jazz lick, a classical piece, an Indian slide riff, and we think, "Man, I want to do that!"

That's the gift. We're constantly inspired, constantly pushing our boundaries. But here's the curse: How do we organize it all? How do we practice it all? Do we need teachers? Courses? How do we balance all these diverse influences?

Think about it: If you play the French horn, you're likely focused on Western classical music. You have a clear path, a defined repertoire. But guitar? We have dozens of paths!

This week, I was reminded of this in a big way. I stumbled upon a classical guitar arrangement of Don McLean's "Starry, Starry Night (Vincent)," and it completely blew me away. I have to learn it. But then, I was in the gym listening to Monuments, and John Browne's metal playing with his unique chord voicings and harmonies just floored me. Suddenly, I'm thinking, "I need to learn eight-string dadgad metal!" And then, there's Alan Hines, whose improvisational legato playing is something I've been working on for over a year.

So, in one week, I'm juggling:

• Classical fingerstyle: Nylon string, intricate arrangements, a whole different technique.
• Eight-string metal: Dadgad tuning, complex harmonies, a completely different mindset.
• Legato improvisation: Clean electric tone, improvising over changes, developing speed and fluidity.

And that's just three players! I have a whole list of others I'd love to emulate.

That's the gift and the curse. Endless inspiration, but also endless complexity. It can be overwhelming, even discouraging if you're not careful.

But here's the thing: Just like the four-minute mile, we know what's possible. We've seen it. With the right guidance, mindset, and practice, you can achieve any guitar goal.

So, if you're feeling overwhelmed, take a breath. You're not alone. Keep exploring, keep learning, and keep enjoying the beautiful, complex, and inspiring world of the guitar.

Stay tuned, keep practicing, and here's the music I discussed in the article. 

Andre Fludd.