Talent

I have always had real appreciation for skills that are the result of supernatural talent and hard work. I alluded a bit to it in my previous post on sports. Today I write about music, and more specifically, performance. Below are two clips of Eruption by Van Halen. When I watch Eddie Van Halen play in the first clip, I think about how much he has worked on this playing and how much he must still practice. I wonder what it must be like to think of music and have no problem playing it. The ease at which he plays the most difficult things. I play a little guitar and just the idea of playing with that much distortion on the guitar without it sounding terrible is challenging for me. Eddie is doing wonders with his left hand while his right is holding the guitar pick, doing pick harmonics, changing strings, and working the tremelo (more accurately should be called the vibrato) bar. Walking around the stage, oblivious to any stage fright, playing the crowd while at the same time in his own world. This is a talent taking to a VERY high level. I often wish I had this level of talent at something but usually check myself by thinking of all the sacrifice it takes to attain.

The second clip is just plain cool in that it takes an electric guitar solo that was a tribute to classical music and brings it back to a classical instrument. I would love to hear a violin version with the same sound effects as the guitar. I am sure it exists somewhere.

Anyway, here's to excellence!

Original Recipe



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