Bass Guitar Mag Janek Gwidzala

[BigRedX]

It's all about using the right tools for the job. While it's mildly interesting that bass guitars can be used to produce those sounds it's not the best way to do it. A single person with a laptop running Max could do it much better.

[7string]

It seems to be an exercise proving it can be done rather than being incorporated into a composition.

IMO, the music should dictate technique and gear, not the other way around.

[Jase]

[quote name='finnbass' post='153294' date='Mar 7 2008, 06:31 PM']And your point is?

That's like saying, 'God influenced God!'


I'm thinking about putting up prize money however, for anyone who can stand more than 60 seconds of this:


[/quote]


It did eventually get into some Roy Harper type droning, mellow stuff, all a bit trippy. There's nowt wrong with manipulating bass sounds with effects and loopers.

[zapp]

Managed 11 seconds.....and I like some of the technical noodling.

[Machines]

Hmm i'm not getting the vibe on that video. Despite me usually liking Steve and Michael, that was a bit too 'freestyle' for me.

[Bilbo]

Don't know what that was about but please don't asume that it had any more to do with jazz than it did rock or funk. It was improvised, I agree, but that was where the parallel ends.

I have said it before -just because it is complicated and has a lot of notes doesn't make it jazz.

I heard some Industrial stuff, some funk, some prog rock and a bit of wickity woo but not much jazz!

Edited March 7, 2008 by bilbo230763

[3V17C]

[quote name='finnbass' post='153294' date='Mar 7 2008, 06:31 PM']And your point is?

That's like saying, 'God influenced God!'


I'm thinking about putting up prize money however, for anyone who can stand more than 60 seconds of this:


[/quote]

ouch! if you skip the first half it does settle down into something listenable.......


c

[BigBeefChief]

You lot obviously don't get it.

I think that was one of the most beautiful and melodic pieces of music I have ever heard. Both artists should be proud that after spending a mere life time between them studying the instrument that we love that they should come up with such a life affirming and transcendental piece of art such as that.

Hell, its not just art, that music is a way of life!

I cannot wait until Steve Lawson's next offering in BGM. I will study until my fingers bleed in the hope that one day, maybe just one day, I will be able to wow the connousieurs of the californian live bass solo community with such unbridled beauty.

Everything I've stated about overly technical bass players creating unlistenable music has been shown up as the mutterings of an uneducated fool that I am.

We need more of this in BGM. Pages of it.

And please, reviewers, don't go so hard on the manufacturers? Just give everyone a 3 star rating. No need to go round upsetting people.

[Jase]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='153441' date='Mar 7 2008, 11:52 PM']You lot obviously don't get it.

I think that was one of the most beautiful and melodic pieces of music I have ever heard. Both artists should be proud that after spending a mere life time between them studying the instrument that we love that they should come up with such a life affirming and transcendental piece of art such as that.

Hell, its not just art, that music is a way of life!

I cannot wait until Steve Lawson's next offering in BGM. I will study until my fingers bleed in the hope that one day, maybe just one day, I will be able to wow the connousieurs of the californian live bass solo community with such unbridled beauty.

Everything I've stated about overly technical bass players creating unlistenable music has been shown up as the mutterings of an uneducated fool that I am.

We need more of this in BGM. Pages of it.

And please, reviewers, don't go so hard on the manufacturers? Just give everyone a 3 star rating. No need to go round upsetting people.[/quote]


Have you got gas for a looping unit?

[Guest JanekGwizdala]

thanks for all the abuse on the article guys. I'm not going to excuse myself for writing something rather scathing right now, but I think anyone (and I'm talking about you Bigd1) who misses the point of what I'm saying, and the point of music that much, and decides it's a great idea to post it on the internet is looking for a reply.

"Just been re reading Janek's "Modern Bass Improvisations" in issue 35 of Bass Guitar Magazine. I say re read as I find what he has to say rather hard to accept. Firstly he claims to practice his exercises up to 10 hours a day ! Now we all know players who may play their given instrument all day or night, but to just be playing exercises for 10 hours, hmmmmmm yeah right.
Second, he says start slowly about 50bpm, and then increase by 10bpm to improve speed. (no problem with that great advice) He then claims to go up to 400bpm playing through the first 3 Fragments.
Now that means as the 1st & 2nd Fag is in quavers (eighth notes) at 400bpm he is saying he can play 1600 notes per minuet ! but then Fag 3 is semi quavers (sixteenth notes) making 3200npm.
I'm would say this is not possible and even if it was, what would be the point. At that king of speed it would just sound like one long note or glissando.
Some might say the point is the challenge of playing at 400bpm. I can sort of see that although, you may think I'm a bit old fashioned but, music is about just that making music, not how fast can I play it."

that was how you opened the thread. I have one question, and it's a question I ask almost everyone about everything. Why?

who does care if the third exercise in my article ended up as 16th notes instead of 8th notes? who cares how fast I play? and who cares whether or not you believe me. I offer you an open invitation to come to my apartment in New York, or my house in LA when I'm not on the road to sit and listen to my practice schedule, I'm guessing you might last about 6 or 7 minutes, but you're more than welcome to come back at the end of the day to find me still there working on my craft, and possibly surrounding by a couple of take out food containers as one must eat while playing. It's not a competition, it's merely what I feel is right for my playing. I'm not saying that it's right for everyone who reads the magazine. I was asked to write a column, and to express my feelings and approaches to some technical aspects of the instrument. It AMAZES me that you completely missed everything I wrote about music, and about how the technique is just a means to an end. I don't want to feel limited in any way shape or form when I come to play any style of music. So I work on my technique. I hate talking about, i hate writing about it, but it's the reality of bass magazines. People want to understand some technical aspects of the instrument because they haven't reached a place of being able to think about playing the bass as being just music. it's a process, it's not a big deal. But please, why not send me an email about the exercise that you have so much difficulty believing I practice for that long each day? I make no secret of where to find me online, and get emails wherever I am in the world on my blackberry. It's really not that hard to get in touch. Would have been a slightly more applicable move than posting this crap on a forum. Whatever, what is done is done. I hope that you can look at the article, get over the technical aspect of it all, and concentrate on music. That's all it's about.


BBC - where do I start? one of your later quotes on the thread was really what summed it all up for me in your approach to bass playing and music "BGM loves to talk about being a working session musician like its the Holy Grail. Personaly, I couldn't give a sh*t! I'd rather be Nikki Sixx than Janek Gwidzala!"

Why? why would you want to be like anyone except yourself?

And I personally hate the fact that people still believe there is a session scene out there to be a part of. It's only because players like Lee Sklar, Nathan East, Willy Weeks, Will Lee, Anthony Jackson, Neil Stubenhaus etc are still alive that young players think there is still a chance to become like that. There isn't. The sooner people stop writing about it being a possibility, and perpetuating nonsense like that, the better off younger players will be. And the sooner they'll realize it's more about being themselves and finding out what tools they need to do that than trying to "be nikki sixx".

"I'm gonna stick my neck out here and say that if I practiced for 10 hours a day and became a well respected session musician because of it, I'd feel slightly dissapointed. 10 hours a day is a full time job, you'd expect to be a great technician. I would actually have hoped to be part of something much more accessible and (to me) interesting than what Janek does."

few points I'd love to make about this statement...

1) I doubt there's anyone in the world who could practice any amount every day and become a "respected session musician because of it". I don't know how many times I or any of my close friends who you all know and love as "session musicians" can say this, BUT THERE IS NO SESSION SCENE. There are about 6 players left over from the 80's and 90's who still get called to do the few records out there that are still being made.

2) being a musician is a "full time job". what do you think this is? you're either serious about music and have it as a career, or you love music, have a day job, and play here and there. I have no time for anyone who whines about music being a full time job if it's the career path you've chosen. I, of course, don't know if that's your career path, but I know it's mine. And that's what we started out with with this thread.

3) I'm sorry you find my music inaccessible. I really am. That's a drag for me as all the compositions I work on for my new band I try and be as melodic as possible without ever shying away from the groove so people can dance to the music from start to finish. Having worked with Jojo Mayer for so long in a total night club/dance/rave capacity as a bass player, I know what it means to make sure people are at a show when they come and hear the band. Make sure that there's something for everyone there, and that the music touches people from all walks of life and all tastes of music. I know you already think I'm an arrogant son of a bitch, and probably will think I'm taking the piss when I say this, but I mean it. It's a drag that it's not accessible and I need to work on that more.


"The problem I have with these guys, is that they have great talent, but they use it in a way that to me, seems like such a waste.
Of course, I appreciate that this is mostly derived from my taste in music. ie: a dislike for bass solo noodling and chin stroking music."

Sorry to hear that.

and the "why" question comes up again..... why are you so bent on slating everything I've ever done..... not that it makes a blind bit of difference to me, but I hate to think that this one article caused so much confusion....

7string - "For example, I went to the bassplayer.tv website and found Gary Willis from Bass Player Live 2007. I've heard a lot about him over the years and he's very highly thought of. I literally watched the first part for about 20 seconds as that was all I could stand. Just a mangle of notes in no particular direction accompanied by a drum machine. No semblance of melody at all..."

So I remember being at that clinic. I just went to the bassplayertv site, and clicked on the first video. The first thing that jumped out at me was the MELODY to Have You Met Miss Jones...... so the "no semblance of melody" quote is a little bemusing.


Mike - "Someone like Paul McCartney? Great composer but didn't have a clue about theory!"

for real? you truly believe that? didn't know how to write i - iv- v - i - ivmin - i? he certainly knows a lot about harmony, but then again the quesiton. Why? why does it matter what paul mccartney knows about theory? what about listening to his songs and being taken somewhere by them? and not getting hung up on the back end of everything. Which is just about what any forum for anything online does. Misses the point, and bickers about technicalities. Because technique is the easiest thing to identify for a bunch of bass geeks.

I think we should start thinking back to when we were kids and trying to remember what touched us melodically. What was the first thing that you can remember being like "wow, that's incredible". Trying to forget about the first time you heard marcus miller play that one lick, or victor wooten play a thousand licks etc etc.... those "wow" moments based entirely on the technical prowess of the musician. Victor is one melodic SOB, but it's rarely those moments in his playing that get remembered. I've never heard a bass player who was really into vic sit there and play the melody to one of vic's tunes. All the clones and wannabes just reel off the same bunch of stock licks that the next guy does. Once again missing the point.


Funkymunky - "I had a private lesson with Janek last summer and to have him play two feet away from me was breathtaking. Personally as I've got older I've lost interest in 'technique' players. By that I mean players who are all technique but whose ideas don't move me, Some of the greatest bassplayers play with non standard technique (if there is such a thing) and create moving music. But being up close to Janek when he played bass... it was all about being uninhibited and free to create MUSIC, unhindered by poor physical technique or lack of harmonic knowledge/melodic sense or imagination."

thanks for your kind words. That's exactly what I strive for.

and your comment about technique brings me back to my biggest problem with the word.

Technique is not speed, it's not "stunt bass" ability (whatever that is), it's not something that should get in the way of the music.

Technique - TRUE TECHNIQUE - is the ability to express yourself without hinderance.

Easy,

Janek

Edited March 8, 2008 by JanekGwizdala

[BigBeefChief]

[quote name='gwizmon' post='153456' date='Mar 8 2008, 12:58 AM']I was asked to write a column, and to express my feelings and approaches to some technical aspects of the instrument. .... I hate talking about, i hate writing about it, but it's the reality of bass magazines.[/quote]

You hate it? You hate it so much that you not only wrote about it in a magazine but then came on a web forum to complain that people don't agree with you. Clearly a man of integrity.

I've said it before, if you publish something (in print or recording) you open yourself up to criticism. Its part and parcel. Does Martin Scorsese ring up Mark Kermode to complain that he gave him a bad review?

If you take these things so personally, perhaps being a "performer" isn't for you?

I understand you probably take these things personally (thats fine, its good to care), but no one here (I'm sure) intends any comment as a personal attack on you. People will always critique media thats in the public domain. Theres jobs down the Post Office if this isn' your cup of tea.

By the tone of your post, so sound pretty p*ssed off - with me and others. I struggle to see why. Some people will gain nothing from your lessons and not appreciate your work. Others will love it. Surely you know this. Personally, I'm not impressed with technical wizardry. Thats just me. Also, in reference to Nikki Six, I don't want to sound like him at all. Thats not my point. If I had to sound like him or you, I' chose him. No offence, just personal preference.

I just fail to understand why if you hate talking and writing about music you then go on to do it in BGM and here?

Actually, BGM pay, so fair enough, but here?

[Mike]

[quote name='gwizmon' post='153456' date='Mar 8 2008, 12:58 AM']Mike - "Someone like Paul McCartney? Great composer but didn't have a clue about theory!"

for real? you truly believe that? didn't know how to write i - iv- v - i - ivmin - i? he certainly knows a lot about harmony, but then again the quesiton. Why? why does it matter what paul mccartney knows about theory? what about listening to his songs and being taken somewhere by them? and not getting hung up on the back end of everything. Which is just about what any forum for anything online does. Misses the point, and bickers about technicalities. Because technique is the easiest thing to identify for a bunch of bass geeks.[/quote]

Hey ... this was an unrelated comment (nothing to do with you, Janek) to someone who mentioned that a lot of their musical heroes weren't hugely clued up on theory - I watched a documentary about McCartney's song-writing, and the presenter (Howard Goodall) broke down a few of his compositions, and showed how interestingly and well constructed they were - though at the time, Sir Paul was just writing what sounded good and "right" to him. He hadn't thought about the English folk tradition, or any other composition devices - it just happened.

But just to clarify, this was not a dig at you! As I just posted in the other thread, I've liked what I've heard, and I've just paid to download an album of yours to enjoy tonight.

Regards

Mike

[The Funk]

I haven't read the article and this debate isn't something I really want to be a part of.

What I do want to say is that I like the fact that the author of the article and subject of this thread took the time to come to this forum and post responses. That's pretty cool.

[Guest JanekGwizdala]

BBC - pissed off with you? now why would I be? maybe the root canal surgery I had today? or maybe because you've missed every point I made, including the one about not caring what people think of me. I'm just more concerned about how basic aspects of music that I write about are perceived. If I'm trying to say something and it's not coming across in the way I want it to, I need to figure out how to fix that.

So I commented on your posts and asked you a series of questions. most of which you ignored. Why don't you try being open as opposed to defensive. "maybe being a performer isn't for you" "there are jobs down the post office if this isn't your cup of tea". It isn't criticism that bothers me in the slightest, of course you open yourself up to that when you put things in the public domain. Surely if I was worried about that I would never had agreed to write for the magazine, never set foot on a stage for someone to film it and post it on youtube, never released albums........ seriously, take a second and think about what you're saying.

And then read this statement if you have a second:

Music is something I care very much about. Personal ego not at all. But music more than most things in life. I realize that isn't everyone's outlook on it and I respect that whole heartedly. But if I write about something so basic and fundamental within music and the point is missed by such a long shot, I'm concerned about my own ability to get across a point that I consider to be important to any musicians learning experience. I'm not saying that what I say, do or write is the be all and end all of music, FAR from it. I'm saying that my job as a writer or a musician or as an educator of any sort is not being done well if someone can miss the point of what I'm writing by such a long way.

Root Canal sucks.

Forums generally suck because of the lack of understanding of semantics, grammar, spelling, and the written word.

Music is a lot of fun.

You can question many things, but my integrity to music is something that is at the forefront of my musical being on a daily basis. Honesty, and respect for the music is all that matters.


Easy,

Janek

[bigd1]

Janek, Sorry to have not got back sooner but things happen.

In the main your reply seems to ask "why" as in "why do I "care etc. My point just to go over it again was. BGM is read by a wide section of Bass players, I would have thought many are young learners & new to music. You write and put up a learning technique skills section that on reading I still find hard to believe.

"Why" do I care how fast you play - I don't, but I do care about the influence you have on learners who do care what you say.

"Why" am I concerned about your 10 hour practice sessions, because as a pro musician don't you think you should encourage people to use a constructed practice session of a workable time period. Young players are very influenced by what you and other pro musicians say and do, some will take what you say as gospel.

Your kind offer for me to come over to your place to see if I can keep up with you and that I could probably only last 6 or 7 minutes. Doesn't this just confirm my point about music first. Doesn't your offer make it into some sort of contest. I know I could not play technically the same as you, and as you said "why"would I want to but 3200 notes per minute..... really?

To just ask "why" to every question is a very easy thing to do and is not addressing the points of my original post.
I find what you have written as replies interesting but does not seem answer my points. Those being 10 hour practice sessions and the questions about the speed for playing your exercises etc.

You have made the point of saying I should have contacted you with regard to this via email. Not post this "crap" on a forum.

I posted this on the forum to discuss it with other people who understand bass playing. Your skills write up is for public reading and therefore open to public debate. I wanted to know was it just me or did others find your claims hard to believe.

If you don't like people have a debate about your work then don't publish it, but never dismiss others opinion as "crap" because it's different to yours.

On thinking about it, If you are offering a weekend in New York it would be very rude to turn you down, I love New York and could find loads to do for a weekend. Please forward my flight tickets and hotel details.



BIGd

Edited March 8, 2008 by bigd1

[birdy]

[quote name='bigd1' post='153509' date='Mar 8 2008, 10:57 AM']Your kind offer for me to come over to your place to see if I can keep up with you and that I could probably only last 6 or 7 minutes. Doesn't this just confirm my point about music first. Doesn't your offer make it into some sort of contest. I know I could not play technically the same as you, and as you said "why"would I want to but 3200 notes per minute..... really?[/quote]

You are completely missing the point. I don't see where Janek invited you over for a contest? He asked you to come and listen as below.....

I offer you an open invitation to come to my apartment in New York, or my house in LA when I'm not on the road to sit and listen to my practice schedule, I'm guessing you might last about 6 or 7 minutes, but you're more than welcome to come back at the end of the day to find me still there working on my craft, and possibly surrounding by a couple of take out food containers as one must eat while playing. It's not a competition, it's merely what I feel is right for my playing. I'm not saying that it's right for everyone who reads the magazine

I have read a lot of Janeks articles on Talkbass and I think a lot of you are assuming he is some sort of ego centric American and having a dig because of your perception of him whereas he has always come across as being completely genuine and helpful in all of my dealings with him.

Steve

[birdy]

[quote name='finnbass' post='153294' date='Mar 7 2008, 06:31 PM']And your point is?

That's like saying, 'God influenced God!'


I'm thinking about putting up prize money however, for anyone who can stand more than 60 seconds of this:


[/quote]

On a lighter note I watched all of this. Not my cup of tea but each to their own.

I didn't realise that Geddy Lee played stuff like this

Steve

Edited March 8, 2008 by birdy

[Steve A]

BIGd, I do think you're missing the point of Janek's article somewhat.

Practising 10 hours a day is not the point of the article. The point of the article is about practising something to free you up technically to be able to play the things you want to learn to play with ease.

I can't play for 10 hours a day. I don't think I have it in me. But knowing that the musicians I respect and admire often do commit and dedicate themselves to such intense practise inspires me. I don't personally think I have it within me to dedicate myself to anything in life like that, but it still inspires me. It makes me believe that all things are possible if you have the will and the commitment to achieve them.

I am trying to see the logic in your argument but it escapes me. It really is laughable. Aren't you essentially saying that this kind of column shouldn't be written because of the effect it might have on impressionable young players? If so I've never heard so much bullshit in my life. The advice in Janek's column is given to encourage those who want to to practise in order to develop finger independence and coordination and then use that to practise fragments of music in order to develop a musical language and personal voice. God forbid that any young bass player should read such terrible advice!!!

[Rayman]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='153106' date='Mar 7 2008, 02:52 PM']I'm gonna stick my neck out here and say that if I practiced for 10 hours a day and became a well respected session musician because of it, I'd feel slightly dissapointed. 10 hours a day is a full time job, you'd expect to be a great technician. I would actually have hoped to be part of something much more accessible and (to me) interesting than what Janek does.

The problem I have with these guys, is that they have great talent, but they use it in a way that to me, seems like such a waste.[/quote]

You've got no idea how Janek lives his life, or how he conducts his working day as a professional musician, so to assume that he is wasting his time doing what he does is utterly ridiculous. He has worked with/ is working with top musicians such as Mike Stern on a daily basis, touring, recording etc, that all sounds like a pretty accomplished career for a young man so far. His contribution to BGM is a valuable tool, and to many players who understand what he's saying, it's an enjoyable lesson.

My suggestion to you Chief, is to start reading the Beano, you might get more out of it.

Edited March 8, 2008 by Rayman

[tauzero]

[quote name='finnbass' post='153294' date='Mar 7 2008, 06:31 PM']I'm thinking about putting up prize money however, for anyone who can stand more than 60 seconds of this:[/quote]

I just watched it all the way through. It's well worth putting up with the long intro to hear them burst into "Mustang Sally" at 6'37", after an allusory reference to "Down down" at 4'55".

[Mikey D]

To quote the original post:
[quote name='bigd1' post='152209' date='Mar 6 2008, 10:03 AM']Just been re reading Janek's "Modern Bass Improvisations" in issue 35 of Bass Guitar Magazine. I say re read as I find what he has to say rather hard to accept. Firstly he claims to practice his exercises up to 10 hours a day ! Now we all know players who may play their given instrument all day or night, but to just be playing exercises for 10 hours, hmmmmmm yeah right.
Second, he says start slowly about 50bpm, and then increase by 10bpm to improve speed. (no problem with that great advice) He then claims to go up to 400bpm playing through the first 3 Fragments.
Now that means as the [b]1st & 2nd Fag[/b] is in quavers (eighth notes) at 400bpm he is saying he can play 1600 notes per minuet ! but then[b] Fag 3[/b] is semi quavers (sixteenth notes) making 3200npm.
I'm would say this is not possible and even if it was, what would be the point. At that king of speed it would just sound like one long note or glissando.
Some might say the point is the challenge of playing at 400bpm. I can sort of see that although, you may think I'm a bit old fashioned but, music is about just that making music, not how fast can I play it.[/quote]

I have and do practice 10 hours a day, but for me it is what I'm studying and I want to be the best I can be so when I create music it is much easier to execute. Maybe some of us just have a desire to learn as much as possible and if we have the time why not use it.

With regards to the BPM practice thing, when you practice something as fast as you can and accurately, it makes everything slower seem more effortless. Which I feel can only be a good thing. Especially if you want to be an improvising musician at the top of your game (Which Janek is no doubt near to or at), you want to get as many of the technical obstructions out of the way.

[Jase]

[quote name='BigBeefChief' post='152724' date='Mar 6 2008, 09:49 PM']Thats interesting.

I must admit I tend to find the exact opposite. I can't persuade myself to like the works of Michael Manring, let alone anyone else.[/quote]


Found a bit of Manring you fancy then BBC, freaky stuff on that vid innit.

[bassbloke]

I feel a sporting analogy is appropriate.

I'm a keen swimmer. I try and swim everyday - 40 lengths in my lunch break. I'm no slouch - I'm faster than plenty of people,but I'm certainly not a professional. My favourite stroke is front crawl. I'm not very good at backstroke, don't really like breast stroke and haven't even attempted butterfly. That's not a problem. There are plenty of pro and semi-pro swimmers and I often encounter them when doing my lengths. They swim faster than me and often for longer. There's obviously a demand for whatt hey do. They're taking something they enjoy and pushing themselves to the limit. Also, they feel the need to train as hard as they do - either because that's the level they need to reach and maintain or because they feel that if they don;t work so hard, someone else that does will overtake them.

So, unless the people criticising Mr Gwizdala are professional jazz musicians, I don't see how they can be qualified to comment on whether

1) There's a demand for such music
2) Whether Mr Gwizdala's practise regime is appropriate or excessive
3) Whether Mr Gwizdala's advice is accurate.

Edited March 8, 2008 by bassbloke

[6stringbassist]

I think this is the most ridiculous thread that I've read, and this site is certainly no stranger to stupid threads.

The exercises are for people who wish to improve their playing, if you don't wish to improve then turn the page and ignore them.

There are bass players, and bass playing musicians, most of the people who posted on this thread appear to be the former, obviously with no desire other than to do what they do.

As to 'technique destroys creativity', what a load of b***ocks, how can it ?.

Unless the boundaries of your creativity are very close together, or you have a great natural musical ability, then improving your playing technique means that you'll be able to play what you want when you want, with less energy expended.
Also learning something new opens up new avenues of playing, thus expanding your creativity.

I find BGM to be quite a good magazine, not as good as Bassplayer, but then bassplayer has been going longer, but BGM is improving with every issue, I find the reviews to be very honest.

[Alun]

[quote name='6stringbassist' post='153712' date='Mar 8 2008, 07:11 PM']The exercises are for people who wish to improve their playing, if you don't wish to improve then turn the page and ignore them.

There are bass players, and bass playing musicians, most of the people who posted on this thread appear to be the former, obviously with no desire other than to do what they do.

As to 'technique destroys creativity', what a load of b***ocks, how can it ?.

Unless the boundaries of your creativity are very close together, or you have a great natural musical ability, then improving your playing technique means that you'll be able to play what you want when you want, with less energy expended.
Also learning something new opens up new avenues of playing, thus expanding your creativity.[/quote]

Well said Kev, have a +1 from me

Cheers
alun