The secret to playing.

It´s easy to play any musical instrument.

All you have to do is press the right keys at the right time. Then, the instrument will play itself.

At least, according to Johann Sebastian Bach.

Well, that sounds logical enough.

But my question is: how do you know which are the right keys?

And another one: how do you know when is the right time?

Well, my answer would be: practice.

Many people tell me how easy it is for me to play pieces of music that seem very difficult to learn.

Well, they are difficult for me too. Music is difficult.

But I´ve practiced my instrument for hours, every single day, for 30 years. No wonder they seem easy to me. I´ve played them hundreds of times. However, if I stopped practicing and performing, I would loose at least part of my skill. Constant practice is essential.

Paco de Lucia, the amazingly gifted guitar legend from Spain, said that anybody who put in as many hours as him into studying the guitar would be able to play just as good as him, if not better.

I´ve always wondered how much truth is there in that statement… perhaps we all have our own personal opinion on that, and there is no absolute truth.

Have a great day,

Claudio.

P.D. My CD album sale ends tomorrow. After that, I won´t be seeling them anymore. The link is here.